cyropaedia-第57章

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are　come　by　unjustly；　and　all　the　world　knows　it；　why；　there　is
nothing　to　blush　for　in　that：　injustice　has　grown　too　common　among
them；　and　ill…gotten　gain。　＇19＇　Formerly　no　Persian　was　ever　to　be
seen　on　foot；　but　the　sole　object　of　the　custom　was　to　make　them
perfect　horsemen。　Now　they　lay　more　rugs　on　their　horses'　backs　than
on　their　own　beds；　it　is　not　a　firm　seat　they　care　for；　but　a　soft
saddle。

＇20＇　As　soldiers　we　may　imagine　how　they　have　sunk　below　the　ancient
standard；　in　past　times　it　was　a　national　institution　that　the　land…
owner　should　furnish　troopers　from　his　own　estate；　and　men　were　bound
to　go　on　active　service；　while　the　garrison　troops　in　the　country
received　regular　pay；　but　now　the　Persian　grandees　have　manufactured　a
new　type　of　cavalry；　who　earn　their　pay　as　butlers　and　cooks　and
confectioners　and　cupbearers　and　bathmen　and　flunkeys　to　serve　at
table　or　remove　the　dishes；　and　serving…men　to　put　their　lords　to　bed
and　help　them　to　rise；　and　perfumers　to　anoint　them　and　rub　them　and
make　them　beautiful。　＇21＇　In　numbers　they　make　a　very　splendid　show；
but　they　are　no　use　for　fighting；　as　may　be　seen　by　what　actually
takes　place：　an　enemy　can　move　about　their　country　more　freely　than
the　inhabitants　themselves。　＇22＇　It　will　be　remembered　that　Cyrus　put
a　stop　to　the　old　style　of　fighting　at　long　range；　and　by　arming　men
and　horses　with　breastplates　and　giving　each　trooper　a　short　spear　he
taught　them　to　fight　at　close　quarters。　But　nowadays　they　will　fight
in　neither　one　style　nor　the　other。　＇23＇　The　infantry　still　carry　the
large　shields；　the　battle…axes；　and　the　swords；　as　if　they　meant　to　do
battle　as　they　did　in　Cyrus'　day。　＇24＇　But　they　will　never　close　with
the　enemy。　Nor　do　they　use　the　scythe…bearing　chariots　as　Cyrus
intended。　By　the　honours　he　gave　he　raised　the　dignity　and　improved
the　quality　of　his　charioteers　till　he　had　a　body　of　men　who　would
charge　right　into　the　enemy's　ranks；　but　the　generals　of　to…day；
though　they　do　not　even　know　the　charioteers　by　sight；　flatter
themselves　that　untrained　men　will　serve　their　purpose　quite　as　well
as　trained。　＇25＇　So　the　charioteers　will　dash　off；　but　before　they
reach　the　enemy　half　the　men　have　fallen　from　their　boxes；　and　the
others　will　jump　out　of　their　own　accord；　and　the　teams；　left　without
their　drivers；　will　do　more　harm　to　their　friends　than　to　their　foes。
＇26＇　And　since　in　their　hearts　the　Persians　of　to…day　are　well　aware
what　their　fighting　condition　really　is；　they　always　give　up　the
struggle；　and　now　none　of　them　will　take　the　field　at　all　without
Hellenes　to　help　them；　whether　they　are　fighting　among　themselves　or
whether　Hellenes　are　in　arms　against　them：　even　then　it　is　a　settled
thing　that　they　must　have　the　aid　of　other　Hellenes　to　face　them。

＇27＇　I　venture　to　think　I　have　shown　the　truth　of　the　statement　that　I
made。　I　asserted　that　the　Persians　of　to…day　and　their　allies　are　less
religious　than　they　were　of　old；　less　dutiful　to　their　kindred；　less
just　and　righteous　towards　other　men；　and　less　valiant　in　war。　And　if
any　man　doubts　me；　let　him　examine　their　actions　for　himself；　and　he
will　find　full　confirmation　of　all　I　say。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NOTES

C1。　Xenophon　puts　into　the　mouth　of　Chrysantas　his　favourite　theory　of
monarchism；　the　relationship　strongly　cemented　by　obedience　and　trust
between　subjects　and　king。

C1。4；　med。　On　/willing/　service。　This　again　is　one　of　the　best
utterances　in　all　Xenophon。　It　has　a　deep　spiritual　import。

C1。4；　fin。　He　is　thinking　of　Athens；　perhaps。　It　is　a　choice：　obey　the
ruler　or　knock　under　to　foreign　foes。

C1。8。　Surely　a　remark　of　the　author。　It　is　an　old　inveterate　thought
of　his：　〃the　Master's　eye。〃　I　feel　the　/old/　man　at　times。

C1。9…10。　This　side　of　the　Persian　state…machine　strongly　impressed　the
mind　and　imagination　of　Xenophon。　Hence　he　works　it　into　the　treatise
on　economy　as　well　as　here。　In　fact　his　expansion　of　the　Socratic
reflections　into　the　/Economist/　has　to　do；　I　believe；　with　these
reflections　on　state　economy。

C1。13。　Hellenic　aristocratic　theory　of　existence。　Leisure　for　the
grand　duties　which　devolve　on　the　lords　of　mankind。　It　doesn't　seem　to
strike　Xenophon　that　this　rigid　system　of　self…absorption　in　the
higher　selfhood　of　the　social　system　might　be　destructive　of
individual　life。　Of　course　he　would　say；　〃No；　it　enlarges　the
individual　life。〃

C1。17…20。　Seems　to　me　to　show　Xenophon　struggling　with　the　hard　parts
of　the　later　Persian　system。　The　theory　of　Persian　feudalism　is　too
high…strung　for　these　grand　satraps；　rulers　of　provinces　as　big　as
ordinary　kingdoms。　It　tends　to　snap；　and　from　the　beginning　did。　The
archic　man　has　no　charm　to　compel　his　followers　to　archic　virtue。　It
is　a　negative　｛episteme｝　after　all。　Does　Xenophon　realise　this；　or　is
hgd。　wrong？

C1。21。　Cf。　headmasters　with　preposters　in　a　public　school；　based　on
the　same　system　of　high　aims　and　duties　corresponding　to　rights。

C1。23；　init。　Cf。　Louis　Napoleon　in　Browning's　poem　＇/Prince
Hohensteil…Schwangau/＇。

C1。23；　med。　The　Magians；　the　Persian　order　of　priests。　Yet　we　have
heard　of　them　throughout。

C1。27。　A　very　true　saying　and　very　nice　the　feeling　it　gives　us
towards　Xenophon。　We　think　of　him　with　his　wife　and　his　little　sons
and　his　friends　and　their　friends。

C1。28。　How　true　of　women！

C1。33。　A　reduplication　of　the　description　in　Bk。　I。；　and　also　a
summing…up　of　Xenophon's　own　earthly　paradisequite　Tennysonian。

C1。37。　An　important　point　or　principle　in　Xenophon's　political　theory
indeed　the　key　and　tone　of　it：　no　one　has　a　right　to　command　except
by　virtue　of　personal　superiority。

C1。40　foll。　〃How　art　thou　fallen　from　heaven；　O　Lucifer；　son　of　the
morning！〃　The　section；　if；　as　I　think　it　is；　by　Xenophon；　throws　light
on　the　nature　and　composition　of　the　book。　The　author　isn't　so
disengaged　from　〃history〃　that　he　can　set　aside　obviously　integral
parts　of　the　Persian　system　traceable　to　Cyrus；　or　at　any　rate
probably　original；　and　their　false…seeming　and　bamboozling　mode　of
keeping　up　dignity　has　to　be　taken　account　of。　It　has　its　analogy　in
the　admission　of　thaumaturgy　on　the　part　of　religious　teachers；　and　no
doubt　a　good　deal　can　be　said　for　it。　The　archic　man　in　low　spirits；
if　he　ever　is　so；　has　some　need　of　bamboozling　himself。　Titles　do　give
some　moral　support　even　nowadays　to　certain　kinds　of　minds。

C1。46…48。　The　archic　man's　dealings　by　those　of　his　subjects　who　are
apt　to　rule；　the　men　of　high　thoughts　and　ambitions；　with　whom　he　must
come　into　constant　personal　contact。　With　them　the　spiritual　dominance
alone　will　do。　They　shall　be　made　to　love　him　rather　than　themselves。
（The　only　thing　just　here　that　jars　is　a　sort　of　Machiavellian　self…
consciousness；　resented　in　the　archic　man）。

C1。46。　A　cumbrous　disjointed　sentence；　but　the　thought　of　it　is　clear
enough。　Even　Xenophon's　style　breaks　down　when　he　tries　to　say　in　a
breath　more　than　he　naturally　can。　Is　it　a　sign　of　senility；　or　half…
thought…out　ideas；　or　what？

C2。2；　fin。　Does　Xenophon　feel　the　bathos　of　this；　or　is　hdg。　wrong　and
there　is　no　bathos？　It　may　be　said　that　the　sacramental　and　spiritual
side　is　not　in　abeyance。　Xenophon　has　to　account　for　the　〃common
board〃　and　he　has　the　Spartan　Lycurgan　〃common　board〃　to　encourage
him；　so　that　imaginatively　he　provides　this　royal　being　with　a
sumptuous　table　at　which　thousands　will　share　alike。

C2。3。　How　far　was　this　a　custom　among　Hellenes？　It　reveals　a　curious
state　of　society；　real　or　imaginary；　but　I　suppose　that　at　Rome　in
imperial　days　（cf。　/panem　et　circenses/）　the　theory　of　meat　and　drink
largesses　being　the　best　would　hold。

C2。4；　fin。　The　last　remark　is　so　silly　（？）　I　am　almost　disposed　to
follow　Lincke　and　admit　interpolation。　Yet　on　the　whole　I　think　it　is
the　voice　of　the　old　man　explaining　in　his　Vicar…of…Wakefield　style；
to　his　admiring　auditors；　wife；　children；　and　grandsons；　I　fancy；　and
slaves；　the　/raison　d'être/　of　Persian　dinner…largesse　customs。

C2。6。　Qy。：　What　was　Xenophon's　manner　of　composing？　The　style　here　is
loose；　like　that　of　a　man　talking。　Perhaps　he　lectured　and　the
amanuensis　took　down　what　he　said。

C2。8。　Ineptitudes。　One　does　somewhat　sniff　an　editor　here；　I　think；
but　I　am　not　sure。　There's　a　similar　touch　of　ineptitude　（senility；
perhaps）　in　the　/Memorabilia/；　/ad　fin/。　On　the　other　hand　I　can
imagine　Xenophon　purring　over　this　side　of　Orientalism　quite
naturally。

C2。12。　This　slipshod　style；　how　accounted　for？　The　most　puzzling　thing
of　all　is　the　sort　of　mental　confusion　between　Cyrus　and　the　king　in
general。

C2。15…16。　Thoroughly　Xenophontine　and　Ruskinian　and　eternal。

C2。24。　Here　is　the　germ　of　benefit　societies　and　clubs　and　insurances
and　hospitals。　Xenophon　probably　learns　it　all　from　Ctesias；　and
others　of　the　sort。　Cyrus　provides　doctors　and　instruments　and
medicines　and　diet；　in　fact；　all　the　requisites　of　a　hospital；　in　his
palace。　Nor　does　he　forget　to　be　grateful　to　the　doctors　who　cured　the
sick。　＇Ctesias；　the　Greek　physician　to　the　Persian　king。　See
/Anabasis/；　I。　viii。　Works；　Vol。　I。　p。　108。＇

C2。26　ff。　Xenophon's　Machiavellianism。　Does　it　work？

C2。17…28。　It　seems　to　me　that　all　this　is　too　elaborate　for　an
interpolator：　it　smacks　of　Xenophon　in　his　arm…chair；　theorising　and
half…dreaming　over　his　political　philosophy。

C3。2。　Prototype；　a　procession　to　Eleusis　or　elsewhere：　the
Panathenaic；　possibly。　Xenophon's　sumptuous　taste　and　love　of　bright
colours。

C3。3；　fin。；　C3。4。　What　a　curious　prototypic　sound！　Truly　this　is　the
very　/modus/　of　the　evangelist's　type　of　sentence。　His　narrative　must
run　in　this　mould。

C3。4；　fin。　This　is　the　old　Cyrus。　It　comes　in　touchingly　here；　this
refrain　of　the　old　song；　now　an　echo　of　the　old　life。

C3。14。　Xenophon　delights　somewhat　in　this　sort　of　scene。　It　is　a
turning…point；　a　veritable　moral　peripety；　though　the　decisive　step
was　taken　long　ago。　What　is　Xenophon's　intention　with　regard　to　it？
Has　he　any　/parti　pris/；　for　or　against？　Does　he　wish　us　to　draw
conclusions？　Or　does　it　correspond　to　a　moral　meeting　of　the　waters　in
his　own　mind？　Here　love　of　Spartan　simplicity；　and　there　of　splendour
and　regality　and　monarchism？　He　does　not　give　a　hint　that　the　sapping
of　the　system　begins　here；　when　the　archic　man　ceases　to　depend　on　his
own　spiritual　archic　qualities　and　begins　to　eke　out　his　dignity　by
artificial　means　and　external　shows　of　reverence。

C3。20。　Is　this　worthy　of　the　archic　man？　It　is　a　method；　no　doubt；　of
｛arkhe｝；　but　has　it　any　spiritual　〃last〃　in　it？　The　incident　of
Da？pharnes　somewhat　diverts　our　attention　from　the　justice　of　the
system　in　reference　to　the　suitors。　On　the　whole；　I　think　Xenophon
can't　get　further。　He　is　blinded　and　befogged　by　two　things：　（1）　his
（i。e。　their）　aristocratism；　and　again　（2）　his　satisfaction　in
splendour　and　get…up；　provided　it　is　attached　to　moral　greatness。　We
are　in　the　same　maze；　I　fancy。　Jesus　was　not；　nor　is　Walt　Whitman。

C3。23。　Cyrus　is　made　to　behave　rather　like　the　autocratic　father　of　a
goody　story…book。

C3。25。　Realistic　and　vivid　detailing：　our　curiosity　is　satisfied。　〃Who
has　won？〃　we　ask。　〃Oh；　so…and…so；　Smith。〃　We