gorgias-第16章

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l；　although　the　result　is　that　they　lose　their　original　flesh　in　the　long　run；　and　become　thinner　than　they　were　before；　and　yet　they；　in　their　simplicity；　will　not　attribute　their　diseases　and　loss　of　flesh　to　their　entertainers；　but　when　in　after　years　the　unhealthy　surfeit　brings　the　attendant　penalty　of　disease；　he　who　happens　to　be　near　them　at　the　time；　and　offers　them　advice；　is　accused　and　blamed　by　them；　and　if　they　could　they　would　do　him　some　harm；　while　they　proceed　to　eulogize　the　men　who　have　been　the　real　authors　of　the　mischief。　　　And　that；　Callicles；　is　just　what　you　are　now　doing。　You　praise　the　men　who　feasted　the　citizens　and　satisfied　their　desires；　and　people　say　that　they　have　made　the　city　great；　not　seeing　that　the　swollen　And　ulcerated　condition　of　the　State　is　to　be　attributed　to　these　elder　statesmen；　for　they　have　filled　the　city　full　of　harbours　and　docks　and　walls　and　revenues　and　all　that；　and　have　left　no　room　for　justice　and　temperance。　And　when　the　crisis　of　the　disorder　comes；　the　people　will　blame　the　advisers　of　the　hour；　and　applaud　Themistocles　and　Cimon　and　Pericles；　who　are　the　real　authors　of　their　calamities；　and　if　you　are　not　careful　they　may　assail　you　and　my　friend　Alcibiades；　when　they　are　losing　not　only　their　new　acquisitions；　but　also　their　original　possessions；　not　that　you　are　the　authors　of　these　misfortunes　of　theirs；　although　you　may　perhaps　be　accessories　to　them。　A　great　piece　of　work　is　always　being　made；　as　I　see　and　am　told；　now　as　of　old；　about　our　statesmen。　When　the　State　treats　any　of　them　as　malefactors；　I　observe　that　there　is　a　great　uproar　and　indignation　at　the　supposed　wrong　which　is　done　to　them；　〃after　all　their　many　services　to　the　State；　that　they　should　unjustly　perish〃…so　the　tale　runs。　But　the　cry　is　all　a　lie；　for　no　statesman　ever　could　be　unjustly　put　to　death　by　the　city　of　which　he　is　the　head。　The　case　of　the　professed　statesman　is；　I　believe；　very　much　like　that　of　the　professed　sophist；　for　the　sophists；　although　they　are　wise　men；　are　nevertheless　guilty　of　a　strange　piece　of　folly；　professing　to　be　teachers　of　virtue；　they　will　often　accuse　their　disciples　of　wronging　them；　and　defrauding　them　of　their　pay；　and　showing　no　gratitude　for　their　services。　Yet　what　can　be　more　absurd　than　that　men　who　have　become　just　and　good；　and　whose　injustice　has　been　taken　away　from　them；　and　who　have　had　justice　implanted　in　them　by　their　teachers；　should　act　unjustly　by　reason　of　the　injustice　which　is　not　in　them？　Can　anything　be　more　irrational；　my　friends；　than　this？　You；　Callicles；　compel　me　to　be　a　mob…orator；　because　you　will　not　answer。　　　　Cal。　And　you　are　the　man　who　cannot　speak　unless　there　is　some　one　to　answer？　　　Soc。　I　suppose　that　I　can；　just　now；　at　any　rate；　the　speeches　which　I　am　making　are　long　enough　because　you　refuse　to　answer　me。　But　I　adjure　you　by　the　god　of　friendship；　my　good　sir；　do　tell　me　whether　there　does　not　appear　to　you　to　be　a　great　inconsistency　in　saying　that　you　have　made　a　man　good；　and　then　blaming　him　for　being　bad？　　　Cal。　Yes；　it　appears　so　to　me。　　　Soc。　Do　you　never　hear　our　professors　of　education　speaking　in　this　inconsistent　manner？　　　Cal。　Yes；　but　why　talk　of　men　who　are　good　for　nothing？　　　Soc。　I　would　rather　say；　why　talk　of　men　who　profess　to　be　rulers；　and　declare　that　they　are　devoted　to　the　improvement　of　the　city；　and　nevertheless　upon　occasion　declaim　against　the　utter　vileness　of　the　city：…do　you　think　that　there　is　any　difference　between　one　and　the　other？　My　good　friend；　the　sophist　and　the　rhetorician；　as　I　was　saying　to　Polus；　are　the　same；　or　nearly　the　same；　but　you　ignorantly　fancy　that　rhetoric　is　a　perfect　thing；　sophistry　a　thing　to　be　despised；　whereas　the　truth　is；　that　sophistry　is　as　much　superior　to　rhetoric　as　legislation　is　to　the　practice　of　law；　or　gymnastic　to　medicine。　The　orators　and　sophists；　as　I　am　inclined　to　think；　are　the　only　class　who　cannot　complain　of　the　mischief　ensuing　to　themselves　from　that　which　they　teach　others；　without　in　the　same　breath　accusing　themselves　of　having　done　no　good　to　those　whom　they　profess　to　benefit。　Is　not　this　a　fact？　　　Cal。　Certainly　it　is。　　　Soc。　If　they　were　right　in　saying　that　they　make　men　better；　then　they　are　the　only　class　who　can　afford　to　leave　their　remuneration　to　those　who　have　been　benefited　by　them。　Whereas　if　a　man　has　been　benefited　in　any　other　way；　if；　for　example；　he　has　been　taught　to　run　by　a　trainer；　he　might　possibly　defraud　him　of　his　pay；　if　the　trainer　left　the　matter　to　him；　and　made　no　agreement　with　him　that　he　should　receive　money　as　soon　as　he　had　given　him　the　utmost　speed；　for　not　because　of　any　deficiency　of　speed　do　men　act　unjustly；　but　by　reason　of　injustice。　　　Cal。　Very　true。　　　Soc。　And　he　who　removes　injustice　can　be　in　no　danger　of　being　treated　unjustly：　he　alone　can　safely　leave　the　honorarium　to　his　pupils；　if　he　be　really　able　to　make　them　good…am　I　not　right？　　　Cal。　Yes。　　　Soc。　Then　we　have　found　the　reason　why　there　is　no　dishonour　in　a　man　receiving　pay　who　is　called　in　to　advise　about　building　or　any　other　art？　　　Cal。　Yes；　we　have　found　the　reason。　　　Soc。　But　when　the　point　is；　how　a　man　may　become　best　himself；　and　best　govern　his　family　and　state；　then　to　say　that　you　will　give　no　advice　gratis　is　held　to　be　dishonourable？　　　Cal。　True。　　　Soc。　And　why？　Because　only　such　benefits　call　forth　a　desire　to　requite　them；　and　there　is　evidence　that　a　benefit　has　been　conferred　when　the　benefactor　receives　a　return；　otherwise　not。　Is　this　true？　　　Cal。　It　is。　　　Soc。　Then　to　which　service　of　the　State　do　you　invite　me？　determine　for　me。　Am　I　to　be　the　physician　of　the　State　who　will　strive　and　struggle　to　make　the　Athenians　as　good　as　possible；　or　am　I　to　be　the　servant　and　flatterer　of　the　State？　Speak　out；　my　good　friend；　freely　and　fairly　as　you　did　at　first　and　ought　to　do　again；　and　tell　me　your　entire　mind。　　　Cal。　I　say　then　that　you　should　be　the　servant　of　the　State。　　　Soc。　The　flatterer？　well；　sir；　that　is　a　noble　invitation。　　　Cal。　The　Mysian；　Socrates；　or　what　you　please。　For　if　you　refuse；　the　consequences　will　be…　　　Soc。　Do　not　repeat　the　old　story…that　he　who　likes　will　kill　me　and　get　my　money；　for　then　I　shall　have　to　repeat　the　old　answer；　that　he　will　be　a　bad　man　and　will　kill　the　good；　and　that　the　money　will　be　of　no　use　to　him；　but　that　he　will　wrongly　use　that　which　he　wrongly　took；　and　if　wrongly；　basely；　and　if　basely；　hurtfully。　　　Cal。　How　confident　you　are；　Socrates；　that　you　will　never　come　to　harm！　you　seem　to　think　that　you　are　living　in　another　country；　and　can　never　be　brought　into　a　court　of　justice；　as　you　very　likely　may　be　brought　by　some　miserable　and　mean　person。　　　Soc。　Then　I　must　indeed　be　a　fool；　Callicles；　if　I　do　not　know　that　in　the　Athenian　State　any　man　may　suffer　anything。　And　if　I　am　brought　to　trial　and　incur　the　dangers　of　which　you　speak；　he　will　be　a　villain　who　brings　me　to　trial…of　that　I　am　very　sure；　for　no　good　man　would　accuse　the　innocent。　Nor　shall　I　be　surprised　if　I　am　put　to　death。　Shall　I　tell　you　why　I　anticipate　this？　　　Cal。　By　all　means。　　　Soc。　I　think　that　I　am　the　only　or　almost　the　only　Athenian　living　who　practises　the　true　art　of　politics；　I　am　the　only　politician　of　my　time。　Now；　seeing　that　when　I　speak　my　words　are　not　uttered　with　any　view　of　gaining　favour；　and　that　I　look　to　what　is　best　and　not　to　what　is　most　pleasant；　having　no　mind　to　use　those　arts　and　graces　which　you　recommend；　I　shall　have　nothing　to　say　in　the　justice　court。　And　you　might　argue　with　me；　as　I　was　arguing　with　Polus：　…I　shall　be　tried　just　as　a　physician　would　be　tried　in　a　court　of　little　boys　at　the　indictment　of　the　cook。　What　Would　he　reply　under　such　circumstances；　if　some　one　were　to　accuse　him；　saying；　〃O　my　boys；　many　evil　things　has　this　man　done　to　you：　he　is　the　death　of　you；　especially　of　the　younger　ones　among　you；　cutting　and　burning　and　starving　and　suffocating　you；　until　you　know　not　what　to　do；　he　gives　you　the　bitterest　potions；　and　compels　you　to　hunger　and　thirst。　How　unlike　the　variety　of　meats　and　sweets　on　which　I　feasted　you！〃　What　do　you　suppose　that　the　physician　would　be　able　to　reply　when　he　found　himself　in　such　a　predicament？　If　he　told　the　truth　he　could　only　say；　〃All　these　evil　things；　my　boys；　I　did　for　your　health；〃　and　then　would　there　not　just　be　a　clamour　among　a　jury　like　that？　How　they　would　cry　out！　　　Cal。　I　dare　say。　　　Soc。　Would　he　not　be　utterly　at　a　loss　for　a　reply？　　　Cal。　He　certainly　would。　　　Soc。　And　I　too　shall　be　treated　in　the　same　way；　as　I　well　know；　if　I　am　brought　before　the　court。　For　I　shall　not　be　able　to　rehearse　to　the　people　the　pleasures　which　I　have　procured　for　them；　and　which；　although　I　am　not　disposed　to　envy　either　the　procurers　or　enjoyers　of　them；　are　deemed　by　them　to　be　benefits　and　advantages。　And　if　any　one　says　that　I　corrupt　young　men；　and　perplex　their　minds；　or　that　I　speak　evil　of　old　men；　and　use　bitter　words　towards　them；　whether　in　private　or　public；　it　is　useless　for　me　to　reply；　as　I　truly　might：…〃All　this　I　do　for　the　sake　of　justice；　and　with　a　view　to　your　interest；　my　judges；　and　to　nothing　else。〃　And　therefore　there　is　no　saying　what　may　happen　to　me。　　　Cal。　And　do　you　think；　Socrates；　that　a　man　who　is　thus　defenceless　is　in　a　good　position？　　　Soc。　Yes；　Callicles；　if　he　have　that　defence；　which　as　you　have　often　acknowledged　he　should　have…if　he　be　his　own　defence；　and　have　never　said　or　done　anything　wrong；　either　in　respect　of　gods　or　men；　and　this　has　been　repeatedly　acknowledged　by　us　to　be　the　best　sort　of　defence。　And　if　anyone　could　convict　me　of　inability　to　defend　myself　or　others　after　this　sort；　I　should　blush　for　shame；　whether　I　was　convicted　before　many；　or　before　a　few；　or　by　myself　alone；　and　if　I　died　from　want　of　ability　to　do　so；　that　would　indeed　grieve　me。　But　if　I　died　because　I　have　no　powers　of　flattery　or　rhetoric；　I　am　very　sure　that　you　would　not　find　me　repining　at　death。　For　no　man　who　is　not　an　utter　fool　and　coward　is　afraid　of　death　itself；　but　he　is　afraid　of　doing　wrong。　For　to　go　to　the　world　below　having　one's　soul　full　of　injustice　is　the　last　and　worst　of　all　evils。　And　in　proof　of　what　I　say；　if　you　have　no　objection；　I　should　like　to　tell　you　a　story。　　　Cal。　Very　well；　proceed；　and　then　we　shall　have　done。　　　Soc。　Listen；　then；　as　story…tellers　say；　to　a　very　pretty　tale；　which　I　dare　say　that　you　may　be　disposed　to　regard　as　a　fable　only；　but　which；　as　I　believe；　is　a　true　tale；　for　I　mean　to　speak　the　truth。　Homer　tells　us；　how　Zeus　and　Poseidon　and　Pluto　divided　the　empire　which　they　inherited　from　their　father。　Now　in　the　days　of　Cronos　there　existed　a　law　respecting　the　destiny　of　man；　which　has　always　been；　and　still　continues　to　be　in　Heaven…that　he　who　has　lived　all　his　life　in　justice　and　holiness　shall　go；　when　he　is　dead；　to　the　Islands　of　the　Blessed；　and　dwell　there　in　perfect　happiness　out　of　the　reach　of　evil；　but　that　he　who　has　lived　unjustly　and　impiously　shall　go　to　the　house　of　vengeance　and　punishment；　which　is　called　Tartarus。　And　in　the　time　of　Cronos；　and　even　quite　lately　in　the　reign　of　Zeus；　the　judgment　was　given　on　the　very　day　on　which　the　men　were　to　die；　the　judges　were　alive；　and　the　men　were　alive；　and　the