the memorabilia(纪念品)-第12章
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suspicion steal upon you that the stream of joys will one day dwindle； trust
me I will not lead you where you shall replenish the store by toil of body
and trouble of soul。 No！ others shall labour； but you shall reap the fruit of
their labours； you shall withhold your hand from nought which shall bring
you gain。 For to all my followers I give authority and power to help
themselves freely from every side。'
＇31＇ Or； 〃without change in her demeanour。〃
＇32＇ Reading ｛diese｝； or ｛dioisei｝； 〃you shall continue speculating
solely。〃
＇33＇ It will be recollected that Prodicus prided himself on ｛orthotes
onomaton｝。 Possibly Xenophon is imitating （caricaturing？） his style。
｛terphtheies； estheies； euphrantheies｝。
〃Heracles hearing these words made answer： 'What； O lady； is the
name you bear？' To which she： 'Know that my friends call be Happiness；
but they that hate me have their own nicknames＇34＇ for me； Vice and
Naughtiness。'
＇34＇ So the vulg。 ｛upokorizomenoi｝ is interpreted。 Cobet （〃Pros。 Xen。〃
p。 36） suggests ｛upoknizomenoi｝ = 〃quippe qui desiderio
pungantur。〃
〃But just then the other of those fair women approached and spoke：
'Heracles； I too am come to you； seeing that your parents are well known
to me； and in your nurture I have gauged your nature； wherefore I
entertain good hope that if you choose the path which leads to me； you
shall greatly bestir yourself to be the doer of many a doughty deed of
noble emprise； and that I too shall be held in even higher honour for your
sake； lit with the lustre shed by valorous deeds。＇35＇ I will not cheat you
with preludings of pleasure；＇36＇ but I will relate to you the things that are
according to the ordinances of God in very truth。 Know then that among
things that are lovely and of good report； not one have the gods bestowed
upon mortal men apart from toil and pains。 Would you obtain the favour of
the gods； then must you pay these same gods service； would you be loved
by your friends； you must benefit these friends； do you desire to be
honoured by the state； you must give the state your aid； do you claim
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admiration for your virtue from all Hellas； you must strive to do some
good to Hellas； do you wish earth to yield her fruits to you abundantly； to
earth must you pay your court； do you seek to amass riches from your
flocks and herds； on them must you bestow your labour； or is it your
ambition to be potent as a warrior； able to save your friends and to subdue
your foes； then must you learn the arts of war from those who have the
knowledge； and practise their application in the field when learned； or
would you e'en be powerful of limb and body； then must you habituate
limbs and body to obey the mind； and exercise yourself with toil and
sweat。'
＇35＇ Or； 〃bathed in the splendour of thy virtues。〃
＇36＇ Or； 〃honeyed overtures of pleasure。〃
〃At this point； （as Prodicus relates） Vice broke in exclaiming： 'See you；
Heracles； how hard and long the road is by which yonder woman would
escort you to her festal joys。＇37＇ But I will guide you by a short and easy
road to happiness。'
＇37＇ Hesiod； 〃Theog。〃 909； Milton； 〃L'Allegro；〃 12。
〃Then spoke Virtue： 'Nay； wretched one； what good thing hast thou？ or
what sweet thing art thou acquainted withthat wilt stir neither hand nor
foot to gain it？ Thou； that mayest not even await the desire of pleasure； but；
or ever that desire springs up； art already satiated； eating before thou
hungerest； and drinking before thou thirsteth； who to eke out an appetite
must invent an army of cooks and confectioners； and to whet thy thirst
must lay down costliest wines； and run up and down in search of ice in
summer…time； to help thy slumbers soft coverlets suffice not； but couches
and feather…beds must be prepared thee and rockers to rock thee to rest；
since desire for sleep in thy case springs not from toil but from vacuity and
nothing in the world to do。 Even the natural appetite of love thou forcest
prematurely by every means thou mayest devise； confounding the sexes in
thy service。 Thus thou educatest thy friends： with insult in the night season
and drowse of slumber during the precious hours of the day。 Immortal；
thou art cast forth from the company of gods； and by good men art
dishonoured： that sweetest sound of all； the voice of praise； has never
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thrilled thine ears； and the fairest of all fair visions is hidden from thine
eyes that have never beheld one bounteous deed wrought by thine own
hand。 If thou openest thy lips in speech； who will believe thy word？ If
thou hast need of aught； none shall satisfy thee。 What sane man will
venture to join thy rablle rout？ Ill indeed are thy revellers to look upon；
young men impotent of body； and old men witless in mind： in the heyday
of life they batten in sleek idleness； and wearily do they drag through an
age of wrinkled wretchedness： and why？ they blush with shame at the
thought of deeds done in the past； and groan for weariness at what is left to
do。 During their youth they ran riot through their sweet things； and laid up
for themselves large store of bitterness against the time of eld。 But my
companionship is with the gods； and with the good among men my
conversation； no bounteous deed； divine or human； is wrought without my
aid。 Therefore am I honoured in Heaven pre…eminently； and upon earth
among men whose right it is to honour me；＇38＇ as a beloved fellow…
worker of all craftsmen； a faithful guardian of house and lands； whom the
owners bless； a kindly helpmeet of servants；＇39＇ a brave assistant in the
labours of peace； an unflinching ally in the deeds of war； a sharer in all
friendships indispensable。 To my friends is given an enjoyment of meats
and drinks； which is sweet in itself and devoid of trouble； in that they can
endure until desire ripens； and sleep more delicious visits them than those
who toil not。 Yet they are not pained to part with it； nor for the sake of
slumber do they let slip the performance of their duties。 Among my
followers the youth delights in the praises of his elders； and the old man
glories in the honour of the young； with joy they call to memory their
deeds of old； and in to…day's well…doing are well pleased。 For my sake they
are dear in the sight of God； beloved of their friends and honoured by the
country of their birth。 When the appointed goal is reached they lie not
down in oblivion with dishonour； but bloom afreshtheir praise resounded
on the lips of men for ever。＇40＇ Toils like these； O son of noble parents；
Heracles； it is yours to meet with； and having endured； to enter into the
heritage assured you of transcendant happiness。'〃
＇38＇ Reading ｛ois prosekei｝； or if ｛proseko｝； translate 〃to whom I am
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attached。〃
＇39＇ Cf。 〃Econ。〃 v。 8。
＇40＇ Or； 〃so true is it； a branch is left them； undying honour to
their name！〃
This； Aristippus； in rough sketch is the theme which Prodicus
pursues＇41＇ in his 〃Education of Heracles by Virtue；〃 only he decked out
his sentiments； I admit； in far more magnificant phrases than I have
ventured on。 Were it not well； Aristippus； to lay to heart these sayings； and
to strive to bethink you somewhat of that which touches the future of our
life？
＇41＇ Reading ｛diokei｝； al。 ｛diokei｝ = 〃so Prodicus arranged the parts
of his discourse。〃
II
At another time； he had noticed the angry temper shown by
Lamprocles； the elder of his sons； towards their mother； and thus
addressed himself to the lad。
Soc。 Pray； my son； did you ever hear of certain people being called
ungrateful？
That I have （replied the young man）。
Soc。 And have you understood what it is they do to get that bad name？
Lamp。 Yes； I have： when any one has been kindly treated； and has it in
his power to requite the kindness but neglects to do so； men call him
ungrateful。
Soc。 And you admit that people reckon the ungrateful among
wrongdoers？
Lamp。 I do。
Soc。 And has it ever struck you to inquire whether； as regards the right
or wrong of it； ingratitude may not perhaps resemble some such conduct
as the enslavement； say； of prisoners； which is accounted wrong towards
friends but justifiable towards enemies？
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Lamp。 Yes； I have put that question to myself。 In my opinion； no
matter who confers the kindness； friend or foe； the recipient should
endeavour to requite it； failing which he is a wrongdoer。
Soc。 Then if that is how the matter stands； ingratitude would be an
instance of pure unadulterate wrongdoing？
Lamprocles assented to the proposition。
Soc。 It follows； then； that in proportion to the greatness of the benefit
conferred； the greater his misdoing who fails to requite the kindness？
Lamprocles again assented。
Socrates continued： And where can we hope to find greater benefits
than those which children derive from their parentstheir
