the memorabilia(纪念品)-第17章
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is aflame； in an instant my whole soul is eager to leap forth。 With
vehemence I speed to the mark。 I； who love； demand to be loved again；
this desire in me must be met by counter desire in him； this thirst for his
society by thirst reciprocal for mine。 And these will be your needs also； I
foresee； whenever you are seized with longing to contract a friendship。 Do
not hide from me； therefore； whom you would choose as a friend； since；
owing to the pains I take to please him who pleases me； I am not
altogether unversed； I fancy； in the art of catching men。＇24＇
＇23＇ 〃An authority in matters of love。〃 Cf。 Plat。 〃Symp。〃 177 D； Xen。
〃Symp。〃 viii。 2。
＇24＇ See below； III。 xi。 7； cf。 Plat。 〃Soph。〃 222； N。 T。 Matt。 iv。 19；
｛alieis anthropon｝。
Critobulus replied： Why； these are the very lessons of instruction；
Socrates； for which I have been long athirst； and the more particularly if
this same love's lore will enable me to capture those who are good of soul
and those who are beautiful of person。
Soc。 Nay； now I warn you； Critobulus； it is not within the province of
my science to make the beautiful endure him who would lay hands upon
them。 And that is why men fled from Scylla； I am persuaded； because she
laid hands upon them； but the Sirens were differentthey laid hands on
nobody； but sat afar off and chanted their spells in the ears of all； and
therefore； it is said； all men endured to listen； and were charmed。
Cri。 I promise I will not lay violent hands on any； therefore； if you
have any good device for winning friends； instruct your pupil。
Soc。 And if there is to be no laying on of the hands； there must be no
application either of the lips； is it agreed？
Cri。 No； nor application of the lips to any onenot beautiful。
Soc。 See now！ you cannot open your mouth without some luckless
utterence。 Beauty suffers no such liberty； however eagerly the ugly may
invite it； making believe some quality of soul must rank them with the
beautiful。
Cri。 Be of good cheer then； let the compact stand thus： 〃Kisses for the
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beautiful； and for the good a rain of kisses。〃 So now teach us the art of
catching friends。
Soc。 Well then； when you wish to win some one's affection； you will
allow me to lodge information against you to the effect that you admire
him and desire to be his friend？
Cri。 Lodge the indictment； with all my heart。 I never heard of any one
who hated his admirers。
Soc。 And if I add to the indictment the further charge that through your
admiration you are kindly disposed towards him； you will not feel I am
taking away your character？
Cri。 Why； no； for myself I know a kindly feeling springs up in my
heart towards any one whom I conceive to be kindly disposed to me。
Soc。 All this I shall feel empowered to say about you to those whose
friendship you seek； and I can promise further help； only there is a
comprehensive 〃if〃 to be considered： if you will further authorise me to
say that you are devoted to your friends； that nothing gives you so much
joy as a good friend； that you pride yourself no less on the fine deeds of
those you love than on your own； and on their good things equally with
your own； that you never weary of plotting and planning to procure them a
rich harvest of the same； and lastly； that you have discovered a man's
virtue is to excel his friends in kindness and his foes in hostility。 If I am
authorised thus to report of you； I think you will find me a serviceable
fellow…hunter in the quest of friends； which is the conquest of the good。
Cri。 Why this appeal to me？as if you had not free permission to say
exactly what you like about me。
Soc。 No； that I deny； on the authority of Aspasia。＇25＇ I have it from her
own lips。 〃Good matchmakers；〃 she said tome； 〃were clever hands at
cementing alliances between people； provided the good qualities they
vouched for were truthfully reported； but when it came to their telling lies；
for her part she could not compliment them。＇26＇ Their poor deluded dupes
ended by hating each other and the go…betweens as well。〃 Now I myself
am so fully persuaded of the truth of this that I feel it is not in my power to
say aught in your praise which I cannot say with truth。
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＇25＇ Aspasia； daughter of Axiochus； of Miletus。 See 〃Econ。〃 iii。 14；
Plat。 〃Menex。〃 235 E； Aesch。 Socrat。 ap。 Cic。 〃de Invent。〃 I。 xxxi。 51。
See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 vi。 132 foll。； Cobet； 〃Pros。 Xen。〃
＇26＇ Reading ｛ouk ethelein epainein｝； or if ｛ouk ophelein epainousas｝
with Kuhner transl。 〃Good matchmakers； she told me； have to
consult truth when reporting favourably of any one： then indeed they
are terribly clever at bringing people together： whereas false
flatterers do no good； their dupes；〃 etc。
Cri。 Really； Socrates； you are a wonderfully good friend to mein so
far as I have any merit which will entitle me to win a friend； you will lend
me a helping hand； it seems； otherwise you would rather not forge any
petty fiction for my benefit。
Soc。 But tell me； how shall I assist you best； think you？ By praising
you falsely or by persuading you to try to be a good man？ Or if it is not
plain to you thus； look at the matter by the light of some examples。 I wish
to introduce you to a shipowner； or to make him your friend： I begin by
singing your praises to him falsely thus； 〃You will find him a good pilot〃；
he catches at the phrase； and entrusts his ship to you； who have no notion
of guiding a vessel。 What can you expect but to make shipwreck of the
craft and yourself together？ or suppose by similar false assertions I can
persuade the state at large to entrust her destinies to you〃a man with a
fine genius for command；〃 I say； 〃a practised lawyer；〃 〃a politician born；〃
and so forth。 The odds are； the state and you may come to grief through
you。 Or to take an instance from everyday life。 By my falsehoods I
persuade some private person to entrust his affairs to you as 〃a really
careful and business…like person with a head for economy。〃 When put to
the test would not your administration prove ruinous； and the figure you
cut ridiculous？ No； my dear friend； there is but one road； the shortest；
safest； best； and it is simply this： In whatsoever you desire to be deemed
good； endeavour to be good。 For of all the virtues namable among men；
consider； and you will find there is not one but may be increased by
learning and practice。 For my part then； Critobulus； these are the principles
on which we ought to go a… hunting； but if you take a different view； I am
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all attention； please instruct me。
Then Critobulus： Nay； Socrates； I should be ashamed to gainsay what
you have said； if I did； it would neither be a noble statement nor a
true。＇27＇
＇27＇ ｛kala 。 。 。 alethe｝。
VII
He had two ways of dealing with the difficulties of his friends： where
ignorance was the cause； he tried to meet the trouble by a dose of common
sense； or where want and poverty were to blame； by lessoning them that
they should assist one another according to their ability； and here I may
mention certain incidents which occurred within my own knowledge。 How；
for instance； he chanced upon Aristarchus wearing the look of one who
suffered from a fit of the 〃sullens；〃 and thus accosted him。
Soc。 You seem to have some trouble on your mind； Aristarchus； if so；
you should share it with your friends。 Perhaps together we might lighten
the weight of it a little。
Aristarchus answered： Yes； Socrates； I am in sore straits indeed。 Ever
since the party strife declared itself in the city；＇1＇ what with the rush of
people to Piraeus； and the wholesale banishments； I have been fairly at the
mercy of my poor deserted female relatives。 Sisters； nieces； cousins； they
have all come flocking to me for protection。 I have fourteen free…born
souls； I tell you； under my single roof； and how are we to live？ We can get
nothing out of the soilthat is in the hands of the enemy； nothing from my
house property； for there is scarcely a living soul left in the city； my
furniture？ no one will buy it； money？ there is none to be borrowedyou
would have a better chance to find it by looking for it on the road than to
borrow it from a banker。 Yes； Socrates； to stand by and see one's relatives
die of hunger is hard indeed； and yet to feed so many at such a pinch
impossible。
＇1＇ i。e。 circa 404…403 B。C。 See 〃Hell。〃 II。 iv。
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After he listened to the story； Socrates asked： How comes it that
Ceramon；＇2＇ with so many mouths to feed； not only contrives to furnish
himself and them with the necessaries of life； but to realise a handsome
surplus； whilst you being in like plight＇3＇ are afraid you will one and all
perish of starvation for want of the necessaries of life？
＇2＇ An employer of labour； apparently； on a grand scale。
＇3＇ Lit。 〃with your large family to feed。〃 L。 Dindorf would like to
read ｛su de oligous｝； 〃you with your small family。〃
Ar。 Why； bless your soul； do you not see he has only slaves and I have
free…born souls to feed？
Soc。 And which should you say were the better human beings； the
free… born members of your household or Ceramon's slaves？
Ar。 The free souls under my roof without a doubt。
Soc。 Is it not a shame； then； that he
