the memorabilia(纪念品)-第21章
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trooper is personally responsible for the condition of his horse。
Soc。 But suppose； when they present themselves and their horses；＇5＇
you find that some have brought beasts with bad feet or legs or otherwise
infirm； and others such ill…fed jades that they cannot keep up on the march；
others； again； brutes so ill broken and unmanageable that they will not
keep their place in the ranks； and others such desperate plungers that they
cannot be got to any place in the ranks at all。 What becomes of your
cavalry force then？ How will you charge at the head of such a troop； and
win glory for the state？
＇5＇ For this phrase； see Schneider and Kuhner ad loc。
Hipp。 You are right。 I will try to look after the horses to my utmost。
Soc。 Well； and will you not lay your hand to improve the men
themselves？
Hipp。 I will。
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Soc。 The first thing will be to make them expert in mounting their
chargers？
Hipp。 That certainly； for if any of them were dismounted he would
then have a better chance of saving himself。
Soc。 Well； but when it comes to the hazard of engagement； what will
you do then？ Give orders to draw the enemy down to the sandy ground＇6＇
where you are accustomed to manouvre； or endeavour beforehand to put
your men through their practice on ground resembling a real battlefield？
＇6＇ e。g。 the hippodrome at Phaleron。
Hipp。 That would be better； no doubt。
Soc。 Well； shall you regard it as a part of your duty to see that as many
of your men as possible can take aim and shoot on horseback？＇7＇
＇7＇ Cf。 〃Hipparch；〃 i。 21。
Hipp。 It will be better； certainly。
Soc。 And have you thought how to whet the courage of your troopers？
to kindle in them rage to meet the enemy？which things are but stimulants
to make stout hearts stouter？
Hipp。 If I have not done so hitherto； I will try to make up for lost time
now。
Soc。 And have you troubled your head at all to consider how you are to
secure the obedience of your men？ for without that not one particle of
good will you get； for all your horses and troopers so brave and so stout。
Hipp。 That is a true saying； but how； Socrates； should a man best bring
them to this virtue？＇8＇
＇8＇ ｛protrepsasthai｝。 See above； I。 ii。 64； below； IV。 v。 1。
Soc。 I presume you know that in any business whatever； people are
more apt to follow the lead of those whom they look upon as adepts； thus
in case of sickness they are readiest to obey him whom they regard as the
cleverest physician； and so on a voyage the most skilful pilot； in matters
agricultural the best farmer； and so forth。
Hipp。 Yes； certainly。
Soc。 Then in this matter of cavalry also we may reasonably suppose
that he who is looked upon as knowing his business best will command
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the readiest obedience。
Hipp。 If； then； I can prove to my troopers that I am better than all of
them； will that suffice to win their obedience？
Soc。 Yes； if along with that you can teach them that obedience to you
brings greater glory and surer safety to themselves。
Hipp。 How am I to teach them that？
Soc。 Upon my word！ How are you to teach them that？ Far more easily；
I take it； than if you had to teach them that bad things are better than good；
and more advantageous to boot。
Hipp。 I suppose you mean that； besides his other qualifications a
commandant of cavalry must have command of speech and argument？＇9＇
＇9＇ Or； 〃practise the art of oratory〃； 〃express himself clearly and
rationally。〃 See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 VIII。 lxvii。 p。 463 note； 〃Hipparch；〃 i。
24； viii。 22。
Soc。 Were you under the impression that the commandant was not to
open his mouth？ Did it never occur to you that all the noblest things which
custom＇10＇ compels us to learn； and to which indeed we owe our
knowledge of life； have all been learned by means of speech＇11＇ and
reason； and if there be any other noble learning which a man may learn； it
is this same reason whereby he learns it； and the best teachers are those
who have the freest command of thought and language； and those that
have the best knowledge of the most serious things are the most brilliant
masters of disputation。 Again； have you not observed that whenever this
city of ours fits out one of her chorusessuch as that； for instance； which
is sent to Delos＇12＇ there is nothing elsewhere from any quarter of the
world which can compete with it； nor will you find in any other state
collected so fair a flower of manhood as in Athens？＇13＇
＇10＇ Cf Arist。 〃Rhet。〃 ii。 12； ｛oi neoi pepaideuntai upo tou nomou
monon｝。
＇11＇ ｛dia logou｝。
＇12＇ See Thuc。 iii。 104； and below； IV。 viii。 2。
＇13＇ See references ap。 Schneider and Kuhner； 〃Symp。〃 iv。 17。
Hipp。 You say truly。
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Soc。 But for all that； it is not in sweetness of voice that the Athenians
differ from the rest of the world so much； nor in stature of body or strength
of limb； but in ambition and that love of honour＇14＇ which most of all
gives a keen edge to the spirit in the pursuit of things lovely and of high
esteem。
＇14＇ See below； v。 3； Dem。 〃de Cor。〃 28 foll。
Hipp。 That； too； is a true saying。
Soc。 Do you not think； then； that if a man devoted himself to our
cavalry also； here in Athens； we should far outstrip the rest of the world；
whether in the furnishing of arms and horses； or in orderliness of battle…
array； or in eager hazardous encounter with the foe； if only we could
persuade ourselves that by so doing we should obtain honour and
distinction？
Hipp。 It is reasonable to think so。
Soc。 Have no hesitation； therefore； but try to guide your men into this
path；＇15＇ whence you yourself； and through you your fellow… citizens； will
reap advantage。
＇15＇ Or； 〃to conduct which will not certainly fail of profit to
yourself or through you to 。 。 。〃
Yes； in good sooth； I will try （he answered）。
IV
At another time； seeing Nicomachides on his way back from the
elections （of magistrates）；＇1＇ he asked him： Who are elected generals；
Nicomachides？
＇1＇ Cf。 〃Pol。 Ath。〃 i。 3； Aristot。 〃Ath。 Pol。〃 44。 4； and Dr。 Sandys'
note ad loc。 p。 165 of his edition。
And he： Is it not just like them； these citizens of Athensjust like them；
I sayto go and elect； not me； who ever since my name first apepared on
the muster…roll have literally worn myself out with military servicenow
as a captain； now as a coloneland have received all these wounds from
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the enemy； look you！ （at the same time； and suiting the action to the word；
he bared his arms and proceeded to show the scars of ancient wounds）
they elect not me （he went on）； but； if you please； Antisthenes！ who never
served as a hoplite＇2＇ in his life nor in the cavalry ever made a brilliant
stroke； that I ever heard tell of； no！ in fact； he has got no science at all； I
take it； except to amass stores of wealth。
＇2＇ Cf。 Lys。 xiv。 10。
But still （returned Socrates）； surely that is one point in his favour he
ought to be able to provide the troops with supplies。
Nic。 Well； for the matter of that； merchants are good hands at
collecting stores； but it does not follow that a merchant or trader will be
able to command an army。
But （rejoined Socrates） Antisthenes is a man of great pertinacity； who
insists on winning； and that is a very necessary quality in a general。＇3＇ Do
not you see how each time he has been choragos＇4＇ he has been successful
with one chorus after another？
＇3＇ See Grote； 〃Plato；〃 i。 465 foll。
＇4＇ Choir…master； or Director of the Chorus。 It was his duty to
provide and preside over a chorus to sing； dance； or play at any of
the public festivals； defraying the cost as a state service of
｛leitourgia｝。 See 〃Pol。 Ath。〃 iii。 4； 〃Hiero；〃 ix。 4； Aristot。 〃Pol。 Ath。〃
28。 3。
Nic。 Bless me！ yes； but there is a wide difference between standing at
the head of a band of singers and dancers and a troop of soldiers。
Soc。 Still； without any practical skill in singing or in the training of a
chorus； Antisthenes somehow had the art to select the greatest proficients
in both。
Nic。 Yes； and by the same reasoning we are to infer that on a campaign
he will find proficients； some to marshal the troops for him and others to
fight his battles？
Soc。 Just so。 If in matters military he only exhibits the same skill in
selecting the best hands as he has shown in matters of the chorus； it is
highly probable he will here also bear away the palm of victory； and we
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may presume that if he expended so much to win a choric victory with a
single tribe；＇5＇ he will be ready to expend more to secure a victory in war
with the whole state to back him。
＇5＇ See Dem。 〃against Lept。〃 496。 26。 Each tribe nominated such of its
members as were qualified to undertake the burden。
Nic。 Do you really mean； Socrates； that it is the function of the same
man to provide efficient choruses and to act as commander…in…chief？
Soc。 I mean this； that； given a man knows what he needs to provide；
and has the skill to do so； no matter what the deparment of things may be
house or city or armyyou will find him a good chief and director＇6＇ of
the same。
＇6＇ Or； 〃representative。〃
Then Nicomachides： Upon my word； Socrates； I should never have
expected to hear
