the memorabilia(纪念品)-第4章
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whole company and of Euthydemus to remark that Critias appeared to be
suffering from a swinish affection； or else why this desire to rub himself
against Euthydemus like a herd of piglings scraping against stones。
The hatred of Critias to Socrates doubtless dates from this incident。 He
treasured it up against him； and afterwards； when he was one of the Thirty
and associated with Charicles as their official lawgiver；＇17＇ he framed the
law against teaching the art of words＇18＇ merely from a desire to vilify
Socrates。 He was at a loss to know how else to lay hold of him except by
levelling against him the vulgar charge＇19＇ against philosophers； by which
he hoped to prejudice him with the public。 It was a charge quite unfounded
as regards Socrates； if I may judge from anything I ever heard fall from his
lips myself or have learnt about him from others。 But the animus of Critias
was clear。 At the time when the Thirty were putting citizens； highly
respectable citizens； to death wholesale； and when they were egging on
one man after another to the commission of crime； Socrates let fall an
observation： 〃It would be sufficiently extraordinary if the keeper of a herd
of cattle＇20＇ who was continually thinning and impoverishing his cattle
did not admit himself to be a sorry sort of herdsman； but that a ruler of the
state who was continually thinning and impoverishing the citizens should
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neither be ashamed nor admit himself to be a sorry sort of ruler was more
extraordinary still。〃 The remark being reported to the government；
Socrates was summoned by Critias and Charicles； who proceeded to point
out the law and forbade him to converse with the young。 〃Was it open to
him；〃 Socrates inquired of the speaker； 〃in case he failed to understand
their commands in any point； to ask for an explanation？〃
＇17＇ Lit。 〃Nomothetes。〃 See 〃Hell。〃 II。 iii。 2； Dem。 706。 For
Charicles see Lys。 〃c。 Eratosth。〃 S。 56； Aristot。 〃Pol。〃 v。 6。 6。
＇18＇ See Diog。 Laert。 II。 v。 （〃Socr。〃）
＇19＇ i。e。 ｛to ton etto logon kreitto poiein｝； 〃of making the worse
appear the better cause。〃 Cf。 Arist。 〃Clouds。〃
＇20＇ See Dio Chrys。 〃Or。〃 43。
〃Certainly；〃 the two assented。
Then Socrates： I am prepared to obey the laws； but to avoid
transgression of the law through ignorance I need instruction： is it on the
supposition that the art of words tends to correctness of statement or to
incorrectness that you bid us abstain from it？ for if the former； it is clear
we must abstain from speeking correctly； but if the latter； our endeavour
should be to amend our speech。
To which Charicles； in a fit of temper； retorted： In consideration of
your ignorance；＇21＇ Socrates； we will frame the prohibition in language
better suited to your intelligence： we forbid you to hold any conversation
whatsoever with the young。
＇21＇ See Aristot。 〃de Soph。 El。〃 183 b7。
Then Socrates： To avoid all ambiguity then； or the possibility of my
doing anything else than what you are pleased to command； may I ask you
to define up to what age a human being is to be considered young？
For just so long a time （Charicles answered） as he is debarred from
sitting as a member of the Council；＇22＇ as not having attained to the
maturity of wisdom； accordingly you will not hold converse with any one
under the age of thirty。
＇22＇ The Boule or Senate。 See W。 L。 Newman； 〃Pol。 Aristot。〃 i。 326。
Soc。 In making a purchase even； I am not to ask； what is the price of
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this？ if the vendor is under the age of thirty？
Cha。 Tut； things of that sort： but you know； Socrates； that you have a
way of asking questions； when all the while you know how the matter
stands。 Let us have no questions of that sort。
Soc。 Nor answers either； I suppose； if the inquiry concerns what I
know； as； for instance； where does Charicles live？ or where is Critias to be
found？
Oh yes； of course； things of that kind （replied Charicles）； while Critias
added： But at the same time you had better have done with your
shoemakers； carpenters； and coppersmiths。＇23＇ These must be pretty well
trodden out at heel by this time； considering the circulation you have given
them。
＇23＇ Cf。 Plat。 〃Gorg。〃 491 A； 〃Symp。〃 221 E； Dio Chrys。 〃Or。〃 55； 560
D； 564 A。
Soc。 And am I to hold away from their attendant topics alsothe just；
the holy； and the like？
Most assuredly （answered Charicles）； and from cowherds in particular；
or else see that you do not lessen the number of the herd yourself。
Thus the secret was out。 The remark of Socrates about the cattle had
come to their ears； and they could not forgive the author of it。
Perhaps enough has been said to explain the kind of intimacy which
had subsisted between Critias and Socrates； and their relation to one
another。 But I will venture to maintain that where the teacher is not
pleasing to the pupil there is no education。 Now it cannot be said of Critias
and Alcibiades that they associated with Socrates because they found him
pleasing to them。 And this is true of the whole period。 From the first their
eyes were fixed on the headship of the state as their final goal。 During the
time of their imtimacy with Socrates there were no disputants whom they
were more eager to encounter than professed politicians。
Thus the story is told of Alcibiadeshow before the age of twenty he
engaged his own guardian； Pericles； at that time prime minister of the state；
in a discussion concerning laws。
Alc。 Please； Pericles； can you teach me what a law is？
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Per。 To be sure I can。
Alc。 I should be so much obliged if you would do so。 One so often
hears the epithet 〃law…abiding〃 applied in a complimentary sense； yet； it
strikes me； one hardly deserves the compliment； if one does not know
what a law is。
Per。 Fortunately there is a ready answer to your difficulty。 You wish to
know what a law is？ Well； those are laws which the majority； being met
together in conclave； approve and enact as to what it is right to do； and
what it is right to abstain from doing。
Alc。 Enact on the hypothesis that it is right to do what is good？ or to
do what is bad？
Per。 What is good； to be sure； young sir； not what is bad。
Alc。 Supposing it is not the majority； but； as in the case of an oligarchy；
the minority； who meet and enact the rules of conduct； what are these？
Per。 Whatever the ruling power of the state after deliberation enacts as
our duty to do； goes by the name of laws。
Alc。 Then if a tyrant； holding the chief power in the state； enacts rules
of conduct for the citizens； are these enactments law？
Per。 Yes； anything which a tyrant as head of the state enacts； also goes
by the name of law。
Alc。 But； Pericles； violence and lawlessnesshow do we define them？
Is it not when a stronger man forces a weaker to do what seems right to
himnot by persuasion but by compulsion？
Per。 I should say so。
Alc。 It would seem to follow that if a tyrant； without persuading the
citizens； drives them by enactment to do certain thingsthat is
lawlessness？
Per。 You are right； and I retract the statement that measures passed by a
tyrant without persuasion of the citizens are law。
Alc。 And what of measures passed by a minority； not by persuasion of
the majority； but in the exercise of its power only？ Are we； or are we not；
to apply the term violence to these？
Per。 I think that anything which any one forces another to do without
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persuasion； whether by enactment or not； is violence rather than law。
Alc。 It would seem that everything which the majority； in the exercise
of its power over the possessors of wealth； and without persuading them；
chooses to enact； is of the nature of violence rather than of law？
To be sure （answered Pericles）； adding： At your age we were clever
hands at such quibbles ourselves。 It was just such subtleties which we used
to practise our wits upon； as you do now； if I mistake not。
To which Alcibiades replied： Ah； Pericles； I do wish we could have
met in those days when you were at your cleverest in such matters。
Well； then； as soon as the desired superiority over the politicians of the
day seemed to be attained； Critias and Alcibiades turned their backs on
Socrates。 They found his society unattractive； not to speak of the
annoyance of being cross…questioned on their own shortcomings。
Forthwith they devoted themselves to those affairs of state but for which
they would never have come near him at all。
No； if one would seek to see true companions of Socrates； one must
look to Crito；＇24＇ and Chaerephon； and Chaerecrates； to Hermogenes； to
Simmias and Cebes； to Phaedondes and others； who clung to him not to
excel in the rhetoric of the Assembly or the law…courts； but with the nobler
ambition of attaining to such beauty and goodliness of soul as would
enable them to discharge the various duties of life to house and family； to
relatives and friends； to fellow…citizens； and to the state at large。 Of these
true followers not one in youth or old age was ever guilty； or thought
guilty； of committing any evil deed。
＇24＇ For these true followers； familiar to us in the pages of Plato；
（〃Crito；〃 〃Apol。；〃 〃Phaedo；〃 etc） see Cobet； 〃Pros。 Xen。〃
〃But for all that；〃 the accuser insists； 〃Socrates taught sons to pour
contumely upon their fathers＇25＇ by persuading his young friends that he
could make them wiser than their si
