the golden sayings-第11章

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multitude　by　transgressing　as　a　professed　philosopher。　Wherefore

those　that　knew　not　my　purpose　marvelled　how　it　came　about；　that

whilst　all　my　life　and　conversation　was　passed　with　philosophers

without　exception；　I　was　yet　none　myself。　And　what　harm　that　the

philosopher　should　be　known　by　his　acts；　instead　of　mere　outward

signs　and　symbols？〃





CLV





First　study　to　conceal　what　thou　art；　seek　wisdom　a　little

while　unto　thyself。　Thus　grows　the　fruit；　first；　the　seed　must　be

buried　in　the　earth　for　a　little　space；　there　it　must　be　hid　and

slowly　grow；　that　it　may　reach　maturity。　But　if　it　produce　the

ear　before　the　jointed　stalk；　it　is　imperfecta　thing　from　the

garden　of　Adonis。　Such　a　sorry　growth　art　thou；　thou　hast

blossomed　too　soon：　the　winter　cold　will　wither　thee　away！





CLVI





First　of　all；　condemn　the　life　thou　art　now　leading：　but

when　thou　hast　condemned　it；　do　not　despair　of　thyselfbe　not

like　them　of　mean　spirit；　who　once　they　have　yielded；　abandon

themselves　entirely　and　as　it　were　allow　the　torrent　to　sweep

them　away。　No；　learn　what　the　wrestling　masters　do。　Has　the　boy

fallen？　〃Rise；〃　they　say；　〃wrestle　again；　till　thy　strength　come

to　thee。〃　Even　thus　should　it　be　with　thee。　For　know　that　there

is　nothing　more　tractable　than　the　human　soul。　It　needs　but　to

will；　and　the　thing　is　done；　the　soul　is　set　upon　the　right　path：

as　on　the　contrary　it　needs　but　to　nod　over　the　task；　and　all　is

lost。　For　ruin　and　recovery　alike　are　from　within。





CLVII





It　is　the　critical　moment　that　shows　the　man。　So　when　the

crisis　is　upon　you；　remember　that　God；　like　a　trainer　of

wrestlers；　has　matched　you　with　a　rough　and　stalwart　antagonist。〃

To　what　end？〃　you　ask。　That　you　may　prove　the　victor　at　the

Great　Games。　Yet　without　toil　and　sweat　this　may　not　be！





CLVIII





If　thou　wouldst　make　progress；　be　content　to　seem　foolish

and　void　of　understanding　with　respect　to　outward　things。　Care

not　to　be　thought　to　know　anything。　If　any　should　make　account　of

thee；　distrust　thyself。





CLIX





Remember　that　in　life　thou　shouldst　order　thy　conduct　as　at

a　banquet。　Has　any　dish　that　is　being　served　reached　thee？

Stretch　forth　thy　hand　and　help　thyself　modestly。　Doth　it　pass

thee　by？　Seek　not　to　detain　it。　Has　it　not　yet　come？　Send　not

forth　thy　desire　to　meet　it；　but　wait　until　it　reaches　thee。　Deal

thus　with　children；　thus　with　wife；　thus　with　office；　thus　with

wealthand　one　day　thou　wilt　be　meet　to　share　the　Banquets　of

the　Gods。　But　if　thou　dost　not　so　much　as　touch　that　which　is

placed　before　thee；　but　despisest　it；　then　shalt　thou　not　only

share　the　Banquets　of　the　Gods；　but　their　Empire　also。





CLX





Remember　that　thou　art　an　actor　in　a　play；　and　of　such　sort

as　the　Author　chooses；　whether　long　or　short。　If　it　be　his　good

pleasure　to　assign　thee　the　part　of　a　beggar；　a　ruler；　or　a

simple　citizen；　thine　it　is　to　play　it　fitly。　For　thy　business　is

to　act　the　part　assigned　thee；　well：　to　choose　it；　is　another's。





CLXI





Keep　death　and　exile　daily　before　thine　eyes；　with　all　else

that　men　deem　terrible；　but　more　especially　Death。　Then　wilt　thou

never　think　a　mean　though；　nor　covet　anything　beyond　measure。





CLXII





As　a　mark　is　not　set　up　in　order　to　be　missed；　so　neither　is

such　a　thing　as　natural　evil　produced　in　the　World。





CLXIII





Piety　toward　the　Gods；　to　be　sure；　consists　chiefly　in

thinking　rightly　concerning　themthat　they　are；　and　that　they

govern　the　Universe　with　goodness　and　justice；　and　that　thou

thyself　art　appointed　to　obey　them；　and　to　submit　under　all

circumstances　that　arise；　acquiescing　cheerfully　in　whatever　may

happen；　sure　it　is　brought　to　pass　and　accomplished　by　the　most

Perfect　Understanding。　Thus　thou　wilt　never　find　fault　with　the

Gods；　nor　charge　them　with　neglecting　thee。





CLXIV





Lose　no　time　in　setting　before　you　a　certain　stamp　of

character　and　behaviour　both　when　by　yourself　and　in　company　with

others。　Let　silence　be　your　general　rule；　or　say　only　what　is

necessary　and　in　few　words。　We　shall；　however；　when　occassion

demands；　enter　into　discourse　sparingly。　avoiding　common　topics

as　gladiators；　horse…races；　athletes；　and　the　perpetual　talk

about　food　and　drink。　Above　all　avoid　speaking　of　persons；　either

in　way　of　praise　or　blame；　or　comparison。



If　you　can；　win　over　the　conversation　of　your　company　to

what　it　should　be　by　your　own。　But　if　you　find　yourself　cut　off

without　escape　among　strangers　and　aliens；　be　silent。





CLXV





Laughter　should　not　be　much；　nor　frequent；　nor　unrestrained。





CLXVI





Refuse　altogether　to　take　an　oath　if　you　can；　if　not；　as　far

as　may　be。





CLXVII





Banquets　of　the　unlearned　and　of　them　that　are　without；

avoid。　But　if　you　have　occasion　to　take　part　in　them；　let　not

your　attention　be　relaxed　for　a　moment；　lest　you　slip　after　all

into　evil　ways。　For　you　may　rest　assured　that　be　a　man　ever　so

pure　himself；　he　cannot　escape　defilement　if　his　associates　are

impure。





CLXVIII





Take　what　relates　to　the　body　as　far　as　the　bare　use

warrantsas　meat；　drink；　raiment；　house　and　servants。　But　all

that　makes　for　show　and　luxury　reject。





CLXIX





If　you　are　told　that　such　an　one　speaks　ill　of　you；　make　no

defence　against　what　was　said；　but　answer；　He　surely　knew　not　my

other　faults；　else　he　would　not　have　mentioned　these　only！





CLXX





When　you　visit　any　of　those　in　power；　bethink　yourself　that

you　will　not　find　him　in：　that　you　may　not　be　admitted：　that　the

door　may　be　shut　in　your　face：　that　he　may　not　concern　himself

about　you。　If　with　all　this；　it　is　your　duty　to　go；　bear　what

happens；　and　never　say　to　yourself；　It　was　not　worth　the　trouble！

For　that　would　smack　of　the　foolish　and　unlearned　who　suffer

outward　things　to　touch　them。





CLXXI





In　company　avoid　frequent　and　undue　talk　about　your　own

actions　and　dangers。　However　pleasant　it　may　be　to　you　to　enlarge

upon　the　risks　you　have　run；　others　may　not　find　such　pleasure　in

listening　to　your　adventures。　Avoid　provoking　laughter　also：　it

is　a　habit　from　which　one　easily　slides　into　the　ways　of　the

foolish；　and　apt　to　diminish　the　respect　which　your　neighbors

feel　for　you。　To　border　on　coarse　talk　is　also　dangerous。　On　such

occasions；　if　a　convenient　opportunity　offer；　rebuke　the　speaker。

If　not；　at　least　by　relapsing　into　silence；　colouring；　and

looking　annoyed；　show　that　you　are　displeased　with　the　subject。





CLXXII





When　you　have　decided　that　a　thing　ought　to　be　done；　and　are

doing　it；　never　shun　being　seen　doing　it；　even　though　the

multitude　should　be　likely　to　judge　the　matter　amiss。　For　if　you

are　not　acting　rightly；　shun　the　act　itself；　if　rightly；　however；

why　fear　misplaced　censure？





CLXXIII





It　stamps　a　man　of　mean　capacity　to　spend　much　time　on　the

things　of　the　body；　as　to　be　long　over　bodily　exercises；　long

over　eating；　long　over　drinking；　long　over　other　bodily

functions。　Rather　should　these　things　take　the　second　place；

while　all　your　care　is　directed　to　the　understanding。





CLXXIV





Everything　has　two　handles；　one　by　which　it　may　be　borne；

the　other　by　which　it　may　not。　If　your　brother　sin　against　you

lay　not　hold　of　it　by　the　handle　of　injustice；　for　by　that　it　may

not　be　borne：　but　rather　by　this；　that　he　is　your　brother；　the

comrade　of　your　youth；　and　thus　you　will　lay　hold　on　it　so　that

it　may　be　borne。





CLXXV





Never　call　yourself　a　Philosopher　nor　talk　much　among　the

unlearned　about　Principles；　but　do　that　which　follows　from　them。

Thus　at　a　banquet；　do　not　discuss　how　people　ought　to　eat；　but

eat　as　you　ought。　Remember　that　Socrates　thus　entirely　avoided

ostentation。　Men　would　come　to　him　desiring　to　be　recommended　to

philosophers；　and　he　would　conduct　them　thither　himselfso　well

did　he　bear　being　overlooked。　Accordingly　if　any　talk　concerning

principles　should　arise　among　the　unlearned；　be　you　for　the　most

part　silent。　For　you　run　great　risk　of　spewing　up　what　you　have

ill　digested。　And　when　a　man　tells　you　that　you　know　nothing　and

you　are　not　nettled　at　it；　then　you　may　be　sure　that　you　have

begun　the　work。





CLXXVI





When　you　have　brought　yourself　to　supply　the　needs　of　the

body　at　small　cost；　do　not　pique　yourself　on　that；　nor　if　you

drink　only　water；　keep　saying　on　each　occasion；　I　drink　water！

And　if　you　ever　want　to　practise　endurance　and　toil；　do　so　unto

yourself　and　not　unto　othersdo　not　embrace　statues！





CLXXVII





When　a　man　prides　himself　on　being　able　to　understand　and

interpret　the　writings　of　Chrysippus；　say　to　yourself：



If　Chrysippus　had　not　written　obscurely；　this　fellow　would

have　had　nothing　to　be　proud　of。　But　what　is　it　that　I　desire？　To

understand　Nature；　and　to　follow　her！　Accordingly　I　ask　who　is

the　Interpreter。　On　hearing　that　it　is　Chrysippus；　I　go　to　him。

But　it　seems　I　do　not　understand　what　he　wrote。　So　I　seek　one　to

interpret　that。　So　far　there　is　nothing　to　pride　myself　on。　But

when　I　have　found　my　interpreter；　what　remains　is　to　put　in

practice　his　instructions。　This　itself　is　the　only　thing　to　be

proud　of。　But　if　I　admire　the　interpretation　and　that　alone；　what

else　have　I　turned　out　but　a　mere　commentator　instead　of　a　lover

of　wisdom？except　indeed　that　I　happen　to　be　interpreting

Chrysippus　instead　of　Homer。　So　when　any　one　says　to　me；　Prithee；

read　me　Chrysippus；　I　am　more　inclined　to　blush；　when　I　cannot

show　my　deeds　to　be　in　harmony　and　accordance　with　his　sayings。



CLXXVIII





At　feasts；　remember　that　you　are　entertaining　two　guests；

body　and　soul。　What　you　give　to　the　body；　you　presently　lose；

what　you　give　to　the　soul；　you　keep　for　ever。





CLXXIX





At　meals；　see　to　it　that　those　who　serve　be　not　more　in

number　than　those　who　are　served。　It　is　absurd　for　a　crowd　of

persons　to　be　dancing　attendance　on　half　a　dozen　chairs。





CLXXX





It　is　best　to　share　with　your　attendants　what　is　going

forward；　both　in　the　labour　of　preparation　and　in　the　enjoyment

of　the　feast　itself。　If　such　a　thing　be　difficult　at　the　time；

recollect　that　you　who　are　not　weary　are　being　served　by　those

that　are；　you　who　are　eating　and　drinking　by　those　who　do

neither；　you　who　are　talking　by　those　who　are　silent；　you　who　are

at　ease　by　those　who　are　under　constraint。　Thus　no　sudden　wrath

will　betray　you　into　unreasonable　conduct；　nor　will　you　behave

harshly　by　irritating　another。





CLXXXI





When　Xanthippe　was　chiding　Socrates　for　making　scanty

preparation　for　entertaining　his　friends；　he　answered：〃If　they

are　friends　of　our；　they　will　not　care　for　that；　if　they　are　not；

we　shall　care　nothing　for　them！〃





CLXXXII