the golden sayings-第8章

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〃What；　even　from　a　reviler？〃



〃Why；　tell　me　what　profit　a　wrestler　gains　from　him　you

exercises　him　beforehand？　The　very　greatest：　he　trains　me　in　the

practice　of　endurance；　of　controlling　my　temper；　of　gentle　ways。

You　deny　it。　What；　the　man　who　lays　hold　of　my　neck；　and

disciplines　loins　and　shoulders；　does　me　good；　。　。　。　while　he

that　trains　me　to　keep　my　temper　does　me　none？　This　is　what　it

means；　not　knowing　how　to　gain　advantage　from　men！　Is　my

neighbour　bad？　Bad　to　himself；　but　good　to　me：　he　brings　my　good

temper；　my　gentleness　into　play。　Is　my　father　bad？　Bad　to

himself；　but　good　to　me。　This　is　the　rod　of　Hermes；　touch　what

you　will　with　it；　they　say；　and　it　becomes　gold。　Nay；　but　bring

what　you　will　and　I　will　transmute　it　into　Good。　Bring　sickness；

bring　death；　bring　poverty　and　reproach；　bring　trial　for　life

all　these　things　through　the　rod　of　Hermes　shall　be　turned　to

profit。





CVII





Till　then　these　sound　opinions　have　taken　firm　root　in　you；

and　you　have　gained　a　measure　of　strength　for　your　security；　I

counsel　you　to　be　cautious　in　associating　with　the　uninstructed。

Else　whatever　impressions　you　receive　upon　the　tablets　of　your

mind　in　the　School　will　day　by　day　melt　and　disappear；　like　wax

in　the　sun。　Withdraw　then　somewhere　far　from　tge　sun；　while　you

have　these　waxen　sentiments。





CVIII





We　must　approach　this　matter　in　a　different　way；　it　is　great

and　mystical：　it　is　no　common　thing；　nor　given　to　every　man。

Wisdom　alone；　it　may　be；　will　not　suffice　for　the　care　of　youth：

a　man　needs　also　a　certain　measure　of　readinessan　aptitude　for

the　office；　aye；　and　certain　bodily　qualities；　and　above　all；　to

be　counselled　of　God　Himself　to　undertake　this　post；　even　as　He

counselled　Socrates　to　fill　the　post　of　one　who　confutes　error；

assigning　to　Diogenes　the　royal　office　of　high　reproof；　and　to

Zeno　that　of　positive　instruction。　Whereas　you　would　fain　set

up　for　a　physician　provided　with　nothing　but　drugs！　Where　and　how

they　should　be　applied　you　neither　know　nor　care。





CIX





If　what　charms　you　is　nothing　but　abstract　principles；　sit

down　and　turm　them　over　quietly　in　your　mind：　but　never　dub

yourself　a　Philosopher；　nor　suffer　others　to　call　you　so。　Say

rather：　He　is　in　error；　for　my　desires；　my　impulses　are

unaltered。　I　give　in　my　adhesion　to　what　I　did　before；　nor　has　my

mode　of　dealing　with　the　things　of　sense　undergone　any　change。





CX







When　a　friend　inclined　to　Cynic　views　asked　Epictetus；　what

sort　of　person　a　true　Cynic　should　be；　requesting　a　general

sketch　of　the　system；　he　answered：〃We　will　consider　that　at

leisure。　At　present　I　content　myself　with　saying　this　much：　If　a

man　put　his　hand　to　so　weighty　a　matter　without　God；　the　wrath　of

God　abides　upon　him。　That　which　he　covets　will　but　bring　upon　him

public　shame。　Not　even　on　finding　himself　in　a　well…ordered　house

does　a　man　step　forward　and　say　to　himself；　I　must　be　master

here！　Else　the　lord　of　that　house　takes　notice　of　it；　and；　seeing

him　insolently　giving　orders；　drags　him　forth　and　chastises　him。

So　it　is　also　in　this　great　City；　the　World。　Here　also　is　there　a

Lord　of　the　House；　who　orders　all　thing：





〃Thou　are　the　Sun！　in　thine　orbit　thou　hast　power　to　make　the

year　and　the　seasons；　　　　



to　bid　the　fruits　of　the　earth　to　grow

and　increase；　the　winds　arise　and　fall；

thou　canst　in　due　measure　cherish　with

thy　warmth　the　frames　of　men；　go　make

thy　circuit；　and　thus　minister　unto　all

from　the　greatest　to　the　least！　。　。　。



〃Thou　canst　lead　a　host　against　Troy；　be　Agamemnon！〃

〃Thou　canst　meet　Hector　in　single　combat；　be　Achilles！〃







But　had　Thersites　stepped　forward　and　claimed　the　chief

command；　he　had　been　met　with　a　refusal；　or　obtained　it　only　to

his　own　shame　and　confusion　of　face；　before　a　cloud　of

witnesses。〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　







CXI





Others　may　fence　themselves　with　walls　and　houses；　when　they

do　such　deeds　as　these；　and　wrap　themselves　in　darknessaye；

they　have　many　a　device　to　hide　themselves。　Another　may　shut　his

door　and　station　one　before　his　chamber　to　say；　if　any　comes；　He

has　gone　forth！　he　is　not　at　leisure！　But　the　true　Cynic　will

have　none　of　these　things；　instead　of　them；　he　must　wrap　himself

in　Modesty：　else　he　will　but　bring　himself　to　shame；　naked　and

under　the　open　sky。　That　is　his　house；　that　is　his　door；　that　is

the　slave　that　guards　his　chamber；　that　is　his　darkness！





CXII







Death？　let　it　come　when　it　will；　whether　it　smite　but　a　part

of　the　whole：　Fly；　you　tell　mefly！　But　whither　shall　I　fly？

Can　any　man　cast　me　beyond　the　limits　of　the　World？　It　may　not

be！　And　whithersoever　I　go；　there　shall　I　still　find　Sun；　Moon；

and　Stars；　there　I　shall　find　dreams；　and　omens；　and　converse

with　the　Gods！





CXIII





Furthermore　the　true　Cynic　must　know　that　he　is　sent　as　a

Messenger　from　God　to　men；　to　show　unto　them　that　as　touching

good　and　evil　they　are　in　error；　looking　for　these　where　they　are

not　to　be　found；　nor　ever　bethinking　themselves　where　they　are。

And　like　Diogenes　when　brought　before　Philip　after　the　battle　of

Chaeronea；　the　Cynic　must　remember　that　he　is　a　Spy。　For　a　Spy　he

really　isto　bring　back　word　what　things　are　on　Man's　side；　and

what　against　him。　And　when　he　had　diligently　observed　all；　he

must　come　back　with　a　true　report；　not　terrified　into　announcing

them　to　be　foes　that　are　no　foes；　nor　otherwise　perturbed　or

confounded　by　the　things　of　sense。





CXIV





How　can　it　be　that　one　who　hath　nothing；　neither　raimant；

nor　house；　nor　home；　nor　bodily　tendance；　nor　servant；　nor　city；

should　yet　live　tranquil　and　contented？　Behold　God　hath　sent　you

a　man　to　show　you　in　act　and　deed　that　it　may　be　so。　Behold　me！　I

have　neither　house　nor　possessions　nor　servants：　the　ground　is　my

couch；　I　have　no　wife；　no　children；　no　shelternothing　but

earth　and　sky；　and　one　poor　cloak。　And　what　lack　I　yet？　am　I　not

untouched　by　sorrow；　by　fear？　am　I　not　free？　。　。　。　when　have　I

laid　anything　to　the　charge　of　God　or　Man？　when　have　I　accussed

any？　hath　any　of　you　seen　me　with　a　sorrowful　countenance？　And　in

what　wise　treat　I　those　of　whom　you　stand　in　fear　and　awe？　Is　it

not　as　slaves？　Who　when　he　seeth　me　doth　not　think　that　he

beholdeth　his　Master　and　his　King？





CXV







Give　thyself　more　diligently　to　reflection：　know　thyself：

take　counsel　with　the　Godhead：　without　God　put　thine　hand　unto

nothing！





CXVI





〃But　to　marry　and　to　rear　offspring；〃　said　the　young　man；

〃will　the　Cynic　hold　himself　bound　to　undertake　this　as　a　chief

duty？〃



Grant　me　a　republic　of　wise　men；　answered　Epictetus；　and

perhaps　none　will　lightly　take　the　Cynic　life　upon　him。　For　on

whose　account　should　he　embrace　that　method　of　life？　Suppose

however　that　he　does；　there　will　then　be　nothing　to　hinder　his

marrying　and　rearing　offspring。　For　his　wife　will　be　even　such

another　as　himself；　and　likewise　her　father；　and　in　like　manner

will　his　children　be　brought　up。



But　in　the　present　condition　of　things；　which　resembles　an

Army　in　battle　array；　ought　not　the　Cynic　to　be　free　from　all

distraction　and　given　wholly　to　the　service　of　God；　so　that　he

can　go　in　and　out　among　men；　neither　fettered　by　the　duties　nor

entangled　by　the　relations　of　common　life？　For　if　he　transgress

them；　he　will　forfeit　the　character　of　a　good　man　and　true；

whereas　if　he　observe　them；　there　is　an　end　to　him　as　the

Messenger；　the　Spy；　the　Herald　of　the　Gods！



CXVII







Ask　me　if　you　choose　if　a　Cynic　shall　engage　in　the

administration　of　the　State。　O　fool；　seek　you　a　nobler

administration　that　that　in　which　he　is　engaged？　Ask　you　if　a　man

shall　come　forward　in　the　Athenian　assembly　and　talk　about

revenue　and　supplies；　when　his　business　is　to　converse　with　all

men；　Athenians；　Corinthians；　and　Romans　alike；　not　about

supplies；　not　about　revenue；　nor　yet　peace　and　war；　but　about

Happiness　and　Misery；　Prosperity　and　Adversity；　Slavery　and

Freedom？



Ask　you　whether　a　man　shall　engage　in　the　administration　of

the　State　who　has　engaged　in　such　an　Administration　as　this？　Ask

me　too　if　he　shall　govern；　and　again　I　will　answer；　Fool；　what

greater　government　shall　he　hold　than　he　holds　already？





CXVIII





Such　a　man　needs　also　to　have　a　certain　habit　of　body。　If　he

appears　consumptive；　thin　and　pale；　his　testimony　has　no　longer

the　same　authority。　He　must　not　only　prove　to　the　unlearned　by

showing　them　what　his　Soul　is　that　it　is　possible　to　be　a　good

man　apart　from　all　that　they　admire；　but　he　must　also　show　them；

by　his　body；　that　a　plain　and　simple　manner　of　life　under　the

open　sky　does　no　harm　to　the　body　either。　〃See；　I　am　proof　of

this！　and　my　body　also。〃　As　Diogenes　used　to　do；　who　went　about

fresh　of　look　and　by　the　very　appearance　of　his　body　drew　men's

eyes。　But　if　a　Cynic　is　an　object　of　pity；　he　seems　a　mere

beggar；　all　turn　away；　all　are　offended　at　him。　Nor　should　he　be

slovenly　of　look；　so　as　not　to　scare　men　from　him　in　this　way

either；　on　the　contrary；　his　very　roughness　should　be　clean　and

attractive。





CXIX







Kings　and　tyrants　have　armed　guards　wherewith　to　chastise

certain　persons；　though　they　themselves　be　evil。　But　to　the　Cynic

conscience　gives　this　powernot　arms　and　guards。　When　he　knows

that　he　has　watched　and　laboured　on　behalf　of　mankind：　that　sleep

hath　found　him　pure；　and　left　him　purer　still：　that　his　thoughts

have　been　the　thought　of　a　Friend　of　the　Godsof　a　servant；　yet

one　that　hath　a　part　in　the　government　of　the　Supreme　God：　that

the　words　are　ever　on　his　lips：





Lead　me；　O　God；　and　thou；　O　Destiny！



as　well　as　these：





If　this　be　God's　will；　so　let　it　be！



why　should　he　not　speak　boldly　unto　his　own　brethren；　unto　his

childrenin　a　word；　unto　all　that　are　akin　to　him！





CXX







Does　a　Philosopher　apply　to　people　to　come　and　hear　him？

does　he　not　rather；　of　his　own　nature；　attract　those　that　will　be

benefited　by　himlike　the　sun　that　warms；　the　food　that　sustains

them？　What　Physician　applies　to　men　to　come　and　be　healed？

（Though　indeed　I　hear　that　the　Physicians　at　Rome　do　nowadays

apply　for　patientsin　my　time　they　were　applied　to。）　I　apply　to

you　to　come　and　hear　that　you　are　in　evil　case；　that　what

deserves　your　attention　most　in　the　last　thing　to　gain　it；　that

you　know　not　good　from　evil；　and　are　in　short　a　hapless　wretch；　a

fine　way　to　apply！　though　unless　the　words　of　the　Philosopher

affect　you　thus；　speaker　and　speech　are　alike　dead。





CXXI







A　Philosopher's　school　is　a　Surgery：　pain；　not　pleasure；　you

should　have　felt　therein。　For　on　entering　none　of　you　is　whole。

One　has　a　shoulder　out　of　joint；　another　an　abscess：　a　third

suffers　from　an　issue；　a