the golden sayings-第9章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

suffers　from　an　issue；　a　fourth　from　pains　in　the　head。　And　am　I

then　to　sit　down　and　treat　you　to　pretty　sentiments　and　empty

flourishes；　so　that　you　may　applaud　me　and　depart；　with　neither

shoulder；　nor　head；　nor　issue；　nor　abscess　a　whit　the　better　for

your　visit？　Is　it　then　for　this　that　young　men　are　to　quit　their

homes；　and　leave　parents；　friends；　kinsmen　and　substance　to　mouth

out　Bravo　to　your　empty　phrases！





CXXII





If　any　be　unhappy；　let　him　remember　that　he　is　unhappy　by

reason　of　himself　alone。　For　God　hath　made　all　men　to　enjoy

felicity　and　constancy　of　good。





CXXIII







Shall　we　never　wean　ourselvesshall　we　never　heed　the

teachings　of　Philosophy　（unless　perchance　they　have　been　sounding

in　our　ears　like　and　enchanter's　drone）：



This　World　is　one　great　City；　and　one　if　the　substance

whereof　it　is　fashioned：　a　certain　period　indeed　there　needs　must

be；　while　these　give　place　to　those；　some　must　perish　for　others

to　succeed；　some　move　and　some　abide：　yet　all　is　full　of　friends

first　God；　then　Men；　whom　Nature　hath　bound　by　ties　of　kindred

each　to　each。





CXXIV







Nor　did　the　hero　weep　and　lament　at　leaving　his　children

orphans。　For　he　knew　that　no　man　is　an　orphan；　but　it　is　the

Father　that　careth　for　all　continually　and　for　evermore。　Not　by

mere　report　had　he　heard　that　the　Supreme　God　is　the　Father　of

men：　seeing　that　he　called　Him　Father　believing　Him　so　to　be；　and

in　all　that　he　did　had　ever　his　eyes　fixed　upon　Him。　Wherefore　in

whatsoever　place　he　was；　there　is　was　given　him　to　live　happily。





CXXV







Know　you　not　that　the　thing　is　a　warfare？　one　man's　duty　is

to　mount　guard；　another　must　go　out　to　reconnoitre；　a　third　to

battle；　all　cannot　be　in　one　place；　nor　would　it　even　be

expedient。　But　you；　instead　of　executing　you　Commander's　orders；

complain　if　aught　harsher　than　usual　is　enjoined；　not

understanding　to　what　condition　you　are　bringing　the　army；　so　far

as　in　you　lies。　If　all　were　to　follow　your　example；　none　would

dig　a　trench；　none　would　cast　a　rampart　around　the　camp；　none

would　keep　watch；　or　expose　himself　to　danger；　but　all　turn　out

useless　for　the　service　of　war。　。　。　。　Thus　it　is　here　also。　Every

life　is　a　warfare；　and　that　long　and　various。　You　must　fulfil　a

solider's　duty；　and　obey　each　order　at　your　commander's　nod：　aye；

if　it　be　possible；　divine　what　he　would　have　done；　for　between

that　Command　and　this；　there　is　no　comparison；　either　in　might　or

in　excellence。



CXXVI







Have　you　again　forgotten？　Know　you　not　that　a　good　man　does

nothing　for　appearance'　sake；　but　for　the　sake　of　having　done

right？　。　。　。



〃Is　there　no　reward　then？〃



Reward！　do　you　seek　any　greater　reward　for　a　good　man　than

doing　what　is　right　and　just？　Yet　at　the　Great　Games　you　look　for

nothing　else；　there　the　victor's　crown　you　deem　enough。　Seems　it

to　you　so　small　a　thing　and　worthless；　to　be　a　good　man；　and

happy　therein？





CXXVII





It　befits　thee　not　to　be　unhappy　by　reason　of　any；　but

rather　to　be　happy　by　reason　of　all　men；　and　especially　by　reason

of　God；　who　formed　us　to　this　end。





CXXVIII







What；　did　Diogenes　love　no　man；　he　that　was　so　gentle；　so

true　a　friend　to　men　as　cheerfully　to　endure　such　bodily

hardships　for　the　common　weal　of　all　mankind？　But　how　loved　he

them？　As　behoved　a　minister　of　the　Supreme　God；　alike　caring　for

men　and　subject　unto　God。





CXXIX







I　am　by　Nature　made　for　my　own　good；　not　for　my　own　evil。





CXXX







Remind　thyself　that　he　whom　thou　lovest　is　mortalthat　what

thou　lovest　is　not　thine　own；　it　is　given　thee　for　the　present；

not　irrevocably　nor　for　ever；　but　even　as　a　fig　or　a　bunch　of

grapes　at　the　appointed　season　of　the　year。　。　。　。



〃But　these　are　words　of　evil　omen。〃。　。　。



What；　callest　thou　aught　of　evil　omen　save　that　which

signifies　some　evil　thing？　Cowardice　is　a　word　of　evil　omen；　if

thou　wilt；　and　meanness　of　spirit；　and　lamentation　and　mourning；

and　shamelessness。　。　。　。



But　do　not；　I　pray　thee；　call　of　evil　omen　a　word　that　is

significant　of　any　natural　thing：as　well　call　of　evil　omen　the

reaping　of　the　corn；　for　that　means　the　destruction　of　the　ears；

though　not　of　the　World！as　well　say　that　the　fall　of　the　leaf

is　of　evil　omen；　that　the　dried　fig　should　take　the　place　of　the

green；　that　raisins　should　be　made　from　grapes。　All　these　are

changes　from　a　former　state　into　another；　not　destruction；　but　an

ordered　economy；　a　fixed　administration。　Such　is　leaving　home；　a

change　of　small　account；　such　is　Death；　a　greater　change；　from

what　now　is；　not　to　what　is　not；　but　to　ehat　is　not　now。



〃Shall　I　then　no　longer　be？〃



Not　so；　thou　wilt　be；　but　something　different；　of　which　the

World　now　hath　need。　For　thou　too　wert　born　not　when　thou

chosest；　but　when　the　World　had　need　of　thee。



CXXXI





Wherefore　a　good　man　and　true；　bearing　in　mind　who　he　is　and

whence　he　came　and　from　whom　he　sprang；　cares　only　how　he　may

fill　his　post　with　due　discipline　and　obedience　to　God。



Wilt　thou　that　I　continue　to　live？　Then　will　I　live；　as　one

that　is　free　and　noble；　as　Thou　wouldst　have　me。　For　Thow　hast

made　me　free　from　hindrance　in　what　appertaineth　unto　me。　But

hast　Thou　no　further　need　of　me？　I　thank　Thee！　Up　to　this　hour

have　I　stayed　for　Thy　sake　and　none　other's：　and　now　in　obedience

to　Thee　I　depart。



〃How　dost　thou　depart？〃



Again　I　say；　as　Thoun　wouldst　have　me；　as　one　that　is　free；

as　Thy　servant；　as　one　whose　ear　is　open　unto　what　Thou　dost

enjoin；　what　Thou　dost　forbid。





CXXXII







Whatsoever　place　or　post　Thou　assignest　me；　sooner　will　I

die　a　thousand　deaths；　as　Socrates　said；　then　depart　it。　And

where　wilt　Thou　have　be　me？　At　Rome　of　Athens？　At　Thebes　or　on　a

desert　island？　Only　remember　me　there！　Shouldst　Thou　send　me

where　man　cannot　live　as　Nature　would　have　him；　I　will　depart；

not　in　disobedience　to　Thee；　but　as　though　Thou　wert　sounding　the

signal　for　my　retreat：　I　am　not　deserting　Theefar　be　that　from

me！　I　only　perceive　that　thou　needest　me　no　longer。





CXXXIII







If　you　are　in　Gyaros；　do　not　let　your　mind　dwell　upon　life

at　Rome；　and　all　the　pleasures　it　offered　to　you　when　living

there；　and　all　that　would　attend　your　return。　Rather　be　intent　on

thishow　he　that　lives　in　Gyaros　may　live　in　Gyaros　like　a　man

of　spirit。　And　if　you　are　at　Rome；　do　not　let　your　mind　dwell

upon　the　life　at　Athens；　but　study　only　how　to　live　at　Rome。



Finally；　in　the　room　of　all　other　pleasures　put　thisthe

pleasure　which　springs　from　concious　obedience　to　God。





CXXXIV







To　a　good　man　there　is　no　evil；　either　in　life　or　death。　And

if　God　supply　not　food；　has　He　not；　as　a　wise　Commander；　sounded

the　signal　for　retreat　and　nothing　more？　I　obey；　I　follow

speaking　good　of　my　Commander；　and　praising　His　acts。　For　at　His

good　pleasure　I　came；　and　I　depart　when　it　pleases　Him；　and　while

I　was　yet　alive　that　was　my　work；　to　sing　praises　unto　God！





CXXXV







Reflect　that　the　chief　source　of　all　evils　to　Man；　and　of

baseness　and　cowardice；　is　not　death；　but　the　fear　of　death。



Against　this　fear　then；　I　pray　you；　harden　yourself；　to　this

let　all　your　reasonings；　your　exercises；　your　reading　tend。　Then

shall　you　know　that　thus　alone　are　men　set　free。





CXXXVI







He　is　free　who　lives　as　he　wishes　to　live；　to　whom　none　can

do　violence；　none　hinder　or　compel；　whose　impulses　are　unimpeded；

whose　desires　are　attain　their　purpose；　who　falls　not　into　what

he　would　avoid。　Whe　then　would　live　in　error？None。　Who　would

live　deceived　and　prone　to　fall；　unjust；　intemperate；　in　abject

whining　at　his　lot？None。　Then　doth　no　wicked　man　live　as　he

would；　and　therefore　neither　is　he　free。





CXXXVII





Thus　do　the　more　cautious　of　travellers　act。　The　road　is

said　to　be　beset　by　robbers。　The　traveller　will　not　venture

alone；　but　awaits　the　companionship　on　the　road　of　an　ambassador；

a　quaestor　or　a　proconsul。　To　him　he　attaches　himself　and　thus

passes　by　in　safety。　So　doth　the　wise　man　in　the　world。　Many　are

the　companies　of　robbers　and　tyrants；　many　the　storms；　the

straits；　the　losses　of　all　a　man　holds　dearest。　Whither　shall　he

fall　for　refugehow　shall　he　pass　by　unassailed？　What　companion

on　the　road　shall　he　await　for　protection？　Such　and　such　a

wealthy　man；　of　consular　rank？　And　how　shall　I　be　profited；　if　he

is　stripped　and　falls　to　lamentation　and　weeping？　And　how　if　my

fellow…traveller　himself　turns　upon　me　and　robs　me？　What　am　I　to

do？　I　will　become　a　friend　of　Caesar's！　in　his　train　none　will　do

me　wrong！　In　the　first　placeO　the　indignities　I　must　endure　to

win　distinction！　O　the　multitude　of　hands　there　will　be　to　rob

me！　And　if　I　succeed；　Caesar　too　is　but　a　mortal。　While　should　it

come　to　pass　that　I　offend　him；　whither　shall　I　flee　from　his

presence？　To　the　wilderness？　And　may　not　fever　await　me　there？

What　then　is　to　be　done？　Cannot　a　fellow…traveller　be　found　that

is　honest　and　loyal；　stong　and　secure　against　surprise？　Thus　doth

the　wise　man　reason；　considering　that　if　he　would　pass　through　in

safety；　he　must　attach　himself　unto　God。





CXXXVIII





〃How　understandest　thou　attach　himself　to　God？〃



That　what　God　wills；　he　should　will　also；　that　what　God

wills　not；　neither　should　he　will。



〃How　then　may　this　come　to　pass？〃



By　considering　the　movements　of　God；　and　His　administration。





CXXXIX







And　dost　thou　that　hast　received　all　from　another's　hands；

repine　and　blame　the　Giver；　if　He　takes　anything　from　thee？　Why；

who　art　thou；　and　to　what　end　comest　thou　here？　was　it　not　He

that　made　the　Light　manifest　unto　thee；　that　gave　thee　fellow…workers；

and　senses；　and　the　power　to　reason？　And　how　brought　He

thee　into　the　world？　Was　it　not　as　one　born　to　die；　as　one　bound

to　live　out　his　earthly　life　in　some　small　tabernacle　of　flesh；

to　behold　His　administration；　and　for　a　little　while　share　with

Him　in　the　mighty　march　of　this　great　Festival　Procession？　Now

therefore　that　thou　hast　beheld；　while　it　was　permitted　thee；　the

Solemn　Feast　and　Assembly；　wilt　thou　not　cheerfully　depart；　whem

He　summons　thee　forth；　with　adoration　and　thanksgiving　for　what

thou　hast　seen　and　heard？〃Nay；　but　I　would　fain　have　stayed

longer　at　the　Festival。〃Ah；　so　would　the　mystics　fain　have　the

rites　prolonged；　so　perchance　would　the　crowd　at　the　Great　Games

fain　behold　more　wrestlers　still。　But　the　Solemn　Assembly　is

over！　Come　forth；　depart　with　thanksgiving　and　modestygive

place　to　others　that　must　come　into　being　even　as　thyself。





CXL







Why　art　thou　thus　insatiable？　why　thus　unreasonable？　why

encumber　the　world？〃Aye；　but