statesman-第4章

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assimilated　to　the　nature　of　a　newly…born　child　in　mind　as　well　as

body；　in　the　succeeding　stage　they　wasted　away　and　wholly　

disappeared。

And　the　bodies　of　those　who　died　by　violence　at　that　time　quickly

passed　through　the　like　changes；　and　in　a　few　days　were　no　more　seen。

　　Y。　Soc。　Then　how；　Stranger；　were　the　animals　created　in　those

days；　and　in　what　way　were　they　begotten　of　one　another？

　　Str。　It　is　evident；　Socrates；　that　there　was　no　such　thing　in　the

then　order　of　nature　as　the　procreation　of　animals　from　one　another；

the　earth…born　race；　of　which　we　hear　in　story；　was　the　one　which

existed　in　those　days…they　rose　again　from　the　ground；　and　of　this

tradition；　which　is　now…a…days　often　unduly　discredited；　our

ancestors；　who　were　nearest　in　point　of　time　to　the　end　of　the　last

period　and　came　into　being　at　the　beginning　of　this；　are　to　us　the

heralds。　And　mark　how　consistent　the　sequel　of　the　tale　is；　after

the　return　of　age　to　youth；　follows　the　return　of　the　dead；　who　are

lying　in　the　earth；　to　life；　simultaneously　with　the　reversal　of　the

world　the　wheel　of　their　generation　has　been　turned　back；　

and　they　are

put　together　and　rise　and　live　in　the　opposite　order；　unless　God　has

carried　any　of　them　away　to　some　other　lot。　According　to　this

tradition　they　of　necessity　sprang　from　the　earth　and　have　

the　name　of

earth…born；　and　so　the　above　legend　clings　to　them。

　　Y。　Soc。　Certainly　that　is　quite　consistent　with　what　has　preceded；

but　tell　me；　was　the　life　which　you　said　existed　in　the　reign　of

Cronos　in　that　cycle　of　the　world；　or　in　this？　For　the　change　in　the

course　of　the　stars　and　the　sun　must　have　occurred　in　both。

　　Str。　I　see　that　you　enter　into　my　meaning；…no；　that　blessed　and

spontaneous　life　does　not　belong　to　the　present　cycle　of　the　world；

but　to　the　previous　one；　in　which　God　superintended　the　whole

revolution　of　the　universe；　and　the　several　parts　the　universe　were

distributed　under　the　rule。　certain　inferior　deities；　as　is　

the　way　in

some　places　still　There　were　demigods；　who　were　the　shepherds　of　the

various　species　and　herds　of　animals；　and　each　one　was　in　

all　respects

sufficient　for　those　of　whom　he　was　the　shepherd；　neither　was　there

any　violence；　or　devouring　of　one　another　or　war　or　quarrel　among

them；　and　I　might　tell　of　ten　thousand　other　blessings；　

which　belonged

to　that　dispensation。　The　reason　why　the　life　of　man　was；　as　

tradition

says；　spontaneous；　is　as　follows：　In　those　days　God　himself　was

their　shepherd；　and　ruled　over　them；　just　as　man；　over　them；　

who　is　by

comparison　a　divine　being；　still　rules　over　the　lower　animals。　Under

him　there　were　no　forms　of　government　or　separate　possession　of

women　and　children；　for　all　men　rose　again　from　the　earth；　having　no

memory；　of　the　past。　And　although　they　had　nothing　of　this　sort；　the

earth　gave　them　fruits　in　abundance；　which　grew　on　trees　and　shrubs

unbidden；　and　were　not　planted　by　the　hand　of　man。　And　they　dwelt

naked；　and　mostly　in　the　open　air；　for　the　temperature　of　their

seasons；　was　mild；　and　they　had　no　beds；　but　lay　on　Soft　couches　of

grass；　which　grew　plentifully　out　of：　the　earth。　Such　was　the　life

of　man　in　the　days　of　Cronos；　Socrates；　the　character　of　our　present

life　which　is　said　to　be　under　Zeus；　you　know　from　your　own

experience。　Can　you；　and　will　you；　determine　which　of　them　you　deem

the　happier？

　　Y。　Soc。　Impossible。

　　Str。　Then　shall　I　determine　for　you　as　well　as　I　can？

　　Y。　Soc。　By　all　means。

　　Str。　Suppose　that　the　nurslings　of　Cronos；　having　this　boundless

leisure；　and　the　power　of　holding　intercourse；　not　only　with　men；

but　with　the　brute　creation；　had　used　all　these　advantages　

with　a　view

to　philosophy；　conversing　with　the　brutes　as　well　as　with　

one　another；

and　learning　of　every　nature　which　was　gifted　with　any　special

power；　and　was　able　to　contribute　some　special　experience　to　

the　store

of　wisdom　there　would　be　no　difficulty　in　deciding　that　they　would

be　a　thousand　times　happier　than　the　men　of　our　own　day。　Or；　

again；　if

they　had　merely　eaten　and　drunk　until　they　were　full；　and　

told　stories

to　one　another　and　to　the　animals…such　stories　as　are　now　attributed

to　them…in　this　case　also；　as　I　should　imagine；　the　answer　would　be

easy。　But　until　some　satisfactory　witness　can　be　found　of　the　love

of　that　age　for　knowledge　and：　discussion；　we　had　better　let　the

matter　drop；　and　give　the　reason　why　we　have　unearthed　this　tale；

and　then　we　shall　be　able　to　get　on。

　　In　the　fulness　of　time；　when　the　change　was　to　take　place；　and　the

earth…born　race　had　all　perished；　and　every　soul　had　completed　its

proper　cycle　of　births　and　been　sown　in　the　earth　her　

appointed　number

of　times；　the　pilot　of　the　universe　let　the　helm　go；　and　retired　to

his　place　of　view；　and　then　Fate　and　innate　desire　reversed　

the　motion

of　the　world。　Then　also　all　the　inferior　deities　who　share　

the　rule　of

the　supreme　power；　being　informed　of　what　was　happening；　let　go　the

parts　of　the　world　which　were　under　their　control。　And　the　world

turning　round　with　a　sudden　shock；　being　impelled　in　an　opposite

direction　from　beginning　to　end；　was　shaken　by　a　mighty　earthquake；

which　wrought　a　new　destruction　of　all　manner　of　animals。

Afterwards；　when　sufficient　time　had　elapsed；　the　tumult　and　

confusion

and　earthquake　ceased；　and　the　universal　creature；　once　more　at

peace　attained　to　a　calm；　and　settle　down　into　his　own　orderly　and

accustomed　course；　having　the　charge　and　rule　of　himself　and　of　all

the　creatures　which　are　contained　in　him；　and　executing；　as　far　as

he　remembered　them；　the　instructions　of　his　Father　and　Creator；　more

precisely　at　first；　but　afterwords　with　less　exactness。　The　reason

of　the　falling　off　was　the　admixture　of　matter　in　him；　this　was

inherent　in　the　primal　nature；　which　was　full　of　disorder；　until

attaining　to　the　present　order。　From　God；　the　constructor；　the　world

received　all　that　is　good　in　him；　but　from　a　previous　state　came

elements　of　evil　and　unrighteousness；　which；　thence　derived；　first

of　all　passed　into　the　world；　and　were　then　transmitted　to　the

animals。　While　the　world　was　aided　by　the　pilot　in　nurturing　the

animals；　the　evil　was　small；　and　great　the　good　which　he　

produced；　but

after　the　separation；　when　the　world　was　let　go；　at　first　all

proceeded　well　enough；　but；　as　time　went　there　was　more　and　more

forgetting；　and　the　old　discord　again　held　sway　and　burst　forth　in

full　glory；　and　at　last　small　was　the　good；　and　great　was　the

admixture　of　evil；　and　there　was　a　danger　of　universal　ruin　to　the

world；　and　the　things　contained　in　him。　Wherefore　God；　the　orderer

of　all；　in　his　tender　care；　seeing　that　the　world　was　in　great

straits；　and　fearing　that　all　might　be　dissolved　in　the　storm　and

disappear　in　infinite　chaos；　again　seated　himself　at　the　helm；　and

bringing　back　the　elements　which　had　fallen　into　dissolution　and

disorder　to　the　motion　which　had　prevailed　under　his　dispensation；

he　set　them　in　order　and　restored　them；　and　made　the　world

imperishable　and　immortal。

　　And　this　is　the　whole　tale；　of　which　the　first　part　will　suffice

to　illustrate　the　nature　of　the　king。　For　when　the　world　turned

towards　the　present　cycle　of　generation；　the　age　of　man　again　stood

still；　and　a　change　opposite　to　the　previous　one　was　the　result。　The

small　creatures　which　had　almost　disappeared　grew　in　and　stature；

and　the　newly…born　children　of　the　earth　became　grey　and　

died　and　sank

into　the　earth　again。　All　things　changed；　imitating　and　following

the　condition　of　the　universe；　and　of　necessity　agreeing　with　that

in　their　mode　of　conception　and　generation　and　nurture；　for　

no　animal；

was　any　longer　allowed　to　come　into　being　in　the　earth　through　the

agency　of　other　creative　beings；　but　as　the　world　was　ordained　to　be

the　lord　of　his　own　progress；　in　like　manner　the　parts　were　ordained

to　grow　and　generate　and　give　nourishment；　as　far　as　they　could；　of

themselves；　impelled　by　a　similar　movement。　And　so　we　have　arrived

at　the　real　end　of　this　discourse；　for　although　there　might　

be　much　to

tell　of　the　lower　animals；　and　of　the　condition　out　of　which　they

changed　and　of　the　causes　of　the　change；　about　men　there　is　not

much；　and　that　little　is　more　to　the　purpose。　Deprived　of　the　care

of　God；　who　had　possessed　and　tended　them；　they　were　left　

helpless　and

defenceless；　and　were　torn　in　pieces　by　the　beasts；　who　were

naturally　fierce　and　had　now　grown　wild。　And　in　the　first　ages　they

were　still　without　skill　or　resource；　the　food　which　once　grew

spontaneously　had　failed；　and　as　yet　they　knew　not　how　to　procure

it；　because　they…had　never　felt　the　pressure　of　necessity。　For　all

these　reasons　they　were　in　a　great　strait；　wherefore　also　the　gifts

spoken　of　in　the　old　tradition　were　imparted　to　man　by　the　gods；

together　with　so　much　teaching　and　education　as　was　indispensable；

fire　was　given　to　them　by　Prometheus；　the　arts　by　Hephaestus　and　his

fellow…worker；　Athene；　seeds　and　plants　by　others。　From　these　is

derived　all　that　has　helped　to　frame　human　life；　since　the　

care　of　the

Gods；　as　I　was　saying；　had　now　failed　men；　and　they　had　to　

order　their

course　of　life　for　themselves；　and　were　their　own　masters；　just　like

the　universal　creature　whom　they　imitate　and　follow；　ever　

changing；　as

he　changes；　and　ever　living　and　growing；　at　one　time　in　one　manner；

and　at　another　time　in　another。　Enough　of　the　story；　which　may　be　of

use　in　showing　us　how　greatly　we　erred　in　the　delineation　of　the

king　and　the　statesman　in　our　previous　discourse。

　　Y。　Soc。　What　was　this　great　error　of　which　you　speak？

　　Str。　There　were　two；　the　first　a　lesser　one；　the　other　was　an

error　on　a　much　larger　and　grander　scale。

　　Y。　Soc。　What　do　you　mean？

　　Str。　I　mean　to　say　that　when　we　were　asked　about　a　king　and

statesman　of　the　present；　and　generation；　we　told　of　a　shepherd　of　a

human　flock　who　belonged　to　the　other　cycle；　and　of　one　who　was　a

god　when　he　ought　to　have　been　a　man；　and　this　a　great　error。　Again；

we　declared　him　to　be；　the　ruler　of　the　entire　State；　without；

explaining　how：　this　was　not　the　whole　truth；　nor　very　intelligible；

but　still　it　was　true；　and　therefore　the　second　error　was　not　so；

great　as　the　first。

　　Y　Soc。　Very　good。

　　Str。　Before　we　can　expect　to　have　a　perfect　description　of　the

statesman　we　must　define　the　nature　of　his　office。

　　Y。　Soc。　Certainly。

　　Str。　And　the　myth　was　introduced　in　order　to　show；　not　

only　that　all

others　are　rivals　of　true　shepherd　who　is　the　object　of　our　search；

but　in　order　that　we　might　have　a　clearer　view　of　him　who　is　alone

worthy　to　receive　this　appellation；　because；　he　alone　of　

shepherds　and

herdsmen；　according　to　the　image　which　we　have　employed；　has　the

care　of　human　beings。

　　Y。　Soc。　Very　true。

　　Str。　And　I　cannot　help　thinking；　Socrates；　that　the　form　of　the

divine　shepherd　is　even　higher　than　that　of　a　king；　whereas　the

statesmen　who　are　now　on　earth　seem　to　be　much　more　like　their

subjects　in　character；　and　which　more　nearly　to　partake　of　t