the six enneads-第62章

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s　a　wider　multiplicity　and　contrariety：　its　partial　members　will；　therefore；　be　urged　by　a　closer　intention　towards　fullness　of　life；　a　warmer　desire　for　unification。　　　　　But　desire　often　destroys　the　desired；　it　seeks　its　own　good；　and；　if　the　desired　object　is　perishable；　the　ruin　follows：　and　the　partial　thing　straining　towards　its　completing　principle　draws　towards　itself　all　it　possibly　can。　　　　　Thus；　with　the　good　we　have　the　bad：　we　have　the　opposed　movements　of　a　dancer　guided　by　one　artistic　plan；　we　recognize　in　his　steps　the　good　as　against　the　bad；　and　see　that　in　the　opposition　lies　the　merit　of　the　design。　　　　　But；　thus；　the　wicked　disappear？　　　　　No：　their　wickedness　remains；　simply；　their　role　is　not　of　their　own　planning。　　　　　But；　surely；　this　excuses　them？　　　　　No；　excuse　lies　with　the　Reason…Principle…　and　the　Reason…Principle　does　not　excuse　them。　　　　　No　doubt　all　are　members　of　this　Principle　but　one　is　a　good　man；　another　is　bad…　the　larger　class；　this…　and　it　goes　as　in　a　play；　the　poet　while　he　gives　each　actor　a　part　is　also　using　them　as　they　are　in　their　own　persons：　he　does　not　himself　rank　the　men　as　leading　actor；　second；　third；　he　simply　gives　suitable　words　to　each；　and　by　that　assignment　fixes　each　man's　standing。　　　　　Thus；　every　man　has　his　place；　a　place　that　fits　the　good　man；　a　place　that　fits　the　bad：　each　within　the　two　orders　of　them　makes　his　way；　naturally；　reasonably；　to　the　place；　good　or　bad；　that　suits　him；　and　takes　the　position　he　has　made　his　own。　There　he　talks　and　acts；　in　blasphemy　and　crime　or　in　all　goodness：　for　the　actors　bring　to　this　play　what　they　were　before　it　was　ever　staged。　　　　　In　the　dramas　of　human　art；　the　poet　provides　the　words　but　the　actors　add　their　own　quality；　good　or　bad…　for　they　have　more　to　do　than　merely　repeat　the　author's　words…　in　the　truer　drama　which　dramatic　genius　imitates　in　its　degree；　the　Soul　displays　itself　in　a　part　assigned　by　the　creator　of　the　piece。　　　　　As　the　actors　of　our　stages　get　their　masks　and　their　costume；　robes　of　state　or　rags；　so　a　Soul　is　allotted　its　fortunes；　and　not　at　haphazard　but　always　under　a　Reason：　it　adapts　itself　to　the　fortunes　assigned　to　it；　attunes　itself；　ranges　itself　rightly　to　the　drama；　to　the　whole　Principle　of　the　piece：　then　it　speaks　out　its　business；　exhibiting　at　the　same　time　all　that　a　Soul　can　express　of　its　own　quality；　as　a　singer　in　a　song。　A　voice；　a　bearing；　naturally　fine　or　vulgar；　may　increase　the　charm　of　a　piece；　on　the　other　hand；　an　actor　with　his　ugly　voice　may　make　a　sorry　exhibition　of　himself；　yet　the　drama　stands　as　good　a　work　as　ever：　the　dramatist；　taking　the　action　which　a　sound　criticism　suggests；　disgraces　one；　taking　his　part　from　him；　with　perfect　justice：　another　man　he　promotes　to　more　serious　roles　or　to　any　more　important　play　he　may　have；　while　the　first　is　cast　for　whatever　minor　work　there　may　be。　　　　　Just　so　the　Soul；　entering　this　drama　of　the　Universe；　making　itself　a　part　of　the　Play；　bringing　to　its　acting　its　personal　excellence　or　defect；　set　in　a　definite　place　at　the　entry　and　accepting　from　the　author　its　entire　role…　superimposed　upon　its　own　character　and　conduct…　just　so；　it　receives　in　the　end　its　punishment　and　reward。　　　　　But　these　actors；　Souls；　hold　a　peculiar　dignity：　they　act　in　a　vaster　place　than　any　stage：　the　Author　has　made　them　masters　of　all　this　world；　they　have　a　wide　choice　of　place；　they　themselves　determine　the　honour　or　discredit　in　which　they　are　agents　since　their　place　and　part　are　in　keeping　with　their　quality：　they　therefore　fit　into　the　Reason…Principle　of　the　Universe；　each　adjusted；　most　legitimately；　to　the　appropriate　environment；　as　every　string　of　the　lyre　is　set　in　the　precisely　right　position；　determined　by　the　Principle　directing　musical　utterance；　for　the　due　production　of　the　tones　within　its　capacity。　All　is　just　and　good　in　the　Universe　in　which　every　actor　is　set　in　his　own　quite　appropriate　place；　though　it　be　to　utter　in　the　Darkness　and　in　Tartarus　the　dreadful　sounds　whose　utterance　there　is　well。　　　　　This　Universe　is　good　not　when　the　individual　is　a　stone；　but　when　everyone　throws　in　his　own　voice　towards　a　total　harmony；　singing　out　a　life…　thin；　harsh；　imperfect；　though　it　be。　The　Syrinx　does　not　utter　merely　one　pure　note；　there　is　a　thin　obscure　sound　which　blends　in　to　make　the　harmony　of　Syrinx　music：　the　harmony　is　made　up　from　tones　of　various　grades；　all　the　tones　differing；　but　the　resultant　of　all　forming　one　sound。　　　　　Similarly　the　Reason…Principle　entire　is　One；　but　it　is　broken　into　unequal　parts：　hence　the　difference　of　place　found　in　the　Universe；　better　spots　and　worse；　and　hence　the　inequality　of　Souls；　finding　their　appropriate　surroundings　amid　this　local　inequality。　The　diverse　places　of　this　sphere；　the　Souls　of　unequal　grade　and　unlike　conduct；　are　wen　exemplified　by　the　distinction　of　parts　in　the　Syrinx　or　any　other　instrument：　there　is　local　difference；　but　from　every　position　every　string　gives　forth　its　own　tone；　the　sound　appropriate；　at　once；　to　its　particular　place　and　to　the　entire　plan。　　　　　What　is　evil　in　the　single　Soul　will　stand　a　good　thing　in　the　universal　system；　what　in　the　unit　offends　nature　will　serve　nature　in　the　total　event…　and　still　remains　the　weak　and　wrong　tone　it　is；　though　its　sounding　takes　nothing　from　the　worth　of　the　whole；　just　as；　in　another　order　of　image；　the　executioner's　ugly　office　does　not　mar　the　well…governed　state：　such　an　officer　is　a　civic　necessity；　and　the　corresponding　moral　type　is　often　serviceable；　thus；　even　as　things　are；　all　is　well。　　　　　18。　Souls　vary　in　worth；　and　the　difference　is　due；　among　other　causes；　to　an　almost　initial　inequality；　it　is　in　reason　that；　standing　to　the　Reason…Principle；　as　parts；　they　should　be　unequal　by　the　fact　of　becoming　separate。　　　　　We　must　also　remember　that　every　Soul　has　its　second　grade　and　its　third；　and　that；　therefore；　its　expression　may　take　any　one　of　three　main　forms。　But　this　point　must　be　dealt　with　here　again：　the　matter　requires　all　possible　elucidation。　　　　　We　may　perhaps　think　of　actors　having　the　right　to　add　something　to　the　poet's　words：　the　drama　as　it　stands　is　not　perfectly　filled　in；　and　they　are　to　supply　where　the　Author　has　left　blank　spaces　here　and　there；　the　actors　are　to　be　something　else　as　well；　they　become　parts　of　the　poet；　who　on　his　side　has　a　foreknowledge　of　the　word　they　will　add；　and　so　is　able　to　bind　into　one　story　what　the　actors　bring　in　and　what　is　to　follow。　　　　　For；　in　the　All；　the　sequences；　including　what　follows　upon　wickedness；　become　Reason…Principles；　and　therefore　in　right　reason。　Thus：　from　adultery　and　the　violation　of　prisoners　the　process　of　nature　will　produce　fine　children；　to　grow；　perhaps；　into　fine　men；　and　where　wicked　violence　has　destroyed　cities；　other　and　nobler　cities　may　rise　in　their　place。　　　　　But　does　not　this　make　it　absurd　to　introduce　Souls　as　responsible　causes；　some　acting　for　good　and　some　for　evil？　If　we　thus　exonerate　the　Reason…Principle　from　any　part　in　wickedness　do　we　not　also　cancel　its　credit　for　the　good？　Why　not　simply　take　the　doings　of　these　actors　for　representative　parts　of　the　Reason…Principle　as　the　do