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！
Per。 All that you say； Socrates； is most true； but do you observe that
ever since the disaster of the thousand under Tolmides at Lebadeia；
coupled with that under Hippocrates at Delium；＇6＇ the prestige of Athens
by comparison with the Boeotians has been lowered； whilst the spirit of
Thebes as against Athens had been correspondingly exalted； so that those
Boeotians who in old days did not venture to give battle to the Athenians
even in their own territory unless they had the Lacedaemonians and the
rest of the Peloponnesians to help them； do nowadays threaten to make an
incursion into Attica single…handed； and the Athenians； who formerly； if
they had to deal with the Boeotians＇7＇ only； made havoc of their territory；
are now afraid the Boeotians may some day harry Attica。
＇6＇ Lebadeia； 447 B。C。； Delium； 424 B。C。 For Tolmides and
Hippocrates see Thuc。 i。 113； iv。 100 foll。； Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 v。 471； vi。
533。
＇7＇ Reading ｛ote B。 monoi｝； al。 ｛ou monoi｝； 〃when the Boeotians
were not unaided。〃
To which Socrates： Yes； I perceive that this is so； but it seems to me
97
… Page 98…
The Memorabilia
that the state was never more tractably disposed； never so ripe for a really
good leader； as to…day。 For if boldness be the parent of carelessness； laxity；
and insubordination； it is the part of fear to make people more disposed to
application； obedience； and good order。 A proof of which you may
discover in the behaviour of people on ship… board。 It is in seasons of calm
weather when there is nothing to fear that disorder may be said to reign；
but as soon as there is apprehension of a storm； or an enemy in sight； the
scene changes； not only is each word of command obeyed； but there is a
hush of silent expectation； the mariners wait to catch the next signal like
an orchestra with eyes upon the leader。
Per。 But indeed； given that now is the opportunity to take obedience at
the flood； it is high time also to explain by what means we are to rekindle
in the hearts of our countrymen＇8＇ the old firesthe passionate longing for
antique valour； for the glory and the wellbeing of the days of old。
＇8＇ Reading ｛anerasthenai｝； Schneider's emendation of the vulg。
｛aneristhenai｝。
Well （proceeded Socrates）； supposing we wished them to lay claim to
certain material wealth now held by others； we could not better stimulate
them to lay hands on the objects coveted than by showing them that these
were ancestral possessions＇9＇ to which they had a natural right。 But since
our object is that they should set their hearts on virtuous pre…eminence； we
must prove to them that such headship combined with virtue is an old
time…honoured heritage which pertains to them beyond all others； and that
if they strive earnestly after it they will soon out…top the world。
＇9＇ Cf。 Solon in the matter of Salamis； Plut。 〃Sol。〃 8； Bergk。 〃Poet。
Lyr。 Gr。 Solon；〃 SALAMIS； i。 2； 3。
Por。 How are we to inculcate this lesson？
Soc。 I think by reminding them of a fact already registered in their
minds；＇10＇ that the oldest of our ancestors whose names are known to us
were also the bravest of heroes。
＇10＇ Or； 〃to which their ears are already opened。〃
Per。 I suppose you refer to that judgment of the gods which； for their
virtue's sake； Cecrops and his followers were called on to decide？＇11＇
98
… Page 99…
The Memorabilia
＇11＇ See Apollodorus； iii。 14。
Soc。 Yes； I refer to that and to the birth and rearing of Erectheus；＇12＇
and also to the war＇13＇ which in his days was waged to stay the tide of
invasion from the whole adjoining continent； and that other war in the
days of the Heraclidae＇14＇ against the men of Peloponnese； and that series
of battles fought in the days of Theseus＇15＇in all which the virtuous pre…
eminence of our ancestry above the men of their own times was made
manifest。 Or； if you please； we may come down to things of a later date；
which their descendants and the heroes of days not so long anterior to our
own wrought in the struggle with the lords of Asia；＇16＇ nay of Europe also；
as far as Macedonia： a people possessing a power and means of attack far
exceeding any who had gone beforewho； moreover； had accomplished
the doughtiest deeds。 These things the men of Athens wrought partly
single…handed；＇17＇ and partly as sharers with the Peloponnesians in laurels
won by land and sea。 Heroes were these men also； far outshining； as
tradition tells us； the peoples of their time。
＇12＇ Cf。 〃Il。〃 ii。 547； ｛'Erekhtheos megaletoros k。t。l。｝
＇13＇ Cf。 Isoc。 〃Paneg。〃 19； who handles all the topics。
＇14＇ Commonly spoken of as 〃the Return。〃 See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 II。 ch。
xviii。
＇15＇ Against the Amazons and Thracians； cf。 Herod。 ix。 27； Plut。
〃Thes。〃 27。
＇16＇ The 〃Persian〃 wars； cf。 Thucyd。 I。 i。
＇17＇ He omits the Plataeans。
Per。 Yes； so runs the story of their heroism。
Soc。 Therefore it is that； amidst the many changes of inhabitants； and
the migrations which have； wave after wave； swept over Hellas； these
maintained themselves in their own land； unmoved； so that it was a
common thing for others to turn to them as to a court of appeal on points
of right； or to flee to Athens as a harbour of refuge from the hand of the
oppressor。＇18＇
＇18＇ Cf。 （Plat。） 〃Menex。〃； Isocr。 〃Paneg。〃
Then Pericles： And the wonder to me； Socrates； is how our city ever
99
… Page 100…
The Memorabilia
came to decline。
Soc。 I think we are victims of our own success。 Like some athlete；＇19＇
whose facile preponderance in the arena has betrayed him into laxity until
he eventually succumbs to punier antagonists； so we Athenians； in the
plenitude of our superiority； have neglected ourselves and are become
degenerate。
＇19＇ Reading ｛athletai tines｝； or if ｛alloi tines｝； translate 〃any one
else。〃
Per。 What then ought we to do now to recover our former virtue？
Soc。 There need be no mystery about that； I think。 We can rediscover
the institutions of our forefathersapplying them to the regulation of our
lives with something of their pre