aristides-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ARISTIDES
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　530？…468？　B。C。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden




　　ARISTIDES；　the　son　of　Lysimachus；　was　of　the　tribe　Antiochis；　and
township　of　Alopece。　As　to　wealth；　statements　differ；　some　say　he
passed　his　life　in　extreme　poverty；　and　left　behind　him　two
daughters　whose　indigence　long　kept　them　unmarried；　but　Demetrius；　the
Phalerian；　in　opposition　to　this　general　report；　professes　in　his
Socrates　to　know　a　farm　at　Phalerum　going　by　Aristides's　name；　where
he　was　interred；　and；　as　marks　of　his　opulence；　adduces　first；　the
office　of　archon　eponymus；　which　he　obtained　by　the　lot　of　the　bean；
which　was　confined　to　the　highest　assessed　families；　called　the
Pentacosiomedimni；　second；　the　ostracism；　which　was　not　usually
inflicted　on　the　poorer　citizens；　but　on　those　of　great　houses；
whose　station　exposed　them　to　envy；　third　and　last；　that　he　left
certain　tripods　in　the　temple　of　Bacchus；　offerings　for　his　victory　in
conducting　the　representation　of　dramatic　performances；　which　were
even　in　our　age　still　to　be　seen；　retaining　this　inscription　upon
them；　〃The　tribe　Antiochis　obtained　the　victory：　Aristides　defrayed
the　charges：　Archestratus's　play　was　acted。〃　But　this　argument；　though
in　appearance　the　strongest；　is　of　the　least　moment　of　any。　For
Epaminondas；　who　all　the　world　knows　was　educated；　and　lived　his　whole
life　in　much　poverty；　and　also　Plato；　the　philosopher；　exhibited
magnificent　shows；　the　one　an　entertainment　of　flute…players；　the
other　of　dithyrambic　singers；　Dion；　the　Syracusan；　supplying　the
expenses　of　the　latter；　and　Pelopidas　those　of　Epaminondas。　For　good
men　do　not　allow　themselves　in　any　inveterate　and　irreconcilable
hostility　to　receiving　presents　from　their　friends；　but　while
looking　upon　those　that　are　accepted　to　be　hoarded　up　and　with
avaricious　intentions　as　sordid　and　mean；　they　do　not　refuse　such
as；　apart　from　all　profit；　gratify　the　pure　love　of　honour　and
magnificence。　Panaetius；　again；　shows　that　Demetrius　was　deceived
concerning　the　tripod　by　an　identity　of　name。　For；　from　the　Persian
war　to　the　end　of　the　Peloponnesian；　there　are　upon　record　only　two　of
the　name　of　Aristides　who　defrayed　the　expense　of　representing　plays
and　gained　the　prize；　neither　of　which　was　the　same　with　the　son　of
Lysimachus；　but　the　father　of　the　one　was　Xenophilus；　and　the　other
lived　at　a　much　later　time；　as　the　way　of　writing；　which　is　that　in
use　since　the　time　of　Euclides；　and　the　addition　of　the　name　of
Archestratus　prove；　a　name　which；　in　the　time　of　the　Persian　war；　no
writer　mentions；　but　which　several；　during　the　Peloponnesian　war；
record　as　that　of　a　dramatic　poet。　The　argument　of　Panaetius
requires　to　be　more　closely　considered。　But　as　for　the　ostracism；
every　one　was　liable　to　it；　whom　his　reputation；　birth；　or　eloquence
raised　above　the　common　level；　insomuch　that　even　Damon；　preceptor
to　Pericles；　was　thus　banished；　because　he　seemed　a　man　of　more　than
ordinary　sense。　And；　moreover；　Idomeneus　says　that　Aristides　was　not
made　archon　by　the　lot　of　the　bean；　but　the　free　election　of　the
people。　And　if　he　held　the　office　after　the　battle　of　Plataea；　as
Demetrius　himself　has　written；　it　is　very　probable　that　his　great
reputation　and　success　in　the　war　made　him　be　preferred　for　his　virtue
to　an　office　which　others　received　in　consideration　of　their　wealth。
But　Demetrius　manifestly　is　eager　not　only　to　exempt　Aristides；　but
Socrates　likewise；　from　poverty；　as　from　a　great　evil；　telling　us　that
the　latter　had　not　only　a　house　of　his　own；　but　also　seventy　minae　put
out　at　interest　with　Crito。
　　Aristides　being　the　friend　and　supporter　of　that　Clisthenes；　who
settled　the　government　after　the　expulsion　of　the　tyrants；　and
emulating　and　admiring　Lycurgus；　the　Lacedaemonian；　above　all
politicians；　adhered　to　the　aristocratical　principles　of　government；
and　had　Themistocles；　son　to　Neocles；　his　adversary　on　the　side　of　the
populace。　Some　say　that；　being　boys　and　bred　up　together　from　their
infancy；　they　were　always　at　variance　with　each　other　in　all　their
words　and　actions；　as　well　serious　as　playful；　and　that　in　this
their　early　contention　they　soon　made　proof　of　their　natural
inclinations；　the　one　being　ready；　adventurous；　and　subtle；　engaging
readily　and　eagerly　in　everything；　the　other　of　a　staid　and　settled
temper；　intent　on　the　exercise　of　justice；　not　admitting　any　degree　of
falsity；　indecorum；　or　trickery；　no；　not　so　much　as　at　his　play。
Ariston　of　Chios　says　the　first　origin　of　the　enmity　which　rose　to
so　great　a　height　was　a　love　affair；　they　were　rivals　for　the
affection　of　the　beautiful　Stesilaus　of　Ceos；　and　were　passionate
beyond　all　moderation；　and　did　not　lay　aside　their　animosity　when
the　beauty　that　had　excited　it　passed　away；　but；　as　if　it　had　only
exercised　them　in　it；　immediately　carried　their　beats　and
differences　into　public　business。
　　Themistocles；　therefore；　joining　an　association　of　partisans；
fortified　himself　with　considerable　strength；　insomuch　that　when
some　one　told　him　that　were　he　impartial　he　would　make　a　good
magistrate；　〃I　wish；〃　replied　he；　〃I　may　never　sit　on　that　tribunal
where　my　friends　shall　not　plead　a　greater　privilege　than
strangers。〃　But　Aristides　walked；　so　to　say；　alone　on　his　own　path
in　politics；　being　unwilling；　in　the　first　place；　to　go　along　with　his
associates　in　ill…doing；　or　to　cause　them　vexation　by　not　gratifying
their　wishes；　and；　secondly；　observing　that　many　were　encouraged　by
the　support　they　had　in　their　friends　to　act　injuriously；　he　was
cautious；　being　of　opinion　that　the　integrity　of　his　words　and　actions
was　the　only　right　security　for　a　good　citizen。
　　However；　Themistocles　making　many　dangerous　alterations；　and
withstanding　and　interrupting　him　in　the　whole　series　of　his
actions；　Aristides　also　was　necessitated　to　set　himself　against　all
Themistocles　did；　partly　in　self…defence；　and　partly　to　impede　his
power　from　still　increasing　by　the　favour　of　the　multitude；
esteeming　it　better　to　let　slip　some　public　conveniences；　rather
than　that　he　by　prevailing　should　become　powerful　in　all　things。　In
fine；　when　he　once　had　opposed　Themistocles　in　some　measures　that　were
expedient；　and　had　got　the　better　of　him；　he　could　not　refrain　from
saying；　when　he　left　the　assembly；　that　unless　they　sent
Themistocles　and　himself　to　the　barathum；　there　could　be　no　safety　for
Athens。　Another　time；　when　urging　some　proposal　upon　the　people；
though　there　were　much　opposition　and　stirring　against　it；　he　yet
was　gaining　the　day；　but　just　as　the　president　of　the　assembly　was
about　to　put　it　to　the　vote；　perceiving　by　what　had　been　said　in
debate　the　inexpediency　of　his　advice；　he　let　it　fall。　Also　he　often
brought　in　his　bills　by　other　persons；　lest　Themistocles；　through
party　spirit　against　him；　should　be　any　hindrance　to　the　good　of　the
public。
　　In　all　the　vicissitudes　of　public　affairs；　the　constancy　he　showed
was　admirable；　not　being　elated　with　honours；　and　demeaning　himself
tranquilly　and　sedately　in　adversity；　holding　the　opinion　that　he
ought　to　offer　himself　to　the　service　of　his　country　without　mercenary
views　and　irrespectively　of　any　reward；　not　only　of　riches；　but　even
of　glory　itself。　Hence　it　came；　probably；　that　at　the　recital　of　these
verses　of　Aeschylus　in　the　theatre；　relating　to　Amphiaraus…

　　　　　　　　　〃For　not　at　seeming　just；　but　being　so
　　　　　　　　　　He　aims；　and　from　his　depth　of　soil　below
　　　　　　　　　　Harvests　of　wise　and　prudent　counsels　grow；

the　eyes　of　all　the　spectators　turned　on　Aristides；　as　if　this　virtue；
in　an　especial　manner；　belonged　to　him。
　　He　was　a　most　determined　champion　for　justice；　not　only　against
feelings　of　friendship　and　favour；　but　wrath　and　malice。　Thus　it　is
reported　of　him　that　when　prosecuting　the　law　against　one　who　was
his　enemy；　on　the　judges　after　accusation　refusing　to　hear　the
criminal；　and　proceeding　immediately　to　pass　sentence　upon　him；　he
rose　in　haste　from　his　seat　and　joined　in　petition　with　him　for　a
hearing；　and　that　he　might　enjoy　the　privilege　of　the　law。　Another
time；　when　judging　between　two　private　persons；　on　the　one　declaring
his　adversary　had　very　much　injured　Aristides；　〃Tell　me　rather；　good
friend；〃　he　said；　〃what　wrong　he　has　done　you；　for　it　is　your　cause；
not　my　own；　which　I　now　sit　judge　of。〃　Being　chosen　to　the　charge　of
the　public　revenue；　he　made　it　appear；　that　not　only　those　of　his
time；　but　the　preceding　officers；　had　alienated　much　treasure；　and
especially　Themistocles…

　　　　　　　　〃Well　known　he　was　an　able　man　to　be；
　　　　　　　　　But　with　his　fingers　apt　to　be　too　free。〃

　　Therefore；　Themistocles　associating　several　persons　against
Aristides；　and　impeaching　him　when　he　gave　in　his　accounts；　caused　him
to　be　condemned　of　robbing　the　public；　so　Idomeneus　states；　but　the
best　and　chiefest　men　of　the　city　much　resenting　it；　he　was　not　only
exempted　from　the　fine　imposed　upon　him；　but　likewise　again　called
to　the　same　employment。　Pretending　now　to　repent　him　of　his　former
practice；　and　carrying　himself　with　more　remissness；　he　became
acceptable　to　such　as　pillaged　the　treasury　by　not　detecting　or
calling　them　to　an　exact　account。　So　that　those　who　had　their　fill
of　the　public　money　began　highly　to　applaud　Aristides；　and　sued　to　the
people　making　interest　to　have　him　once　more　chosen　treasurer。　But
when　they　were　upon　the　point　of　election；　he　reproved　the
Athenians。　〃When　I　discharged　my　office　well　and　faithfully；〃　said　he；
〃I　was　insulted　and　abused；　but　now　that　I　have　allowed　the　public
thieves　in　a　variety　of　malpractices；　I　am　considered　an　admirable
patriot。　I　am　more　ashamed；　therefore；　of　this　present　honour　than
of　the　former　sentence；　and　I　commiserate　your　condition；　with　whom　it
is　more　praiseworthy　to　oblige　ill　men　than　to　conserve　the　revenue　of
the　public。〃　Saying　thus；　and　proceeding　to　expose　the　thefts　that　had
been　committed；　he　stopped　the　mouths　of　those　who　cried　him　up　and
vouched　for　him；　but　gained　real　and　true　commendations　from　the
best　men。
　　When　Datis；　being　sent　by　Darius　under　pretence　o