statesman-第13部分

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　　Str。　We　exclaim　How　calm！　How　temperate！　in　admiration　of　the　slow

and　quiet　working　of　the　intellect；　and　of　steadiness　and　gentleness

in　action；　of　smoothness　and　depth　of　voice；　and　of　all　rhythmical

movement　and　of　music　in　general；　when　these　have　a　proper

solemnity。　Of　all　such　actions　we　predicate　not　courage；　but　a　name

indicative　of　order。

　　Y。　Soc。　Very　true。

　　Str。　But　when；　on　the　other　hand；　either　of　these　is　out　of　place；

the　names　of　either　are　changed　into　terms　of　censure。

　　Y。　Soc。　How　so？

　　Str。　Too　great　sharpness　or　quickness　or　hardness　is　

termed　violence

or　madness；　too　great　slowness　or　gentleness　is　called　cowardice　or

sluggishness；　and　we　may　observe；　that　for　the　most　part　these

qualities；　and　the　temperance　and　manliness　of　the　opposite

characters；　are　arrayed　as　enemies　on　opposite　sides；　and　do　not

mingle　with　one　another　in　their　respective　actions；　and　if　we

pursue　the　enquiry；　we　shall　find　that　men　who　have　these　different

qualities　of　mind　differ　from　one　another。

　　Y。　Soc。　In　what　respect？

　　Str。　In　respect　of　all　the　qualities　which　I　mentioned；　and　very

likely　of　many　others。　According　to　their　respective　affinities　to

either　class　of　actions　they　distribute　praise　and　

blame…praise　to　the

actions　which　are　akin　to　their　own；　blame　to　those　of　the　opposite

party…and　out　of　this　many　quarrels　and　occasions　of　quarrel　arise

among　them。

　　Y。　Soc。　True。

　　Str。　The　difference　between　the　two　classes　is　often　a　trivial

concern；　but　in　a　state；　and　when　affecting　really　important

matters；　becomes　of　all　disorders　the　most　hateful。

　　Y。　Soc。　To　what　do　you　refer？

　　Str。　To　nothing　short　of　the　whole　regulation　of　human　

life。　For　the

orderly　class　are　always　ready　to　lead　a　peaceful　life；　quietly

doing　their　own　business；　this　is　their　manner　of　behaving　with　all

men　at　home；　and　they　are　equally　ready　to　find　some　way　of　keeping

the　peace　with　foreign　States。　And　on　account　of　this　fondness　of

theirs　for　peace；　which　is　often　out　of　season　where　their　influence

prevails；　they　become　by　degrees　unwarlike；　and　bring　up　their　young

men　to　be　like　themselves；　they　are　at　the　mercy　of　their　enemies；

whence　in　a　few　years　they　and　their　children　and　the　whole　

city　often

pass　imperceptibly　from　the　condition　of　freemen　into　that　of　slaves。

　　Y。　Soc。　What　a　cruel　fate！

　　Str。　And　now　think　of　what　happens　with　the　more　

courageous　natures。

Are　they　not　always　inciting　their　country　to　go　to　war；　owing　to

their　excessive　love　of　the　military　life？　they　raise　up　enemies

against　themselves　many　and　mighty；　and　either　utterly　ruin　their

native　land　or　enslave　and　subject　it　to　its　foes？

　　Y。　Soc。　That；　again；　is　true。

　　Str。　Must　we　not　admit；　then；　that　where　these　two　classes　exist。

they　always　feel　the　greatest　antipathy　and　antagonism　towards　one

another？

　　Y。　Soc。　We　cannot　deny　it。

　　Str。　And　returning　to　the　enquiry　with　which　we　began；　have　we　not

found　that　considerable　portions　of　virtue　are　at　variance　with　one

another；　and　give　rise　to　a　similar　opposition　in　the　characters　who

are　endowed　with　them？

　　Y。　Soc。　True。

　　Str。　Let　us　consider　a　further　point。

　　Y。　Soc。　What　is　it？

　　Str。　I　want　to　know；　whether　any　constructive　art　will　make　any；

even　the　most　trivial　thing；　out　of　bad　and　good　materials

indifferently；　if　this　can　be　helped？　does　not　all　art　rather　reject

the　bad　as　far　as　possible；　and　accept　the　good　and　fit　

materials；　and

from　these　elements；　whether　like　or　unlike；　gathering　them　all　into

one；　work　out　some　nature　or　idea？

　　Y。　Soc。　To；　be　sure。

　　Str。　Then　the　true　and　natural　art　of　statesmanship　will　

never　allow

any　State　to　be　formed　by　a　combination　of　good　and　bad　men；　if　this

can　be　avoided；　but　will　begin　by　testing　human　natures　in　play；　and

after　testing　them；　will　entrust　them　to　proper　teachers　who　are　the

ministers　of　her　purposes…she　will　herself　give　orders；　and　maintain

authority；　just　as　the　art　of　weaving　continually　gives　orders　and

maintains　authority　over　the　carders　and　all　the　others　who　prepare

the　material　for　the　work；　commanding　the　subsidiary　arts　to　execute

the　works　which　she　deems　necessary　for　making　the　web。

　　Y。　Soc。　Quite　true。

　　Str。　In　like　manner；　the　royal　science　appears　to　me　to　be　the

mistress　of　all　lawful　educators　and　instructors；　and　having　this

queenly　power；　will　not　permit　them　to　train　men　in　what　will

produce　characters　unsuited　to　the　political　constitution　which　she

desires　to　create；　but　only　in　what　will　produce　such　as　are　

suitable。

Those　which　have　no　share　of　manliness　and　temperance；　or　any　other

virtuous　inclination；　and；　from　the　necessity　of　an　evil　nature；　are

violently　carried　away　to　godlessness　and　insolence　and　

injustice；　she

gets　rid　of　by　death　and　exile；　and　punishes　them　with　the　

greatest　of

disgraces。

　　Y。　Soc。　That　is　commonly　said。

　　Str。　But　those　who　are　wallowing　in　ignorance　and　baseness　she

bows　under　the　yoke　of　slavery。

　　Y。　Soc。　Quite　right。

　　Str。　The　rest　of　the　citizens；　out　of　whom；　if　they　have

education；　something　noble　may　be　made；　and　who　are　capable　of　being

united　by　the　Statesman；　the　kingly　art　blends　and　weaves　together；

taking　on　the　one　hand　those　whose　natures　tend　rather　to　courage；

which　is　the　stronger　element　and　may　be　regarded　as　the　warp；　and

on　the　other　hand　those　which　incline　to　order　and　gentleness；　and

which　are　represented　in　the　figure　as　spun　thick　and　soft　after　the

manner　of　the　woof…these；　which　are　naturally　opposed；　she　seeks　to

bind　and　weave　together　in　the　following　manner：

　　Y。　Soc。　In　what　manner？

　　Str。　First　of　all；　she　takes　the　eternal　element　of　the　soul　and

binds　it　with　a　divine　cord；　to　which　it　is　akin；　and　then　the

animal　nature；　and　binds　that　with　human　cords。

　　Y。　Soc。　I　do　not　understand　what　you　mean。

　　Str。　The　meaning　is；　that　the　opinion　about　the　honourable　and　the

just　and　good　and　their　opposites；　which　is　true　and　confirmed　by

reason；　is　a　divine　principle；　and　when　implanted　in　the　soul；　is

implanted；　as　I　maintain；　in　a　nature　of　heavenly　birth。

　　Y。　Soc。　Yes；　what　else　should　it　be？

　　Str。　Only　the　Statesman　and　the　good　legislator；　having　the

inspiration　of　the　royal　muse；　can　implant　this　opinion；　and　he；

only　in　the　rightly　educated；　whom　we　were　just　now　describing。

　　Y。　Soc。　Likely　enough。

　　Str。　But　him　who　cannot；　we　will　not　designate　by　any　of　the　names

which　are　the　subject　of　the　present　which　are　the　subject　of　the

present　enquiry。

　　Y。　Soc。　Very　right。

　　Str。　The　courageous　soul　when　attaining　this　truth　becomes

civilized；　and　rendered　more　capable　of　partaking　of　

justice；　but　when

not　partaking；　is　inclined　to　brutality。　Is　not　that　true？

　　Y。　Soc。　Certainly。

　　Str。　And　again；　the　peaceful　and　orderly　nature；　if　

sharing　in　these

opinions；　becomes　temperate　and　wise；　as　far　as　this　may　be　in　a

State；　but　if　not；　deservedly　obtains　the　ignominious　name　of

silliness。

　　Y。　Soc。　Quite　true。

　　Str。　Can　we　say　that　such　a　connection　as　this　will　lastingly

unite　the　evil　with　one　another　or　with　the　good；　or　that　any

science　would　seriously　think　of　using　a　bond　of　this　kind　to　join

such　materials？

　　Y。　Soc。　Impossible。

　　Str。　But　in　those　who　were　originally　of　a　noble　nature；　and　who

have　been　nurtured　in　noble　ways；　and　in　those　only；　may　we　not　say

that　union　is　implanted　by　law；　and　that　this　is　the　medicine　which

art　prescribes　for　them；　and　of　all　the　bonds　which　unite　the

dissimilar　and　contrary　parts　of　virtue　is　not　this；　as　I　was

saying；　the　divinest？

　　Y。　Soc。　Very　true。

　　Str。　Where　this　divine　bond　exists　there　is　no　difficulty　in

imagining；　or　when　you　have　imagined；　in　creating　the　other　bonds；

which　are　human　only。

　　Y。　Soc。　How　is　that；　and　what　bonds　do　you　mean？

　　Str。　Rights　of　intermarriage；　and　ties　which　are　formed　between

States　by　giving　and　taking　children　in　marriage；　or　between

individuals　by　private　betrothals　and　espousals。　For　most　persons

form；　marriage　connection　without　due　regard　to　what　is　best　for　the

procreation　of　children。

　　Y。　Soc。　In　what　way？

　　Str。　They　seek　after　wealth　and　power；　which；　in　matrimony　are

objects　not　worthy…even　of　a　serious　censure。

　　Y。　Soc。　There　is　no　need　to　consider　them　at　all。

　　Str。　More　reason　is…there　to　consider　the　practice　of　

those　who　make

family　their　chief　aim；　and　to　indicate　their　error。

　　Y。　Soc。　Quite　true。

　　Str。　They　act　on　no　true　principle　at　all；　they　seek　their　ease

and　receive　with　open　arms　those　are　like　themselves；　and　hate　those

who　are　unlike　them；　being　too　much　influenced　by　feelings　

of　dislike。

　　Y。　Soc。　How　so？

　　Str。　The　quiet　orderly　class　seek　for　natures　like　their　

own；　and　as

far　as　they　can　they　marry　and　give　in　marriage　exclusively　in　this

class；　and　the　courageous　do　the　same；　they　seek　natures　like　their

own；　whereas　they　should　both　do　precisely　the　opposite。

　　Y。　Soc。　How　and　why　is　that？

　　Str。　Because　courage；　when　untempered　by　the　gentler　nature　during

many　generations；　may　at　first　bloom　and　strengthen；　but　at　last

bursts　forth　into　downright　madness。

　　Y。　Soc。　Like　enough。

　　Str。　And　then；　again；　the　soul　which　is　over…full　of　

modesty　and　has

no　element　of　courage　in　many　successive　generations；　is　apt　to　grow

too　indolent；　and　at　last　to　become　utterly　paralyzed　and　useless。

　　Y。　Soc。　That；　again；　is　quite　likely。

　　Str。　It　was　of　these　bonds　I　said　that　there　would　be　no

difficulty　in　creating　them；　if　only　both　classes　originally　held

the　same　opinion　about　the　honourable　and　good；…indeed；　in　

this　single

work；　the　whole　process　of　royal　weaving　is　comprised…never　to　allow

temperate　natures　to　be　separated　from　the　brave；　but　to　weave　them

together；　like　the　warp　and　the　woof；　by　common　sentiments　

and　honours

and　reputation；　and　by　the　giving　of　pledges　to　one　another；　and　out

of　them　forming　one　smooth　and　even　web；　to　entrust　to　them　the

offices　of　State。

　　Y。　Soc。　How　do　you　mean？

　　Str。　Where　one　officer　only　is　need