the golden sayings-第6部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



him　than　God。　Wherefore　he　was　believed　to　be　God's　son；　as

indeed　he　was。　So　then　in　obedience　to　Him；　he　went　about

delivering　the　earth　from　injustice　and　lawlessness。



But　thou　art　not　Hercules；　thou　sayest；　and　canst　not

deliver　others　from　their　iniquitynot　even　Theseus；　to　deliver

the　soil　of　Attica　from　its　monsters？　Purge　away　thine　own；　cast

forth　thencefrom　thine　own　mind；　not　robbers　and　monsters；　but

Fear；　Desire；　Envy；　Malignity；　Avarice；　Effeminacy；　Intemperance。

And　these　may　not　be　cast　out；　except　by　looking　to　God　alone；　by

fixing　thy　affections　on　Him　only；　and　by　consecrating　thyself　to

His　commands。　If　thou　choosest　aught　else；　with　sighs　and　groans

thou　wilt　be　forced　to　follow　a　Might　greater　than　thine　own；

ever　seeking　Tranquillity　without；　and　never　able　to　attain　unto

her。　For　thou　seekest　her　where　she　is　not　to　be　found；　and　where

she　is；　there　thou　seekest　her　not！





LXXII







If　a　man　would　pursue　Philosophy；　his　first　task　is　to　throw

away　conceit。　For　it　is　impossible　for　a　man　to　begin　to　learn

what　he　has　a　conceit　that　he　already　knows。





LXXIII





Give　me　but　one　young　man；　that　has　come　to　the　School　with

this　intention；　who　stands　forth　a　champion　of　this　cause；　and

says；　〃All　else　I　renounce；　content　if　I　am　but　able　to　pass　my

life　free　from　hindrance　and　trouble；　to　raise　my　head　aloft　and

face　all　things　as　a　free　man；　to　look　up　to　heaven　as　a　friend

of　God；　fearing　nothing　that　may　come　to　pass！〃　Point　out　such　a

one　to　me；　that　I　may　say；　〃Enter；　young　man；　into　possession　of

that　which　is　thine　own。　For　thy　lot　is　to　adorn　Philosophy。

Thine　are　these　possessions；　thine　these　books；　these

discourses！〃



And　when　our　champion　has　duly　exercised　himself　in　this

part　of　the　subject；　I　hope　he　will　come　back　to　me　and　say：

〃What　I　desire　is　to　be　free　from　passion　and　from　perturbation；

as　one　who　grudges　no　pains　in　the　pursuit　of　piety　and

philosophy；　what　I　desire　is　to　know　my　duty　to　the　Gods；　my　duty

to　my　parents；　to　my　brothers；　to　my　country；　to　strangers。〃



〃Enter　then　on　the　second　part　of　the　subject；　it　is　thine

also。〃



〃But　I　have　already　mastered　the　second　part；　only　I　wished

to　stand　firm　and　unshakenas　firm　when　asleep　as　when　awake；

as　firm　when　elated　with　wine　as　in　despondency　and　dejection。〃



〃Friend；　you　are　verily　a　God！　you　cherish　great　designs。〃





LXXIV







〃The　question　at　stake；〃　said　Epictetus；　〃is　no　common　one；

it　is　this：Are　we　in　our　senses；　or　are　we　not？〃





LXXV







If　you　have　given　way　to　anger；　be　sure　that　over　and　above

the　evil　involved　therein；　you　have　strengthened　the　habit；　and

added　fuel　to　the　fire。　If　overcome　by　a　temptation　of　the　flesh；

do　not　reckon　it　a　single　defeat；　but　that　you　have　also

strengthened　your　dissolute　habits。　Habits　and　faculties　are

necessarily　affected　by　the　corresponding　acts。　Those　that　were

not　there　before；　spring　up：　the　rest　gain　in　strength　and

extent。　This　is　the　account　which　Philosophers　give　of　the　origin

of　diseases　of　the　mind：Suppose　you　have　once　lusted　after

money：　if　reason　sufficient　to　produce　a　sense　of　evil　be

applied；　then　the　lust　is　checked；　and　the　mind　at　once　regains

its　original　authority；　whereas　if　you　have　recourse　to　no

remedy；　you　can　no　longer　look　for　this　returnon　the　contrary；

the　next　time　it　is　excited　by　the　corresponding　object；　the

flame　of　desire　leaps　up　more　quickly　than　before。　By　frequent

repetition；　the　mind　in　the　long　run　becomes　callous；　and　thus

this　mental　disease　produces　confirmed　Avarice。



One　who　has　had　fever；　even　when　it　has　left　him；　is　not　in

the　same　condition　of　health　as　before；　unless　indeed　his　cure　is

complete。　Something　of　the　same　sort　is　true　also　of　diseases　of

the　mind。　Behind；　there　remains　a　legacy　of　traces　and　blisters：

and　unless　these　are　effectually　erased；　subsequent　blows　on　the

same　spot　will　produce　no　longer　mere　blisters；　but　sores。　If　you

do　not　wish　to　be　prone　to　anger；　do　not　feed　the　habit；　give　it

nothing　which　may　tend　its　increase。　At　first；　keep　quiet　and

count　the　days　when　you　were　not　angry：　〃I　used　to　be　angry　every

day；　then　every　other　day：　next　every　two；　next　every　three

days！〃　and　if　you　succeed　in　passing　thirty　days；　sacrifice　to

the　Gods　in　thanksgiving。





LXXVI







How　then　may　this　be　attained？Resolve；　now　if　never

before；　to　approve　thyself　to　thyself；　resolve　to　show　thyself

fair　in　God's　sight；　long　to　be　pure　with　thine　own　pure　self　and

God！





LXXVII







That　is　the　true　athlete；　that　trains　himself　to　resist　such

outward　impressions　as　these。



〃Stay；　wretched　man！　suffer　not　thyself　to　be　carried　away！〃

Great　is　the　combat；　divine　the　task！　you　are　fighting　for

Kingship；　for　Liberty；　for　Happiness；　for　Tranquillity。　Remember

God：　call　upon　Him　to　aid　thee；　like　a　comrade　that　stands　beside

thee　in　the　fight。





LXXVIII





Who　then　is　a　Stoicin　the　sense　that　we　call　a　statue　of

Phidias　which　is　modelled　after　that　master's　art？　Show　me　a　man

in　this　sense　modelled　after　the　doctrines　that　are　ever　upon　his

lips。　Show　me　a　man　that　is　sickand　happy；　an　exileand　happy；

in　evil　reportand　happy！　Show　me　him；　I　ask　again。　So　help　me

Heaven；　I　long　to　see　one　Stoic！　Nay；　if　you　cannot　show　me　one

fully　modelled；　let　me　at　least　see　one　in　whom　the　process　is　at

workone　whose　bent　is　in　that　direction。　Do　me　that　favour！

Grudge　it　not　to　an　old　man；　to　behold　a　sight　he　has　never　yet

beheld。　Think　you　I　wish　to　see　the　Zeus　or　Athena　of　Phidias；

bedecked　with　gold　and　ivory？Nay；　show　me；　one　of　you；　a　human

soul；　desiring　to　be　of　one　mind　with　God；　no　more　to　lay　blame

on　God　or　man；　to　suffer　nothing　to　disappoint；　nothing　to　cross

him；　to　yield　neither　to　anger；　envy；　nor　jealousyin　a　word；

why　disguise　the　matter？　one　that　from　a　man　would　fan　become　a

God；　one　that　while　still　imprisioned　in　this　dead　body　makes

fellowship　with　God　his　aim。　Show　me　him！Ah；　you　cannot！　Then

why　mock　yourselves　and　delude　others？　why　stalk　about　tricked

out　in　other　men's　attrire；　thieves　and　robbers　that　you　are　of

names　and　things　to　which　you　can　show　no　title！





LXXIX





If　you　have　assumed　a　character　beyond　your　strength；　you

have　both　played　a　poor　figure　in　that；　and　neglected　one　that　is

within　your　powers。





LXXX





Fellow；　you　have　come　to　blows　at　home　with　a　slave：　you

have　turned　the　household　upside　down；　and　thrown　the

neighbourhood　into　confusion；　and　do　you　come　to　me　then　with

airs　of　assumed　modestydo　you　sit　down　like　a　sage　and

criticise　my　explanantion　of　the　readings；　and　whatever　idle

babble　you　say　has　come　into　my　head？　Have　you　come　full　of　envy；

and　dejected　because　nothing　is　sent　you　from　home；　and　while　the

discussion　is　going　on；　do　you　sit　brooding　on　nothing　but　how

your　father　or　your　brother　are　disposed　towards　you：〃What　are

they　saying　about　me　there？　at　this　moment　they　imagine　I　am

making　progress　and　saying；　He　will　return　perfectly　omniscient！

I　wish　I　could　become　omniscient　before　I　return；　but　that　would

be　very　troublesome。　No　one　sends　me　anythingthe　baths　at

Nicopolis　are　dirty；　things　are　wretched　at　home　and　wretched

here。〃　And　then　they　say；　〃Nobody　is　any　the　better　for　the

School。〃Who　comes　to　the　School　with　a　sincere　wish　to　learn：

to　submit　his　principles　to　correction　and　himself　to　treatment？

Who；　to　gain　a　sense　of　his　wants？　Why　then　be　surprised　if　you

carry　home　from　the　School　exactly　what　you　bring　into　it？





LXXXI





〃Epictetus；　I　have　often　come　desiring　to　hear　you　speak；

and　you　have　never　given　me　any　answer；　now　if　possible；　I

entreat　you；　say　something　to　me。〃



〃Is　there；　do　you　think；〃　replied　Epictetus；　〃an　art　of

speaking　as　of　other　things；　if　it　is　to　be　done　skilfully　and

with　profit　to　the　hearer？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃And　are　all　profited　by　what　they　hear；　or　only　some　among

them？　So　that　it　seems　there　is　an　art　of　hearing　as　well　as　of

speaking。　。　。　。　To　make　a　statue　needs　skill：　to　view　a　statue

aright　needs　skill　also。〃



〃Admitted。〃



〃And　I　think　all　will　allow　that　one　who　proposes　to　hear

philosophers　speak　needs　a　considerable　training　in　hearing。　Is

that　not　so？　The　tell　me　on　what　subject　your　are　able　to　hear

me。〃



〃Why；　on　good　and　evil。〃



〃The　good　and　evil　of　what？　a　horse；　an　ox？〃



〃No；　of　a　man。〃



〃Do　we　know　then　what　Man　is？　what　his　nature　is？　what　is　th

idea　we　have　of　him？　And　are　our　ears　practised　in　any　degree　on

the　subject？　Nay；　do　you　understand　what　Nature　is？　can　you

follow　me　in　any　degree　when　I　say　that　I　shall　have　to　use

demonstration？　Do　you　understand　what　Demonstration　is？　what　True

or　False　is？　。　。　。must　I　drive　you　to　Philosophy？　。　。　。Show　me

what　good　I　am　to　do　by　discoursing　with　you。　Rouse　my　desire　to

do　so。　The　sight　of　a　pasture　it　loves　stirs　in　a　sheep　the

desire　to　feed：　show　it　a　stone　or　a　bit　of　bread　and　it　remains

unmoved。　Thus　we　also　have　certain　natural　desires；　aye；　and　one

that　moves　us　to　speak　when　we　find　a　listener　that　is　worth　his

salt：　one　that　hhimself　stirs　the　spirit。　But　if　he　sits　by　like

a　stone　or　a　tuft　of　grass；　how　can　he　rouse　a　man's　desire？〃



〃Then　you　will　say　nothing　to　me？〃



〃I　can　only　tell　you　this：　that　one　who　knows　not　who　he　is

and　to　what　end　he　was　born；　what　kind　of　world　this　is　and　with

whom　he　is　associated　therein；　one　who　cannot　distinguish　Good

and　Evil；　Beauty　and　Foulness；　。　。　。　Truth　and　Falsehood；　will

never　follow　Reason　in　shaping　his　desires　and　impulses　and

repulsions；　nor　yet　in　assent；　denial；　or　suspension　of

judgement；　but　will　in　one　word　go　about　deaf　and　blind；　thinking

himself　to　be　somewhat；　when　he　is　in　truth　of　no　account。　Is

there　anything　new　in　　all　this？　Is