登陆注册
15427600000011

第11章 BOOK I(11)

Ath.This would be a mode of testing and training which would be wonderfully easy in comparison with those now in use,and might be applied to a single person,or to a few,or indeed to any number;and he would do well who provided himself with the potion only,rather than with any number of other things,whether he preferred to be by himself in solitude,and there contend with his fears,because he was ashamed to be seen by the eye of man until he was perfect;or trusting to the force of his own nature and habits,and believing that he had been already disciplined sufficiently,he did not hesitate to train himself in company with any number of others,and display his power in conquering the irresistible change effected by the draught-his virtue being such,that he never in any instance fell into any great unseemliness,but was always himself,and left off before he arrived at the last cup,fearing that he,like all other men,might be overcome by the potion.

Cle.Yes,Stranger,in that last case,too,he might equally show his self-control.

Ath.Let us return to the lawgiver,and say to him:-"Well,lawgiver,there is certainly no such fear-potion which man has either received from the Gods or himself discovered;for witchcraft has no place at our board.But is there any potion which might serve as a test of overboldness and excessive and indiscreet boasting?

Cle.I suppose that he will say,Yes-meaning that wine is such a potion.

Ath.Is not the effect of this quite the opposite of the effect of the other?When a man drinks wine he begins to be better pleased with himself,and the more he drinks the more he is filled full of brave hopes,and conceit of his power,and at last the string of his tongue is loosened,and fancying himself wise,he is brimming over with lawlessness,and has no more fear or respect,and is ready to do or say anything.

Cle.I think that every one will admit the truth of your deion.

Meg.Certainly.

Ath.Now,let us remember,as we were saying,that there are two things which should be cultivated in the soul:first,the greatest courage;secondly,the greatest fear-Cle.Which you said to be characteristic of reverence,if I am not mistaken.

Ath.Thank you for reminding me.But now,as the habit of courage and fearlessness is to be trained amid fears,let us consider whether the opposite quality is not also to be trained among opposites.

Cle.That is probably the case.

Ath.There are times and seasons at which we are by nature more than commonly valiant and bold;now we ought to train ourselves on these occasions to be as free from impudence and shamelessness as possible,and to be afraid to say or suffer or do anything that is base.

Cle.True.

Ath.Are not the moments in which we are apt to be bold and shameless such as these?-when we are under the influence of anger,love,pride,ignorance,avarice,cowardice?or when wealth,beauty,strength,and all the intoxicating workings of pleasure madden us?

What is better adapted than the festive use of wine,in the first place to test,and in the second place to train the character of a man,if care be taken in the use of it?What is there cheaper,or more innocent?For do but consider which is the greater risk:-Would you rather test a man of a morose and savage nature,which is the source of ten thousand acts of injustice,by making bargains with him at a risk to yourself,or by having him as a companion at the festival of Dionysus?Or would you,if you wanted to apply a touchstone to a man who is prone to love,entrust your wife,or your sons,or daughters to him,perilling your dearest interests in order to have a view of the condition of his soul?I might mention numberless cases,in which the advantage would be manifest of getting to know a character in sport,and without paying dearly for experience.And I do not believe that either a Cretan,or any other man,will doubt that such a test is a fair test,and safer,cheaper,and speedier than any other.

Cle.That is certainly true.

Ath.And this knowledge of the natures and habits of men's souls will be of the greatest use in that art which has the management of them;and that art,if I am not mistaken,is politics.

Cle.Exactly so.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 浮生不过一场梦

    浮生不过一场梦

    一世,她与他在青丘桃花林第一次相见见,从此她心里便一直惦念着那个淡漠如冰的少年。数百年后,山水相逢,你我是否会如初见。白色的衣裙,不知划过了谁的眼,谁还会记得百年前百里桃花林的初见。若是情意绵绵,何怕情深缘浅,可惜生不逢时,最后兵戈相向。浮生若梦,浮尘若空,大梦三生,才知有情最是难断,有缘最是难逃……
  • 读破金瓶梅

    读破金瓶梅

    《金瓶梅》是一部传世杰作,被称为“第一奇书”。《金瓶梅》主要描写了西门庆的一生及其家庭从发迹到败落的兴衰史,并以西门庆为中心,一方面辐射市井,一方面反映官场社会,展现了一个时代的广阔图景和政治与社会的众生相,刻画了西门庆这一典型的人物形象和以潘金莲、李瓶儿等诸多女性。 徐景洲的这本《读破金瓶梅》以札记形式笑谈《金瓶梅》这部奇书里的奇人奇事,点评人物性格,品味艺术技巧,阅读注重细节,行文亲切有味。
  • 雪的交响乐

    雪的交响乐

    一旦雪融合了,那被掩埋起来的事实,那被忘却的回忆,又会重新出现在白日之下。就如同那乌黑肮脏,被踩得不堪入目的烂泥一般。
  • 金粉银宋

    金粉银宋

    江山如画,一个小小的二货少年,崛起于市井之间,他无处不在,却没人知道他在。
  • 江山不老

    江山不老

    诸国并存故必有乱世,风云际会故必有人杰。贵族子弟楚离身逢乱世,几番曲折,终成时势所造英雄。想看看不了血洒春风花锦绣,想断断不了乱世狼烟相思愁,想忘忘不了爱恨悲欢离人瘦,想等等不了一生戎马锦衣侯。江山不老,老了那少年雄姿打马去,老了那一往情深付东流。
  • 21岁房东的妖孽保镖

    21岁房东的妖孽保镖

    一场突如其来的意外,让他从普通人变成异能者,如同战神附体,拳打高富帅脚踢黑社会,美女纷纷来到他的身边,从此走上了妖孽的不归路
  • 黎明之暗

    黎明之暗

    帝国历一百九十九年,病入膏肓的约翰三世国王和他的王国迎来一场政变,维拉·甘的父亲作为失败的一方开始流亡,而胜利下的篡权者收获的却是比王座更大的危机,蠢蠢欲动的各方势力在高塔大陆粉墨登场,洪流下的少年甘如何在这云波诡谲的乱世中艰难求存,又如何战胜比刀剑更狠毒的人心。
  • 情深缘浅,浅爱深缠

    情深缘浅,浅爱深缠

    未婚夫放屁蹦出来一个避孕套,我才知道他要结婚的目的。因为不同意形婚,他下药让我跟一个陌生男人发生了关系,拍了照片要让我身败名裂。他逼死了我的父亲,害我家破人亡。直到我上了季墨林的床。我知道我跟季墨林之间的交易,开始于利益,止于荒唐。可我还是爱上了他我不知道的是,这一切的一切都是一个局,他早早的选定了我,从最开始,都在他的全盘计划之内。唯一计划外的,是我早已破碎的真心......
  • 回生术

    回生术

    《法句经》:如河驶流,往而不返,人命如是,逝者不还。但,我不信,我不相信你已离我而去。我只信你一定等在某个角落,等我带你回来。哪怕这只是一份执念……
  • 战略传媒:分析框架与经典案例

    战略传媒:分析框架与经典案例

    在过去的十多年里,中国新闻传播教育学界以及传媒实践者们看待媒体运营的方式正发生着巨大变化,这些变化是新的传媒管理政策、信息及数字技术,以及中国媒体市场增长所导致的日益激烈的竞争环境的结果。在此背景下,市场定位、跨媒体经营、拓宽融资渠道、构筑核心竞争力等已成为传媒业界耳熟能详的词汇。然而,上述方式不过是帮助媒体单位实现目标的手段,对媒体单位为何得以生存和发展的根本问题却未做出解答。