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agesilaus-第11章

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riches; pleasures; fears。







'5' Or; 〃of all such external needs。〃







'6' See Herod。 vi。 52。







'7' See Plut。 〃Ages。〃 xix。 (Clough; iv。 p。 23); the words {e thugater



    autou} were supplied from this passage by Casaubon。



















IX







I will here state to what extent the style of living which he



presented stands out in striking contrast to the ostentatious manner



of the Persian。'1' In the first place; if the latter made a solemn



affectation of being but seldom seen; Agesilaus delighted to live in



the eye of day; believing that seclusion might accord well enough as a



screen for shameless conduct; but to a life of nobleness and beauty'2'



heaven's light added new ornament。'3' And next; if the one prided



himself on being unapproachable; the other rejoiced in being



accessible to all the world; the one; with his airs and graces; was



pleased to transact business slowly; the other was never so happy as



when he could satisfy the demands of a petitioner without waste of



time。'4'







'1' Or; 〃how he presented his own manner in antithesis to the false



    pretences of the Persian。〃 For {alazoneia} see 〃Mem。〃 I。 vii。 1;



    Aristot。 〃N。 E。〃 iv。 7; Theophr。 〃Char。〃 vi。







'2' Lit。 〃a life striving towards beauteousness。〃







'3' Or; 〃added but greater lustre。〃







'4' Lit。 〃could satisfy and dismiss his petitioners without delay。〃







Again; it is worthy of observation how much easier and simpler to



satisfy was the standard of comfort which the Spartan aimed at。'5' For



the Persian; men must compass sea and land to discover some beverage



which he will care to drink; he needs ten thousand pastrycooks to



supply the kick…shaws he will deign to eat; and to procure him the



blessing of sleep no tongue can describe what a world of trouble must



be taken。 But Agesilaus was a lover of toil; and therefore not so



dainty; the meanest beverage was sweet to his lips; and pleasant



enough to his taste was the chance fare of the moment; and for the



purpose of refreshing slumber every place alike conducive。 It was not



merely that to fare thus gave him pure pleasure; but in the sense of



contrast lay a double satisfaction。 Here was he roaming earth freely



in the midst of a world of delight;'6' and there lay the Persian;



under his eyes; who to escape a life of pain must drag together from



the uttermost parts of earth the separate ingredients for his



pleasure。 It was another source of joy that to himself it was given to



confront the appointed order of the universe'7' without pain; while



through weakness of soul his rival; it was plain to see; was driven to



flee away from heat and cold; and to shape his life; not by the



pattern of brave men; but of some mean and defenceless animal。'8'







'5' See Herod。 i。 135; for the luxury of the Persians and for the



    refinements of civilisation。 See 〃Mem。〃 II。 i。 10; 〃Cyrop。〃 VIII。



    i。 40。







'6' Or; 〃in a round of festivity。〃







'7' See Plut。 〃Ages。〃 xiv。 (Clough; iv。 p。 17); 〃Apophth。 Lac。〃 p。



    102; Eur。 〃Supp。〃 214; 215。







{de ou truphomen; theou kataskeuen bio



dontos toiauten; oisin ouk arkei tade};







'8' Or; 〃the most defenceless of God's creatures。〃 Lit。 〃the weakest



    of animals。〃







And what a fine trait this was in him; and betokening how lofty a



sentiment; that; being content to adorn his own house with works and



possessions suited to a man; and being devoted to the breeding of dogs



and horses in large numbers for the chase and warfare; he persuaded



his sister Cynisca to rear chariot horses;'9' and thus by her



victory'10' showed that to keep a stud of that sort; however much it



might be a mark of wealth; was hardly a proof of manly virtue。 And



surely in the following opinion we may discern plainly the generosity



of him who entertained it。 To win victories over private persons in a



chariot race does not add one tittle to a man's renown。 He; rather;



who holds his city dear beyond all things else; who has himself sunk



deep into the heart of her affections; who has obtained to himself all



over the world a host of friends and those the noblest; who can outdo



his country and comrades alike in the race of kindliness; and his



antagonists in vengeancesuch a man may; in a true sense; be said to



bear away the palm of victory in conquests noble and magnificent;



living and in death to him belongs transcendent fame。







'9' I。e。 〃for the games。〃







'10' I。e。 〃at Olympia。〃 Cynisca; according to Pausanias (iii。 8); was



    the first woman who won a prize at Olympia。 See also Plut。 〃Ages。〃



    xx。 (Clough; iv。 p。 23)。



















X







It is as possessiong qualities such as these that I praise Agesilaus。



And in these matters he was not like a man who chances upon a treasure



and thereby becomes wealthier; albeit none the more skilful in



economy; nor yet like him who; when a plague has fallen upon an enemy;



wrests a victory; whereby he may add to his reputation for success;



but not for strategy。 Rather was his example that of one who in each



emergency will take the lead; at a crisis where toil is needful; by



endurance; or in the battle…lists of bravery by prowess; or when the



function of the counsellor is uppermost; by the soundness of his



judgment。 Of such a man I say; he has obtained by warrant indefeasible



the title peerless。







And if; as a means towards good workmanship; we count among the noble



inventions of mankind the rule and the plummet;'1' no less happily



shall we; who desire to attain a manly excellence; find in the virtue



of Agesilaus a pattern and example。 He was God…fearing; he was just in



all his dealings; sound of soul and self…controlled。 How then shall we



who imitate him become his opposite; unholy; unjust; tyrannical;



licentious? And; truth to say; this man prided himself; not so much on



being a king over others as on ruling himself;'2' not so much on



leading his citizens to attack the enemy as on guiding them to embrace



all virtue。







'1' See Aeschin。 〃c。 Ctes。〃 p。 52; 25; Plat。 〃Phileb。〃 56 B。







'2' See Plut。 〃Apophth。 Lac。〃 p。 104。







Yet let it not be supposed; because he whom we praise has finished



life; that our discourse must therefore be regarded as a funeral



hymn。'3' Far rather let it be named a hymn of praise; since in the



first place it is only the repetition; now that he is dead; of a tale



familiar to his ears when living。 And in the next place; what is more



remote from dirge and lamentation than a life of glory crowned by



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