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C3。23。 I think one sees how Xenophon built up his ideal structure on a
basis of actual living facts。 The actual diverts the creator of Cyrus
from the ideal at times; as here。 It is a slight declension in the
character of Cyrus to lay down this law; 〃equestrian once; equestrian
always。〃 Xenophon has to account for the actual Persian horror of
pedestrianism: Cyrus himself can dismount; and so can the Persian
nobles with Cyrus the Younger; but still the rule is 〃never be seen
walking;〃 and without the concluding paragraph the dramatic narrative
that precedes would seem a little bit unfinished and pointless: with
the explanation it floats; and we forgive 〃the archic man〃 his
partiality to equestrianism; as later on we have to forgive him his
Median get…up and artificiality generally; which again is contrary to
the Xenophontine and the ideal Spartan spirit。
C4。 Xenophon has this theory of mankind: some are fit to rule; the
rest to be ruled。 It is parallel to the Hellenic slavery theory。 Some
moderns; e。g。 Carlyle (Ruskin perhaps) inherit it; and in lieu of
Hellenic slavery we have a good many caste…distinction crotchets still
left。
C4。13; fin。 The first salaam; ominous of the advent of imperialism;
the sun's rim visible; and a ray shot up to the zenith。
C5。 Here the question forces itself in the midst of all this 〃ironic〃
waiting on the part of the Persians in Spartan durance for a future
apotheosis of splendour and luxuriance;what is the moral? 〃Hunger
now and thirst; for ye shall be filled〃is that it? Well; anyhow it's
parallel to the modern popular Christianity; reward…in…heaven theory;
only on a less high level; but exactly the same logicality。
C5。6。 A point; this reward to the catcher; and this rigid /couvrefeu/
habit (cf。 modern military law)。
C5。8。 A dramatic contrast; the Median Cyaxares who follows Pleasure;
and the Persian Cyrus who follows Valour; /vide/ Heracles' choice
'/Memorabilia/; II。 i。 21'。 This allegorising tendency is engrained in
Xenophon: it is his view of life; one of the best things he got from
Socrates; no doubt。 Later (§ 12) the 〃ironic〃 suicidal self…assertion
of Cyaxares is contrasted with the health…giving victorious self…
repression of Cyrus。
C5。9…10。 Xenophon can depict character splendidly: this is the
crapulous {orge} of the somewhat 〃hybristic〃 nature; seeing how the
land lies; /siccis luminibus/; the day after the premature revel。
Theophrastus couldn't better have depicted the irascible man。 These
earliest portraits of character are; according to Xenophon's genius;
all sketched in the concrete; as it were。 The character is not
philosophised and then illustrated by concrete instances after the
manner of Theophrastus; but we see the man moving before us and are
made aware of his nature at once。
C5。17。 {kalos ka nomimos}; 〃in all honour; and according to the law;〃
almost a Xenophontine motto; and important in reference to the
〃questionable〃 conduct on his part in exile〃questionable〃 from a
modern rather than an 〃antique〃 standard。 'The chief reference is to
Xenophon's presence on the Spartan side at the battle of Coronea
against his native city of Athens。 See /Sketch/; Works; Vol。 I。 pp。
cxxiii。 ff。'
C5。20。 The 〃archic man〃 does not recognise the littleness of soul of
the inferior nature; he winks at it; and so disarms at once and
triumphs over savagery; and this not through cunning and pride; but a
kind of godlike imperturbable sympathy; as of a fearless man with a
savage hound。 Still there is a good dash of diplomacy。
C5。21; fin。 Pretty sentence。 Xenophon's words: some of these are
prettily…sounding words; some are rare and choice and exquisite; some
are charged with feeling; you can't touch them with your finger…tips
without feeling an 〃affective〃 thrill。 That is in part the /goeteia/;
the witchery; of his style。
C5。30…31。 A brilliant stroke of diplomacy worthy of the archic man。
This {arkinoia} of the Hellene is the necessary sharp shrewdness of a
brain; which; however 〃affectively〃 developed; is at bottom highly
organised intellectually。 H。 S。'*' has it; all 'cute people and
nations have it; the Americans; e。g。every proposition must; however
else it presents itself; be apprehended in its logical bearings: the
result may be logically damaging to the supporter of it; but does not
necessarily banish an affective sympathetic attitude on the part of
the common…sense antagonist; who is not bound; in other words; to be a
sharp practitioner because he sees clearly。 Affection is the inspirer;
intellect the up…and…doing agent of the soul。 The Hellenes and all
'cute people put the agent to the fore in action; but if besides being
'cute they are affective; the operations of the agent will be confined
within prescribed limits。
'* 〃H。 S。〃 = Henry Sidgwick; the philosopher; author of /Methods of
Ethics/; etc。; a life…long friend of Mr。 Dakyns。'
C5。32。 This is almost pummelling; but it's fair: it's rather; 〃See; I
have you now in Chancery; I could pummel if I would。〃
C5。37。 These constant masters' meetings!
C5。38 ff。 The mind of Xenophon: guiding principles; rule of Health;
rule of Forethought。 Religious trust in the divine; and for things
beyond man's control; orderly masterly working out of problems within
his power。 Economic; diplomatic; anchinoetic; archic manhood。 Moral
theory; higher hedonism。
C5。45。 The archic man trusts human nature: this appeal to their good
faith is irresistible。 The archic is also the diplomatic method。
C5。54。 N。B。Rhetorical artifice of winding…up a speech with a joke。
This is the popular orator。 Xenophon the prototype himself perhaps。
C6。3。 Is this by chance a situation in Elizabethan or other drama?
It's tragic enough for anything。
C6。4。 Admirable colloquial style: 〃well done; me!〃
C6。6; fin。 Beautifully…sounding sentence 'in the Greek'。 Like harp or
viol with its dying mournful note。
C6。8。 A new tributary for the archic man; and a foothold in the
enemy's country。
C6。9; fin。 As to this daughter; /vide infra/。 Who do you think will
win her? We like her much already。
C6。11。 The first flutings of this tale。 The lady of Susa; quasi…
historic; or wholly imaginative; or mixed?
BOOK V
'C。1' Such were the deeds they did and such the words they spoke。 Then
Cyrus bade them set a guard over the share chosen for Cyaxares;
selecting those whom he knew were most attached to their lord; 〃And
what you have given me;〃 he added; 〃I accept with pleasure; but I hold
it at the service of those among you who would enjoy it the most。〃
At that one of the Medes who was passionately fond of music said; 〃In
truth; Cyrus; yesterday evening I listened to the singing…girls who
are yours to…day; and if you could give me one of them; I would far
rather be serving on this campaign than sitting at home。〃
And Cyrus said; 〃Most gladly I will give her; she is yours。 And I
believe I am more grateful to you for asking than you can be to me for
giving; I am so thirsty to gratify you all。〃
So this suitor carried off his prize。 '2' And then Cyrus called to his
side Araspas the Mede; who had been his comrade in boyhood。 It