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and the best; and be saved from the bitterest of sorrows; since to
fail of good altogether is not so hard as to lose the good that has
once been ours。 '83' And let us ask ourselves what excuse we could
offer for being unworthy of our past。 Shall we say it is because we
have won an empire? Surely it is hardly fitting that the ruler should
be baser than the ruled。 Or is it that we seem to be happier to…day
than heretofore? Is cowardice; then; an adjunct of happiness? Or is it
simply because we have slaves and must punish them if they do wrong?
But by what right can a man; who is bad himself; punish others for
badness or stupidity? '84' Remember; too; that we have arranged for
the maintenance of a whole multitude; to guard our persons and our
houses; and it would be shameful for us to depend for safety on the
weapons of others and refuse to carry weapons for ourselves。 Surely we
ought to know that there can be no defence so strong as a man's own
gallantry。 Courage should be our companion all our days。 For if virtue
leave us; nothing else whatever can go well with us。 '85' What; then;
would I have you do? How are we to remember our valour and train our
skill? Gentlemen; I have nothing novel to suggest; at home in Persia
the Peers spend their days at the public buildings and here we should
do the same。 Here we are the men of rank and honour; as we are there;
and we should hold to the same customs。 You must keep your eyes on me
and watch whether I am diligent in my duty; and I shall give heed to
you; and honour him who trains himself in what is beautiful and brave。
'86' And here too let us educate our sons; if sons are born to us。 We
cannot but become better ourselves if we strive to set the best
example we can to our children; and our children could hardly grow up
to be unworthy; even if they wished; when they see nothing base before
them; and hear nothing shameful; but live in the practice of all that
is beautiful and good。〃
NOTES
C1。 Notice the epic tone now adopted; or rather swum into; or rather
which floats the writer up of its own motion。
C1。2 ff。 On the whole this description of the battle is; for Xenophon;
obscure。
C1。5…6。 Xenophon; Artist。 This military criticism and technical
discussion juxtaposed to the epic prelude and the epic sequel is a
clever device enough。 We are pleased。
C1。8…9。 Final injunctions somewhat obscure; I think。
C1。24 ff。 The epic and Homeric vein。
C1。33。 The Egyptians have the advantage。 This is noticeable in
reference to Cyrus' criticisms of their arms before battle。 That is
not a slip; but a dramatic touch on the part of the author; I think。
And Cyrus is speaking of cavalry there; and anticipates the result。
C1。34 fin。 A singular feature this in ancient battles。 Is it simply
and solely Oriental; or general; and Hellenic also? Has it any
analogue nowadays anywhere? Probably with Egyptian troops in the
Soudan it has (hgd。 1884)。
C2。6…7。 The archic man through an act of bad discipline makes good
discipline more acceptable。
C2。13。 The civilised method of dealing with a conquered city。 Instead
of pillage and rapine; an indemnity; which will bring in to the
conquerors wealth; and yet not destroy the arts of the population;
which are the fountain…heads of beauty。 || Modern。 So the archic man
asserts his superiority once more。
C2。24。 Is this also Xenophon's view? If so; it throws light on his
theory of rank and caste。
C3。2。 Curious Cyrus should be so little suspicious of Abradatas'
death; is it not? Because the victory was not bloodless。 Notice; too;
how little is said of the bloodshed; that is Hellenic as well as
Xenophontine; I fancy。
C3。7。 Something epic in all this。 Cf。 Archilles sacrificing at the
tomb of Patroklos。
C3。8 ff。 The pathos of the situation and the /Eironeia/ at its
maximum。 〃Euripidean〃 touches throughout。
C3。16。 'This is bracketed in most editions; no doubt rightly; as an
interpolation。 It was not translated in Mr。 Dakyns' manuscript; but
his marginal note is characteristic; and evidently he would have
translated the section in a footnote。 It may be rendered thus: 〃It is
said that a monument was raised above the eunuchs and is in existence
to this day。 On the upper slab the names of the husband and the wife
are written in Syrian letters; and below are three other slabs;
inscribed 'To the chamberlains。'〃'
C3。16。 Interesting; especially if of later insertion; and perhaps
given the historical basis of the story in some monument on the
Pactolus; known to Xenophon。 I wish a new Schliemann would find it。
hgd。
C4。 Semi…historical? The version is to be found; I think; in C4。2;
which is the /pièce justicative/。 The episode itself is full of
humour; as good as a play: Xenophon has seen these duplicities often。
Brer Fox outwitted by Brer Rabbit。
C4。4。 Can these rival fastnesses of the Carians be identified? All
this country is well known to Xenophon (/vide Hellenica/; III。 c。 4;
etc。)。
C4。6。 Beautiful renewal of the peaceful arts; festivals; and merry…
makings after the internecine party strife。
C4。9。 This again is a district Xenophon is well acquainted with。 Has
he one eye on the old insurrection against Persia; /tempore/
Histiaeus; and another on the new arrangements; /tempore/ Antalcidas?
C4。12…13。 Croesus and his bills of lading。 Some humour。 It also brings
out the archic man in opposition to the shop…keeper man of the mere
business type。 But still the bills of lading are needed。 Croesus only
doesn't 〃twig〃 the right persons to check。 It's the opposition between
Despot and true Ruler。
C5。9。 Cyrus has an idea; the nature of which we shall discover later。
C5。15。 Belshazzar's feast; /vide/ Daniel; cf。 Hdt。 Why plural; 〃the
trenches〃? Is Xenophon obscure? His obscurity is mostly this: he
expects his reader intelligently to follow him。
C5。32。 Jars somewhat on our feelings; perhaps; in its thirst for
revenge: but cf。 the feeling against the assassins of Lord Frederick
Cavendish and Mr。 Burke。 'Written at the time of the Phoenix Park
murders。'
C5。37。 Is a turning…point in the rise of the archic man (and yet
hardly yet; but at C5。58 we shall come to bodyguards and eunuchs)。 At
this highest pinnacle of {arkhe} Cyrus desires to furnish himself as
befits a king。 It is an historical difficulty which Xenophon has to
get over or round; or is Xenophon himself in the same condemnation; so
to speak? Does he also desire his archic man to be got up in a manner
befitting royalty at a certain date? Consider。
C5。42…47。 These sections pose the difficulty well; and it is a
difficulty; and no mistake。
C5。42 ff。 Xenophon…Hellenic theory of life。 The leisure to invite
one's own soul and see one's friends which is needed to make life
worth living; versus /negotia/; /negotia/; /negotia/。 How far are we
to be consciously self…regarding? Cyrus versus Buddha。 The Hellenic
hero is not equal to absolute non…self…regarding devotion to mere
work。 The Buddha might be。
C5。48。 Perhaps nothing is cleverer in the neat and skilful mosaic work
of this composition than the fitting…in here of Artabazus' personal
view with theat last neces