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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
380 BC
MENO
by Plato
translated by Benjamin Jowett
MENO
PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE MENO； SOCRATES； A SLAVE OF MENO；
ANYTUS
Meno。 Can you tell me； Socrates； whether virtue is acquired by
teaching or by practice； or if neither by teaching nor practice；
then whether it comes to man by nature； or in what other way？
Socrates。 O Meno； there was a time when the Thessalians were
famous among the other Hellenes only for their riches and their
riding； but now； if I am not mistaken； they are equally famous for
their wisdom； especially at Larisa； which is the native city of your
friend Aristippus。 And this is Gorgias' doing； for when he came there；
the flower of the Aleuadae； among them your admirer Aristippus； and
the other chiefs of the Thessalians； fell in love with his wisdom。 And
he has taught you the habit of answering questions in a grand and bold
style； which becomes those who know； and is the style in which he
himself answers all comers； and any Hellene who likes may ask him
anything。 How different is our lot！ my dear Meno。 Here at Athens there
is a dearth of the commodity； and all wisdom seems to have emigrated
from us to you。 I am certain that if you were to ask any Athenian
whether virtue was natural or acquired； he would laugh in your face；
and say： 〃Stranger； you have far too good an opinion of me； if you
think that I can answer your question。 For I literally do not know
what virtue is； and much less whether it is acquired by teaching or
not。〃 And I myself； Meno； living as I do in this region of poverty； am
as poor as the rest of the world； and I confess with shame that I know
literally nothing about virtue； and when I do not know the 〃quid〃 of
anything how can I know the 〃quale〃？ How； if I knew nothing at all
of Meno； could I tell if he was fair； or the opposite of fair； rich
and noble； or the reverse of rich and noble？ Do you think that I
could？
Men。 No； Indeed。 But are you in earnest； Socrates； in saying that
you do not know what virtue is？ And am I to carry back this report
of you to Thessaly？
Soc。 Not only that； my dear boy； but you may say further that I have
never known of any one else who did； in my judgment。
Men。 Then you have never met Gorgias when he was at Athens？
Soc。 Yes； I have。
Men。 And did you not think that he knew？
Soc。 I have not a good memory； Meno； and therefore I cannot now tell
what I thought of him at the time。 And I dare say that he did know；
and that you know what he said： please； therefore； to remind me of
what he said； or； if you would rather； tell me your own view； for I
suspect that you and he think much alike。
Men。 Very true。
Soc。 Then as he is not here； never mind him； and do you tell me：
By the gods； Meno； be generous； and tell me what you say that virtue
is； for I shall be truly delighted to find that I have been
mistaken； and that you and Gorgias do really have this knowledge；
although I have been just saying that I have never found anybody who
had。
Men。 There will be no difficulty； Socrates； in answering your
question。 Let us take first the virtue of a man…he should know how
to administer the state； and in the administration of it to benefit
his friends and harm his enemies； and he must also be careful not to
suffer harm himself。 A woman's virtue； if you wish to know about that；
may also be easily described： her duty is to order her house； and keep
what is indoors； and obey her husband。 Every age； every condition of
life； young or old； male or female； bond or free； has a different
virtue： there are virtues numberless； and no lack of definitions of
them； for virtue is relative to the actions and ages of each of us
in all that we do。 And the same may be said of vice； Socrates。
Soc。 How fortunate I am； Meno！ When I ask you for one virtue； you
present me with a swarm of them； which are in your keeping。 Suppose
that I carry on the figure of the swarm； and ask of you； What is the
nature of the bee？ and you answer that there are many kinds of bees；
and I reply： But do bees differ as bees； because there are many and
different kinds of them； or are they not rather to be distinguished by
some other quality； as for example beauty； size； or shape？ How would
you answer me？
Men。 I should answer that bees do not differ from one another； as
bees。
Soc。 And if I went on to say： That is what I desire to know； Meno；
tell me what is the quality in which they do not differ； but are all
alike；…would you be able to answer？
Men。 I should。
Soc。 And so of the virtues； however many and different they may
be； they have all a common nature which makes them virtues； and on
this he who would answer the question； 〃What is virtue？〃 would do well
to have his eye fixed： Do you understand？
Men。 I am beginning to understand； but I do not as yet take hold
of the question as I could wish。
Soc。 When you say； Meno； that there is one virtue of a man；
another of a woman； another of a child； and so on； does this apply
only to virtue； or would you say the same of health； and size； and
strength？ Or is the nature of health always the same； whether in man
or woman？
Men。 I should say that health is the same； both in man and woman。
Soc。 And is not this true of size and strength？ If a woman is
strong； she will be strong by reason of the same form and of the
same strength subsisting in her which there is in the man。 I mean to
say that strength； as strength； whether of man or woman； is the
same。 Is there any difference？
Men。 I think not。
Soc。 And will not virtue； as virtue； be the same； whether in a child
or in a grown…up person； in a woman or in a man？
Men。 I cannot help feeling； Socrates； that this case is different
from the others。
Soc。 But why？ Were you not saying that the virtue of a man was to
order a state； and the virtue of a woman was to order a house？
Men。 I did say so。
Soc。 And can either house or state or anything be well ordered
without temperance and without justice？
Men。 Certainly not。
Soc。 Then they who order a state or a house temperately or justly
order them with temperance and justice？
Men。 Certainly。
Soc。 Then both men and women； if they are to be good men and
women； must have the same virtues of temperance and justice？
Men。 True。
Soc。 And can either a young man or an elder one be good； if they are
intemperate and unjust？
Men。 They cannot。
Soc。 They must be temperate and just？
Men。 Yes。
Soc。 Then all men are good in the same way； and by participation
in the same virtues？
Men。 Such is the inference。
Soc