第 6 节
作者:
阎王 更新:2021-12-07 09:36 字数:9321
distinguished or undistinguished according to their own natural
capacities as flute…players; and the son of a good player would
often turn out to be a bad one; and the son of a bad player to be a
good one; all flute…players would be good enough in comparison of
those who were ignorant and unacquainted with the art of
flute…playing? In like manner I would have you consider that he who
appears to you to be the worst of those who have been brought up in
laws and humanities; would appear to be a just man and a master of
justice if he were to be compared with men who had no education; or
courts of justice; or laws; or any restraints upon them which
compelled them to practise virtue…with the savages; for example;
whom the poet Pherecrates exhibited on the stage at the last year's
Lenaean festival。 If you were living among men such as the
man…haters in his Chorus; you would be only too glad to meet with
Eurybates and Phrynondas; and you would sorrowfully long to revisit
the rascality of this part of the world。 you; Socrates; are
discontented; and why? Because all men are teachers of virtue; each
one according to his ability; and you say; Where are the teachers? You
might as well ask; Who teaches Greek? For of that too there will not
be any teachers found。 Or you might ask; Who is to teach the sons of
our artisans this same art which they have learned of their fathers?
He and his fellow…workmen have taught them to the best of their
ability;…but who will carry them further in their arts? And you
would certainly have a difficulty; Socrates; in finding a teacher of
them; but there would be no difficulty in finding a teacher of those
who are wholly ignorant。 And this is true of virtue or of anything
else; if a man is better able than we are to promote virtue ever so
little; we must be content with the result。 A teacher of this sort I
believe myself to be; and above all other men to have the knowledge
which makes a man noble and good; and I give my pupils their
money's…worth; and even more; as they themselves confess。 And
therefore I have introduced the following mode of payment:…When a
man has been my pupil; if he likes he pays my price; but there is no
compulsion; and if he does not like; he has only to go into a temple
and take an oath of the value of the instructions; and he pays no more
than he declares to be their value。
Such is my Apologue; Socrates; and such is the argument by which I
endeavour to show that virtue may be taught; and that this is the
opinion of the Athenians。 And I have also attempted to show that you
are not to wonder at good fathers having bad sons; or at good sons
having bad fathers; of which the sons of Polycleitus afford an
example; who are the companions of our friends here; Paralus and
Xanthippus; but are nothing in comparison with their father; and
this is true of the sons of many other artists。 As yet I ought not
to say the same of Paralus and Xanthippus themselves; for they are
young and there is still hope of them。
Protagoras ended; and in my ear
So charming left his voice; that I the while
Thought him still speaking; still stood fixed to hear。
At length; when the truth dawned upon me; that he had really finished;
not without difficulty I began to collect myself; and looking at
Hippocrates; I said to him: O son of Apollodorus; how deeply
grateful I am to you for having brought me hither; I would not have
missed the speech of Protagoras for a great deal。 For I used to
imagine that no human care could make men good; but I know better now。
Yet I have still one very small difficulty which I am sure that
Protagoras will easily explain; as he has already explained so much。
If a man were to go and consult Pericles or any of our great
speakers about these matters; he might perhaps hear as fine a
discourse; but then when one has a question to ask of any of them;
like books; they can neither answer nor ask; and if any one challenges
the least particular of their speech; they go ringing on in a long
harangue; like brazen pots; which when they are struck continue to
sound unless some one puts his hand upon them; whereas our friend
Protagoras can not only make a good speech; as he has already shown;
but when he is asked a question he can answer briefly; and when he
asks he will wait and hear the answer; and this is a very rare gift。
Now I; Protagoras; want to ask of you a little question; which if
you will only answer; I shall be quite satisfied。 You were saying that
virtue can be taught;…that I will take upon your authority; and
there is no one to whom I am more ready to trust。 But I marvel at
one thing about which I should like to have my mind set at rest。 You
were speaking of Zeus sending justice and reverence to men; and
several times while you were speaking; justice; and temperance; and
holiness; and all these qualities; were described by you as if
together they made up virtue。 Now I want you to tell me truly
whether virtue is one whole; of which justice and temperance and
holiness are parts; or whether all these are only the names of one and
the same thing: that is the doubt which still lingers in my mind。
There is no difficulty; Socrates; in answering that the qualities of
which you are speaking are the parts of virtue which is one。
And are they parts; I said; in the same sense in which mouth;
nose; and eyes; and ears; are the parts of a face; or are they like
the parts of gold; which differ from the whole and from one another
only in being larger or smaller?
I should say that they differed; Socrates; in the first way; they
are related to one another as the parts of a face are related to the
whole face。
And do men have some one part and some another part of virtue? Of if
a man has one part; must he also have all the others?
By no means; he said; for many a man is brave and not just; or
just and not wise。
You would not deny; then; that courage and wisdom are also parts
of virtue?
Most undoubtedly they are; he answered; and wisdom is the noblest of
the parts。
And they are all different from one another? I said。
Yes。
And has each of them a distinct function like the parts of the
face;…the eye; for example; is not like the ear; and has not the
same functions; and the other parts are none of them like one another;
either in their functions; or in any other way? I want to know whether
the comparison holds concerning the parts of virtue。 Do they also
differ from one another in themselves and in their functions? For that
is clearly what the simile would imply。
Yes; Socrates; you are right in supposing that they differ。
Then; I said; no other part of virtue is like knowledge; or like
justice; or like courage; or like temperance; or like holiness?
No; he answered。
Well then; I said; suppose that you and I enquire into their
natures。 And first; you would agree with me that justice is of the
nature of a thing; would you not? That is my opinion: would it not
be yours also?
Mine also; he said。
And suppose that some one were to ask us; saying; 〃O Protagoras; and
you; Socrates; what about this thing which you were calling justice;
is it just or unjust?〃…and I were to answer; just: would you vote with
me or against me?
With you; he said。
Thereupon I should answer to him who asked me; that justice is of
the nature of the just: would not you?
Yes; he said。
And suppose that he went on to say: 〃Well now; is there also such
a thing as holiness? 〃we should answer; 〃Yes;〃 if I am not mistaken?
Yes; he said。
Which you would also acknowledge to be a thing…should we not say so?
He assented。
〃And is this a sort of thing which is of the nature of the holy;
or of the nature of the unholy?〃 I should be angry at his putting such
a question; and should say; 〃Peace; man; nothing can be holy if
holiness is not holy。〃 What would you say? Would you not answer in the
same way?
Certainly; he said。
And then after this suppose that he came and asked us; 〃What were
you saying just now? Perhaps I may not have heard you rightly; but you
seemed to me to be saying that the parts of virtue were not the same
as one another。〃 I should reply; 〃You certainly heard that said; but
not; as you imagine; by me; for I only asked the question;
Protagoras gave the answer。〃 And suppose that he turned to you and
said; 〃Is this true; Protagoras? and do you maintain that one part
of virtue is unlike another; and is this your position?〃…how would you
answer him?
I could not help acknowledging the truth of what he said; Socrates。
Well then; Protagoras; we will assume this; and now supposing that
he