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phaedo-第8章

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theirs。 And there is no difficulty; he said; in assigning to all of



them places answering to their several natures and propensities?



  There is not; he said。



  Even among them some are happier than others; and the happiest



both in themselves and their place of abode are those who have



practised the civil and social virtues which are called temperance and



justice; and are acquired by habit and attention without philosophy



and mind。



  Why are they the happiest?



  Because they may be expected to pass into some gentle; social nature



which is like their own; such as that of bees or ants; or even back



again into the form of man; and just and moderate men spring from



them。



  That is not impossible。



  But he who is a philosopher or lover of learning; and is entirely



pure at departing; is alone permitted to reach the gods。 And this is



the reason; Simmias and Cebes; why the true votaries of philosophy



abstain from all fleshly lusts; and endure and refuse to give



themselves up to them…not because they fear poverty or the ruin of



their families; like the lovers of money; and the world in general;



nor like the lovers of power and honor; because they dread the



dishonor or disgrace of evil deeds。



  No; Socrates; that would not become them; said Cebes。



  No; indeed; he replied; and therefore they who have a care of



their souls; and do not merely live in the fashions of the body; say



farewell to all this; they will not walk in the ways of the blind: and



when philosophy offers them purification and release from evil; they



feel that they ought not to resist her influence; and to her they



incline; and whither she leads they follow her。



  What do you mean; Socrates?



  I will tell you; he said。 The lovers of knowledge are conscious that



their souls; when philosophy receives them; are simply fastened and



glued to their bodies: the soul is only able to view existence through



the bars of a prison; and not in her own nature; she is wallowing in



the mire of all ignorance; and philosophy; seeing the terrible



nature of her confinement; and that the captive through desire is



led to conspire in her own captivity (for the lovers of knowledge



are aware that this was the original state of the soul; and that



when she was in this state philosophy received and gently counseled



her; and wanted to release her; pointing out to her that the eye is



full of deceit; and also the ear and other senses; and persuading



her to retire from them in all but the necessary use of them and to be



gathered up and collected into herself; and to trust only to herself



and her own intuitions of absolute existence; and mistrust that



which comes to her through others and is subject to



vicissitude)…philosophy shows her that this is visible and tangible;



but that what she sees in her own nature is intellectual and



invisible。 And the soul of the true philosopher thinks that she



ought not to resist this deliverance; and therefore abstains from



pleasures and desires and pains and fears; as far as she is able;



reflecting that when a man has great joys or sorrows or fears or



desires he suffers from them; not the sort of evil which might be



anticipated…as; for example; the loss of his health or property; which



he has sacrificed to his lusts…but he has suffered an evil greater



far; which is the greatest and worst of all evils; and one of which he



never thinks。



  And what is that; Socrates? said Cebes。



  Why; this: When the feeling of pleasure or pain in the soul is



most intense; all of us naturally suppose that the object of this



intense feeling is then plainest and truest: but this is not the case。



  Very true。



  And this is the state in which the soul is most enthralled by the



body。



  How is that?



  Why; because each pleasure and pain is a sort of nail which nails



and rivets the soul to the body; and engrosses her and makes her



believe that to be true which the body affirms to be true; and from



agreeing with the body and having the same delights she is obliged



to have the same habits and ways; and is not likely ever to be pure at



her departure to the world below; but is always saturated with the



body; so that she soon sinks into another body and there germinates



and grows; and has therefore no part in the communion of the divine



and pure and simple。



  That is most true; Socrates; answered Cebes。



  And this; Cebes; is the reason why the true lovers of knowledge



are temperate and brave; and not for the reason which the world gives。



  Certainly not。



  Certainly not! For not in that way does the soul of a philosopher



reason; she will not ask philosophy to release her in order that



when released she may deliver herself up again to the thraldom of



pleasures and pains; doing a work only to be undone again; weaving



instead of unweaving her Penelope's web。 But she will make herself a



calm of passion and follow Reason; and dwell in her; beholding the



true and divine (which is not matter of opinion); and thence derive



nourishment。 Thus she seeks to live while she lives; and after death



she hopes to go to her own kindred and to be freed from human ills。



Never fear; Simmias and Cebes; that a soul which has been thus



nurtured and has had these pursuits; will at her departure from the



body be scattered and blown away by the winds and be nowhere and



nothing。



  When Socrates had done speaking; for a considerable time there was



silence; he himself and most of us appeared to be meditating on what



had been said; only Cebes and Simmias spoke a few words to one



another。 And Socrates observing this asked them what they thought of



the argument; and whether there was anything wanting? For; said he;



much is still open to suspicion and attack; if anyone were disposed to



sift the matter thoroughly。 If you are talking of something else I



would rather not interrupt you; but if you are still doubtful about



the argument do not hesitate to say exactly what you think; and let us



have anything better which you can suggest; and if I am likely to be



of any use; allow me to help you。



  Simmias said: I must confess; Socrates; that doubts did arise in our



minds; and each of us was urging and inciting the other to put the



question which he wanted to have answered and which neither of us



liked to ask; fearing that our importunity might be troublesome



under present circumstances。



  Socrates smiled and said: O Simmias; how strange that is; I am not



very likely to persuade other men that I do not regard my present



situation as a misfortune; if I am unable to persuade you; and you



will keep fancying that I am at all more troubled now than at any



other time。 Will you not allow that I have as much of the spirit of



prophecy in me as the swans? For they; when they perceive that they



must die; having sung all their life long; do then sing more than



ever; rejoicing in the thought that they are about to go away to the



god whose ministers they are。 But men; because they are themselves



afraid of death; slanderously affirm of the swans that they sing a



lament at the last; not considering that no bird sings when cold; or



hungry; or in pain; not even the nightingale; nor the swallow; nor yet



the hoopoe; which are said indeed to tune a lay of sorrow; although



I do not believe this to be true of them any more than of the swans。



But because they are sacred to Apollo and have the gift of prophecy



and anticipate the good things of another world; therefore they sing



and rejoice in that day more than they ever did before。 And I; too;



believing myself to be the consecrated servant of the same God; and



the fellow servant of the swans; and thinking that I have received



from my master gifts of prophecy which are not inferior to theirs;



would not go out of life less merrily than the swans。 Cease to mind



then about this; but speak and ask anything which you like; while



the eleven magistrates of Athens allow。



  Well; Socrates; said Simmias; then I will tell you my difficulty;



and Cebes will tell you his。 For I dare say that you; Socrates;



feel; as I do; how very hard or almost impossible is the attainment of



any certainty about questions such as these in the present life。 And



yet I should deem him a coward who did not prove what is said about



them to the uttermost; or whose heart failed him before he had



examined them on every side。 For he should persevere until he has



attained one of two things: either he should discover or learn the



truth about them; or; if this is impossible; I would have him take the



best and most irrefragable of human notions; and let this be the



raft upon which he sails through life…not without risk; as I admit; if



he cannot find some word of God which will more sur
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