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！
give him other advice。 But if he is not willing； I shall consider
one who declines to advise such a patient to be a man and a physician；
and one who gives in to him to be unmanly and unprofessional。 In the
same way with regard to a State； whether it be under a single ruler or
more than one； if； while the government is being carried on
methodically and in a right course； it asks advice about any details
of policy； it is the part of a wise man to advise such people。 But
when men are travelling altogether outside the path of right
government and flatly refuse to move in the right path； and start by
giving notice to their adviser that he must leave the government alone
and make no change in it under penalty of death…if such men should
order their counsellors to pander to their wishes and desires and to
advise them in what way their object may most readily and easily be
once for all accomplished； I should consider as unmanly one who
accepts the duty of giving such forms of advice； and one who refuses
it to be a true man。
Holding these views； whenever anyone consults me about any of the
weightiest matters affecting his own life； as； for instance； the
acquisition of property or the proper treatment of body or mind； if it
seems to me that his daily life rests on any system； or if he seems
likely to listen to advice about the things on which he consults me； I
advise him with readiness； and do not content myself with giving him a
merely perfunctory answer。 But if a man does not consult me at all； or
evidently does not intend to follow my advice； I do not take the
initiative in advising such a man； and will not use compulsion to him；
even if he be my own son。 I would advise a slave under such
circumstances； and would use compulsion to him if he were unwilling。
To a father or mother I do not think that piety allows one to offer
compulsion； unless they are suffering from an attack of insanity；
and if they are following any regular habits of life which please them
but do not please me； I would not offend them by offering useless；
advice； nor would I flatter them or truckle to them； providing them
with the means of satisfying desires which I myself would sooner die
than cherish。 The wise man should go through life with the same
attitude of mind towards his country。 If she should appear to him to
be following a policy which is not a good one； he should say so；
provided that his words are not likely either to fall on deaf ears
or to lead to the loss of his own life。 But force against his native
land he should not use in order to bring about a change of
constitution； when it is not possible for the best constitution to
be introduced without driving men into exile or putting them to death；
he should keep quiet and offer up prayers for his own welfare and
for that of his country。
These are the principles in accordance with which I should advise
you； as also； jointly with Dion； I advised Dionysios； bidding him in
the first place to live his daily life in a way that would make him as
far as possible master of himself and able to gain faithful friends
and supporters； in order that he might not have the same experience as
his father。 For his father； having taken under his rule many great
cities of Sicily which had been utterly destroyed by the barbarians；
was not able to found them afresh and to establish in them trustworthy
governments carried on by his own supporters； either by men who had no
ties of blood with him； or by his brothers whom he had brought up when
they were younger； and had raised from humble station to high office
and from poverty to immense wealth。 Not one of these was he able to
work upon by persuasion； instruction； services and ties of kindred； so
as to make him a partner in his rule； and he showed himself inferior
to Darius with a sevenfold inferiority。 For Darius did not put his
trust in brothers or in men whom he had brought up； but only in his
confederates in the overthrow of the Mede and Eunuch； and to these
he assigned portions of his empire； seven in number； each of them
greater than all Sicily； and they were faithful to him and did not
attack either him or one another。 Thus he showed a pattern of what the
good lawgiver and king ought to be； for he drew up laws by which he
has secured the Persian empire in safety down to the present time。
Again； to give another instance； the Athenians took under their rule
very many cities not founded by themselves； which had been hard hit by
the barbarians but were still in existence； and maintained their
rule over these for seventy years； because they had in each them men
whom they could trust。 But Dionysios； who had gathered the whole of
Sicily into a single city； and was so clever that he trusted no one；
only secured his own safety with great difficulty。 For he was badly
off for trustworthy friends； and there is no surer criterion of virtue
and vice than this； whether a man is or is not destitute of such
friends。
This； then； was the advice which Dion and I gave to Dionysios；
since； owing to bringing up which he had received from his father；
he had had no advantages in the way of education or of suitable
lessons； in the first place。。。； and； in the second place； that；
after starting in this way； he should make friends of others among his
connections who were of the same age and were in sympathy with his
pursuit of virtue； but above all that he should be in harmony with
himself； for this it was of which he was remarkably in need。 This we
did not say in plain words； for that would not have been safe； but
in covert language we maintained that every man in this way would save
both himself and those whom he was leading； and if he did not follow
this path； he would do just the opposite of this。 And after proceeding
on the course which we described； and making himself a wise and
temperate man； if he were then to found again the cities of Sicily
which had been laid waste； and bind them together by laws and
constitutions； so as to be loyal to him and to one another in their
resistance to the attacks of the barbarians； he would； we told him；
make his father's empire not merely double what it was but many
times greater。 For； if these things were done； his way would be
clear to a more complete subjugation of the Carthaginians than that
which befell them in Gelon's time； whereas in our own day his father
had followed the opposite course of levying attribute for the
barbarians。 This was the language and these the exhortations given
by us； the conspirators against Dionysios according to the charges
circulated from various sources…charges which； prevailing as they
did with Dionysios； caused the expulsion of Dion and reduced me to a
state of apprehension。 But when…to summarise great events which
happened in no great time…Dion returned from the Peloponnese and
Athens； his advice to Dionysios took the form of action。
To proceed…when Dion had twice over delivered the city and
restored it to the citizens； the Syracusans went through the same
changes of feeling towards him as Dionysios had gone through； when
Dion attempted first to educate him and train him to be a sovereign
worthy of supreme power and； when that was done； to be his coadjutor
in all the details of his career。 Dionysios listened to those who
circulated slanders to the effect that Dion was aiming at the
tyranny in all the steps which he took at that time his intention
being that Dionysios； when his mind had fallen under the spell of
culture； should neglect the government and leave it in his hands；
and that he should then appropriate it for himself and treacherously
depose Dionysios。 These slanders were victorious on that occasion；
they were so once more when circulated among the Syracusans； winning a
victory which took an extraordinary course and proved disgraceful to
its authors。 The story of what then took place is one which deserves
careful attention on the part of those who are inviting me to deal
with the present situation。
I； an Athenian and friend of Dion； came as his ally to the court
of Dionysios； in order that I might create good will in place of a
state war； in my conflict with the authors of these slanders I was
worsted。 When Dionysios tried to persuade me by offers of honours
and wealth to attach myself to him； and with a view to giving a decent
colour to Dion's expulsion a witness and friend on his side； he failed
completely in his attempt。 Later on； when Dion returned from exile； he
took with him from Athens two brothers； who had been his friends；
not from community in philosophic study； but with the ordinary
companionship common among most friends； which they form as the result
of relations of hospitality and the intercourse which occurs when
one man initiates the other in the mysteries。 It was from this kind of
intercourse and from services connected with his return that these two
helpers in his restoration became his companions。 Hav