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sophistical。 For I would wish my writings not to seem but rather to be
useful。 I would have them stand the test of ages in their blamelessness。＇11＇
＇8＇ ｛onomasi｝； 〃in names〃； ｛noemasi｝； 〃thoughts and ideas。〃
＇9＇ Or； 〃I am alive to the advantage to be got from methodic； orderly
expression artistically and morally。〃
＇10＇ This passage； since H。 Estienne （Stephanus） first wrote against
it 〃huic loco meae conjecturae succumbunt；〃 has been a puzzle to all
commentators。 The words run： ｛ou lanthanei de me oti kalos kai exes
gegraphthai｝ ＇｛gegraptai｝ in the margin of one MS。＇ ｛radion gar
estai autois takhu me orthos mempsasthai' kaitoi gegraptai ge outos
k。t。l。｝ For ｛takhu me orthos｝ （1） ｛takhu ti me orthos｝； （2） ｛to｝ （or
｛ta｝） ｛me orthos｝； have been suggested。 It is not clear whether
｛autois｝ = ｛tois sophistais｝ （e。g。 〃it will be easy for these people to
lay a finger at once on blots； however unfairly〃）； or = ｛tois
suggrammasi｝ （sc。 my（？） compositions； so ｛auta｝； S。 7 below； ｛ou
gar dokein auta boulomai k。t。l。｝） （e。g。 〃since it will be easy offhand
to find fault with them incorrectly〃） ＇or if ｛ta me orthos｝； 〃what is
incorrect in them〃＇。 I append the three translations of Gail； Lenz； and
Talbot。 〃Je sais combien il est avantageux de presenter des ouvrages
methodiquement ecrits； aussi par le meme sera…t…il plus facile de
prouver aux sophistes leur futilite！〃 ｛radion gar estai｝ ＇sub。 ｛emoi｝＇
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The Sportsman
｛mempsasthai outois takhu （to） me｝ （sous…entendu） ｛gegraphthai
orthos｝ （Gail）。 〃Zwar entgeht mir nicht； dass es schon say die Worte
kunstvoll zu ordnen； denn leichter wird ihnen sonst； schnell； aber mit
Unrecht zu tadeln〃 （Lenz）。 〃Aussi leur sera…t…il facile de me
reprocher d'ecrire vite et sans ordre〃 （Talbot）。 As if ｛takhu me orthos｝
were the reproachful comment of the sophist on the author's treatise。
＇11＇ i。e。 〃the arguments to be blameless at once and irrefutable for
all time。〃
That is my point of view。 The sophist has quite anotherwords with
him are for the sake of deception； writing for personal gain； to benefit any
other living soul at all is quite beside his mark。 There never was nor is
there now a sage among them to whom the title 〃wise〃 could be applied。
No！ the appellation 〃sophist〃 suffices for each and all； which among men
of common sense＇12＇ sounds like a stigma。 My advice then is to mistrust
the sonorous catch…words＇13＇ of the sophist； and not to despise the
reasoned conclusions＇14＇ of the philosopher； for the sophist is a hunter
after the rich and young； the philosopher is the common friend of all； he
neither honours nor despises the fortunes of men。
＇12＇ L。 Dind。 cf。 Eur。 〃Heracl。〃 370； ｛tou tauta kalos an eie｝ ｜ ｛para
g' eu phronousin｝。
＇13＇ ｛paraggelmata｝。 Cf。 Aesch。 〃Ag。〃 480； 〃telegraph〃； Lys。 121。 32；
Dem。 569。 1； 〃words of command〃； Dion。 H。 〃De Comp。〃 248；
〃instructions； precepts。〃
＇14＇ ｛enthumemata｝。
Nor would I have you envy or imitate those either who recklessly
pursue the path of self…aggrandisement；＇15＇ whether in private or in public
life； but consider well＇16＇ that the best of men；＇17＇ the true nobility； are
discovered by their virtues；＇18＇ they are a laborious upwards…striving race；
whilst the base are in evil plight＇19＇ and are discovered by their
demerits。＇20＇ Since in proportion as they rob the private citizen of his
means and despoil the state＇21＇ they are less serviceable with a view to the
public safety than any private citizen；＇22＇ and what can be worse or more
disgraceful for purposes of war than the bodily form of people so
incapable of toil？＇23＇ Think of huntsmen by contrast； surrendering to the
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The Sportsman
common weal person and property alike in perfect condition for service of
the citizens。 They have both a battle to wage certainly： only the one set are
for attacking beasts； and the other their own friends。＇24＇ And naturally the
assailant of his own friends does not win the general esteem；＇25＇ whilst
the huntsman in attacking a wild beast may win renown。 If successful in
his capture； he was won a victory over a hostile brood； or failing； in the
first place； it is a feather in his cap that his attempt is made against
enemies of the whole community； and secondly； that it is not to the
detriment of man nor for love of gain that the field is taken； and thirdly； as
the outcome of the very attempt； the hunter is improved in many respects；
and all the wiser： by what means we will explain。 Were it not for the very
excess of his pains； his well…reasoned devices； his manifold precautions；
he would never capture the quarry at all； since the antagonists he deals
with are doing battle for bare life and in their native haunts；＇26＇ and are
consequently in great force。 So that if he fails to overmatch the beasts by a
zest for toil transcending theirs and plentiful intelligence； the huntsman's
labours are in vain。
＇15＇ Or； 〃surrender themselves heedlessly to the ways of self…
seeking。〃 But the phraseology here seems to savour of extreme youth；
or else senility。
＇16＇ ｛enthumethenta｝。 Query； in reference to ｛enthumemata｝ above？
＇17＇ Reading ｛andron｝。 For the vulg。 ｛auton｝ see Schneid。 ad loc。；
who suggests ｛ton aston｝。
＇18＇ 〃Recognisable for the better。〃
＇19＇ 〃They are not famous but infamous〃； 〃the bad fare as their name
suggests〃 （i。e。 badly）。
＇20＇ 〃Recognisable for the worse。〃
＇21＇ Or； 〃what with private extortionsand public peculation。〃
＇22＇ ｛ton idioton｝； 〃laymen；〃 I suppose； as opposed to 〃professional〃
lawyers or politicians。
＇23＇ 〃What with their incapacity for hard work； their physique for
purposes of war is a mockery and a sham。〃
＇24＇ Cf。 Plat。 〃Soph。〃
＇25＇ Or； 〃earns but an evil reputation in the world。〃
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The Sportsman
＇26＇ 〃They are being bearded in their dens。〃
I go back to my proposition then。 Those self…seeking politicians； who
want to feather their own nests；＇27＇ practise to win victories over their
own side； but the sportsman confines himself to the common enemy。 This
training of theirs renders the one set more able to cope with the foreign foe；
the others far less able。 The hunting of the one is carried on with self…
restraint； of the others with effrontery。 The one can look down with
contempt upon maliciousness and sordid love of gain； the other cannot。
The very speech and intonation of the one has melody； of the other
harshness。 And with regard to things divine； the one set know no obstacle
to their impiety； the others are of all men the most pious。 Indeed ancient
tales affirm＇28＇ that the very gods themselves take joy in this work＇29＇ as
actors and spectators。 So that；＇30＇ with due reflection on these things； the
young who act upon my admonitions will be found； perchance； beloved of
heaven and reverent of soul； checked by the thought that some one of the
gods is eyeing their performance。＇31＇
＇27＇ Or； 〃Those people who would fain have the lion's share in the
state。〃
＇28＇ Or； 〃an ancient story obtains。〃
＇29＇ Sc。 〃of the chase。〃
＇30＇ Or ｛uparkhein｝ = 〃it may be considered as given。〃 Scheid。 cf。
〃Pol。 Ath。〃 iii。 9； ｛oste uparkhein demokratian einai｝。
＇31＇ Lit。 〃that the things in question are beheld by some divinity。〃
These are the youths who will prove a blessing to their parents； and
not to their parents only but to the whole state； to every citizen alike an