treatises on friendship and old age-第3部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


is　that　the　body　and　soul　perish　together；　and　that　no　sensation
remains；　then　though　there　is　nothing　good　in　death；　at　least　there
is　nothing　bad。　Remove　sensation；　and　a　man　is　exactly　as　though
he　had　never　been　born；　and　yet　that　this　man　was　born　is　a　joy　to
me；　and　will　be　a　subject　of　rejoicing　to　this　State　to　its　last　hour。

Wherefore；　as　I　said　before；　all　is　as　well　as　possible　with　him。　Not
so　with　me；　for　as　I　entered　life　before　him；　it　would　have　been
fairer　for　me　to　leave　it　also　before　him。　Yet　such　is　the　pleasure　I
take　in　recalling　our　friendship；　that　I　look　upon　my　life　as　having
been　a　happy　one　because　I　have　spent　it　with　Scipio。　　With　him　I
was　associated　in　public　and　private　business；　with　him　I　lived　in
Rome　and　served　abroad；　and　between　us　there　was　the　most
complete　harmony　in　our　tastes；　our　pursuits；　and　our　sentiments；
which　is　the　true　secret　of　friendship。　It　is　not　therefore　in　that
reputation　for　wisdom　mentioned　just　now　by　Fannius…especially
as　it　happens　to　be　groundless…that　I　find　my　happiness　so　much；　as
in　the　hope　that　the　memory　of　our　friendship　will　be　lasting。　What
makes　me　care　the　more　about　this　is　the　fact　that　in　all　history
there　are　scarcely　three　or　four　pairs　of　friends　on　record；　and　it　is
classed　with　them　that　I　cherish　a　hope　of　the　friendship　of　Scipio
and　Laelius　being　known　to　posterity。

_Fannius_。　Of　course　that　must　be　so；　Laelius。　　But　since　you　have
mentioned　the　word　friendship；　and　we　are　at　leisure；　you　would
be　doing　me　a　great　kindness；　and　I　expect　Scaevola　also；　if　you
would　do　as　it　is　your　habit　to　do　when　asked　questions　on　other
subjects；　and　tell　us　your　sentiments　about　friendship；　its　nature；
and　the　rules　to　be　observed　in　regard　to　it。

_Scaevola_。　I　shall　of　course　be　delighted。　　Fannius　has　anticipated
the　very　request　I　was　about　to　make。　　So　you　will　be　doing　us　both
a　great　favour。

5。　_Laelius_。　　I　should　ccrtainly　have　no　objection　if　I　felt
confidence　in　myself。　For　the　theme　is　a　noble　one；　and　we　are　（as
Fannius　has　said）　at　leisure。　But　who　am　I？　and　what　ability　have
I？　What　you　propose　is　all　very　well　for　professional　philosophers；
who　are　used；　particularly　if　Greeks；　to　have　the　subject　for
discussion　proposed　to　them　on　the　spur　of　the　moment。　　It　is　a
task　of　considerable　difficulty；　and　requires　no　little　practice。　
Therefore　for　a　set　discourse　on　friendship　you　must　go；　I　think；　to
professional　lecturers。　All　I　can　do　is　to　urge　on　you　to　regard
friendship　as　the　greatest　thing　in　the　world；　for　there　is　nothing
which　so　fits　in　with　our　nature；　or　is　so　exactly　what　we　want　in
prosperity　or　adversity。

But　I　must　at　the　very　beginning　lay　down　this　principle…
_friendship　can　only　exist　between　good　men_。　　I　do　not；　however；
press　this　too　closely；　like　the　philosophers　who　push　their
definitions　to　a　superfluous　accuracy。　They　have　truth　on　their
side；　perhaps；　but　it　is　of　no　practical　advantage。　　Those；　I　mean；
who　say　that　no　one　but　the　〃wise〃　is　〃good。〃　Granted；　by　all
means。　But　the　〃wisdom〃　they　mean　is　one　to　which　no　mortal
ever　yet　attained。　We　must　concern　ourselves　with　the　facts　of
everyday　life　as　we　find　it…not　imaginary　and　ideal　perfections。
Even　Gaius　Fannius；　Manius　Curius；　and　Tiberius　Coruncanius；
whom　our　ancestors　decided　to　be　〃wise；〃　I　could　never　declare　to
be　so　according　to　their　standard。　　Let　them；　then；　keep　this　word
〃wisdom〃　to　themselves。　Everybody　is　irritated　by　it；　no　one
understands　what　it　means。　　Let　them　but　grant　that　the　men　I
mentioned　were　〃good。〃　No；　they　won't　do　that　either。　No　one　but
the　〃wise〃　can　be　allowed　that　title；　say　they。　Well；　then；　let　us
dismiss　them　and　manage　as　best　we　may　with　our　own　poor
mother　wit；　as　the　phrase　is。

We　mean　then　by　the　〃good〃　_those　whose　actions　and　lives　leave
no　question　as　to　their　honour；　purity；　equity；　and　liberality；　who
are　free　from　greed；　lust；　and　violence；　and　who　have　the　courage
of　their　convictions_。　The　men　I　have　just　named　may　serve　as
examples。　　Such　men　as　these　being　generally　accounted　〃good；〃
let　us　agree　to　call　them　so；　on　the　ground　that　to　the　best　of
human　ability　they　follow　nature　as　the　most　perfect　guide　to　a
good　life。

Now　this　truth　seems　clear　to　me；　that　nature　has　so　formed　us　that
a　certain　tie　unites　us　all；　but　that　this　tie　becomes　stronger　from
proximity。　　So　it　is　that　fellow…citizens　are　preferred　in　our
affections　to　foreigners；　relations　to　strangers；　for　in　their　case
Nature　herself　has　caused　a　kind　of　friendship　to　exist；　though　it　is
one　which　lacks　some　of　the　elements　of　permanence。　　Friendship
excels　relationship　in　this；　that　whereas　you　may　eliminate
affection　from　relationship；　you　cannot　do　so　from　friendship。　
Without　it　relationship　still　exists　in　name；　friendship　does　not。
You　may　best　understand　this　friendship　by　considering　that；
whereas　the　merely　natural　ties　uniting　the　human　race　are
indefinite；　this　one　is　so　concentrated；　and　confined　to　so　narrow　a
sphere；　that　affection　is　ever　shared　by　two　persons　only　or　at　most
by　a　few。

6。　Now　friendship　may　be　thus　defined：　a　complete　accord　on　all
subjects　human　and　divine；　joined　with　mutual　goodwill　and
affection。　And　with　the　exception　of　wisdom；　I　am　inclined　to
think　nothing　better　than　this　has　been　given　to　man　by　the
immortal　gods。　　There　are　people　who　give　the　palm　to　riches　or　to
good　health；　or　to　power　and　office；　many　even　to　sensual
pleasures。　　This　last　is　the　ideal　of　brute　beasts；　and　of　the　others
we　may　say　that　they　are　frail　and　uncertain；　and　depend　less　on
our　own　prudence　than　on　the　caprice　of　fortune。　Then　there　are
those　who　find　the　〃chief　good〃　in　virtue。　　Well；　that　is　a　noble
doctrine。　　But　the　very　virtue　they　talk　of　is　the　parent　and
preserver　of　friendship；　and　without　it　friendship　cannot　possibly
exist。

Let　us；　I　repeat；　use　the　word　virtue　in　the　ordinary　acceptation　and
meaning　of　the　term；　and　do　not　let　us　define　it　in　high…flown
language。　Let　us　account　as　good　the　persons　usually　considered
so；　such　as　Paulus；　Cato；　Gallus；　Scipio；　and　Philus。　　Such　men　as
these　are　good　enough　for　everyday　life；　and　we　need　not　trouble
ourselves　about　those　ideal　characters　which　are　nowhere　to　be
met　with。

Well；　between　men　like　these　the　advantages　of　friendship　are
almost　more　than　I　can　say。　To　begin　with；　how　can　life　he　worth
living；　to　use　the　words　of　Ennius；　which　lacks　that　repose　which
is　to　be　found　in　the　mutual　good…will　of　a　friend？　What　can　be
more　delightful　than　to　have　some　one　to　whom　you　can　say
everything　with　the　same　absolute　confidence　as　to　yourself？　　Is
not　prosperity　robbed　of　half　its　value　if　you　have　no　one　to　share
your　joy？　On　the　other　hand；　misfortunes　would　be　hard　to　bear　if
there　were　not　some　one　to　feel　them　even　more　acutely　than
yourself。　　In　a　word；　other　objects　of　ambition　serve　for　particular
ends…riches　for　use；　power　for　securing　homage；　office　for
reputation；　pleasure　for　enjoyment；　health　for'　freedom　from　pain
and　the　full　use　of　the　functions　of　the　body。　　But　friendship
embraces　innumerable　advantages。　Turn　which　way　you　please；
you　will　find　it　at　hand。　It　is　everywhere；　and　yet　never　out　of
place；　never　unwelcome。　Fire　and　water　themselves；　to　use　a
common　expression；　are　not　of　more　universal　use　than　friendship。
I　am　not　now　speaking　of　the　common　or　modified　form　of　it；
though　even　that　is　a　source　of　pleasure　and　profit；　but　of　that　true
and　complete　friendship　which　existed　between　the　select　few　who
are　known　to　fame。　　Such　friendship　enhances　prosperity；　and
relieves　adversity　of　its　burden　by　halving　and　sharing　it。

7。　And　great　and　numerous　as　are　the　blessings　of　friendship；　this
certainly　is　the　sovereign　one；　that　it　gives　us　bright　hopes　for　the
future　and　forbids　weakness　and　despair。　In　the　face　of　a　true
friend　a　man　sees　as　it　were　a　second　self。　　So　that　where　his　friend
is　he　is；　if　his　friend　be　rich；　he　is　not　poor；　though　he　be　weak；　his
friend's　strength　is　his；　and　in　his　friend's　life　he　enjoys　a　second
life　after　his　own　is　finished。　This　last　is　perhaps　the　most　difficult
to　conceive。　But　such　is　the　effect　of　the　respect；　the　loving
remembrance；　and　the　regret　of　friends　which　follow　us　to　the
grave。　　While　they　take　the　sting　out　of　death；　they　add　a　glory　to
the　life　of　the　survivors。　Nay；　if　you　eliminate　from　nature　the　tie
of　affection；　there　will　be　an　end　of　house　and　city；　nor　will　so
much　as　the　cultivation　of　the　soil　be　left。　　If　you　don't　see　the
virtue　of　friendship　and　harmony；　you　may　learn　it　by　observing
the　effects　of　quarrels　and　feuds。　Was　any　family　ever　so　well
established；　any　State　so　firmly　settled；　as　to　be　beyond　the　reach
of　utter　destruction　from　animosities　and　factions？　This　may　teach
you　the　immense　advantage　of　friendship。

They　say　that　a　certain　philosopher　of　Agrigentum；　in　a　Greek
poem；　pronounced　with　the　authority　of　an　oracle　the　doctrine　that
whatever　in　nature　and　the　universe　was　unchangeable　was　so　in
virtue　of　the　binding　force　of　friendship；　whatever　was　changeable
was　so　by　the　solvent　power　of　discord。　　And　indeed　this　is　a　truth
which　everybody　understands　and　practically　attests　by　experience。　
For　if　any　marked　instance　of　loyal　friendship　in　confronting　or
sharing　danger　comes　to　light；　every　one　applauds　it　to　the　echo。
What　cheers　there　were；　for　instance；　all　over　the　theatre　at　a
passage　in　the　new　play　of　my　friend　and　guest　Pacuvius；　where
the　king；　not　knowing　which　of　the　two　was　Orestes；　Pylades
declared　himself　to　be　Orestes；　that　he　might　die　in　his　stead；　while
the　real　Orestes　kept　on　asserting　that　it　was　he。　　The　audience　rose
_en　masse_　and　clapped　their　hands。　And　this　was　at　an　incident　in
fiction：　what　would　they　have　done；　must　we　suppose；　if　it　had
been　in　real　life？　You　can　easily　see　what　a　natural　feeling　it　is；
when　men　who　would　not　have　had　the　resolution　to　act　thus
themselves；　shewed　how　right　they　thought　it　in　another。

I　don't　think　I　have　any　more　to　say　about　friendship。　If　there　is　any
more；　and　I　have　no　doubt　there　is　much；　you　must；　if　you　care　to
do　so；　consult