treatises on friendship and old age-第5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！


revolutionary　measures　he　was　deserted；　as　we　saw；　by　Quintus
Tubero　and　the　friends　of　his　own　standing。　　On　the　other　hand；　a
friend　of　your　own　family；　Scaevola；　Gains　Blossius　of　Cumae；
took　a　different　course。　I　was　acting　as　assessor　to　the　consuls
Laenas　and　Rupilius　to　try　the　conspirators；　and　Blossius　pleaded
for　my　pardon　on　the　ground　that　his　regard　for　Tiberius　Gracchus
had　been　so　high　that　he　looked　upon　his　wishes　as　law。　〃Even　if
he　had　wished　you　to　set　fire　to　the　Capitol？〃　said　I。　〃That　is　a
thing；〃　he　replied；　〃that　he　never　would　have　wished。〃　　〃Ah；　but　if
he　had　wished　it？〃　said　I。　〃I　would　have　obeyed。〃　　The　wickedness
of　such　a　speech　needs　no　comment。　　And　in　point　of　fact　he　was
as　good　and　better　than　his　word　for　he　did　not　wait　for　orders　in
the　audacious　proceedings　of　Tiberius　Gracchus；　but　was　the　head
and　front　of　them；　and　was　a　leader　rather　than　an　abettor　of　his
madness。　The　result　of　his　infatuation　was　that　he　fled　to　Asia；
terrified　by　the　special　commission　appointed　to　try　him；　joined
the　enemies　of　his　country；　and　paid　a　penalty　to　the　republic　as
heavy　as　it　was　deserved。　　I　conclude；　then；　that　the　plea　of　having
acted　in　the　interests　of　a　friend　is　not　a　valid　excuse　for　a　wrong
action。　　For；　seeing　that　a　belief　in　a　man's　virtue　is　the　original
cause　of　friendship；　friendship　can　hardly　remain　if　virtue　he
abandoned。　But　if　we　decide　it　to　be　right　to　grant　our　friends
whatever　they　wish；　and　to　ask　them　for　whatever　we　wish；　perfect
wisdom　must　be　assumed　on　both　sides　if　no　mischief　is　to
happen。　But　we　cannot　assume　this　perfect　wisdom；　for　we　are
speaking　only　of　such　friends　as　are　ordinarily　to　be　met　with；
whether　we　have　actually　seen　them　or　have　been　told　about
them…men；　that　is　to　say；　of　everyday　life。　　I　must　quote　some
examples　of　such　persons；　taking　care　to　select　such　as　approach
nearest　to　our　standard　of　wisdom。　We　read；　for　instance；　that
Papus　Aemilius　was　a　close　friend　of　Gaius　Luscinus。　　History　tells
us　that　they　were　twice　consuls　together；　and　colleagues　in　the
censorship。　　Again；　it　is　on　record　that　Manius　Curius　and　Tiberius
Coruncanius　were　on　the　most　intimate　terms　with　them　and　with
each　other。　Now；　we　cannot　even　suspect　that　any　one　of　these
men　ever　asked　of　his　friend　anything　that　militated　against　his
honour　or　his　oath　or　the　interests　of　the　republic。　In　the　case　of
such　men　as　these　there　is　no　point　in　saying　that　one　of　them
would　not　have　obtained　such　a　request　if　he　had　made　it；　for　they
were　men　of　the　most　scrupulous　piety；　and　the　making　of　such　a
request　would　involve　a　breach　of　religious　obligation　no　less　than
the　granting　it。　However；　it　is　quite　true　that　Gaius　Carbo　and
Gaius　Cato　did　follow　Tiberius　Gracchus；　and　though　his　brother
Caius　Gracchus　did　not　do　so　at　the　time；　he　is　now　the　most　eager
of　them　all。

12。　We　may　then　lay　down　this　rule　of　friendship…neither　ask　nor
consent　to　do　what　is　wrong。　For　the　plea　〃for　friendship's　sake〃　is
a　discreditable　one；　and　not　to　be　admitted　for　a　moment。　　This
rule　holds　good　for　all　wrong…doing；　but　more　especially　in　such　as
involves　disloyalty　to　the　republic。　　For　things　have　come　to　such　a
point　with　us；　my　dear　Fannius　and　Scaevola；　that　we　are　bound　to
look　somewhat　far　ahead　to　what　is　likely　to　happen　to　the
republic。　　The　constitution；　as　known　to　our　ancestors；　has　already
swerved　somewhat　from　the　regular　course　and　the　lines　marked
out　for　it。　　Tiberius　Gracchus　made　an　attempt　to　obtain　the　power
of　a　king；　or；　I　might　rather　say；　enjoyed　that　power　for　a　few
months。　Had　the　Roman　people　ever　heard　or　seen　the　like　before？
What　the　friends　and　connexions　that　followed　him；　even　after　his
death；　have　succeeded　in　doing　in　the　case　of　Publius　Scipio　I
cannot　describe　without　tears。　　As　for　Carbo；　thanks　to　the
punishment　recently　inflicted　on　Tiberius　Gracchus；　we　have　by
hook　or　by　crook　managed　to　hold　out　against　his　attacks。　　But
what　to　expect　of　the　tribuneship　of　Caius　Gracchus　I　do　not　like
to　forecast。　One　thing　leads　to　another；　and　once　set　going；　the
downward　course　proceeds　with　ever…increasing　velocity。　　There　is
the　case　of　the　ballot：　what　a　blow　was　inflicted　first　by　the　lex
Gabinia；　and　two　years　afterwards　by　the　lex　Cassia！　I　seem
already　to　see　the　people　estranged　from　the　Senate；　and　the　most
important　affairs　at　the　mercy　of　the　multitude。　For　you　may　be
sure　that　more　people　will　learn　how　to　set　such　things　in　motion
than　how　to　stop　them。　What　is　the　point　of　these　remarks？　This：
no　one　ever　makes　any　attempt　of　this　sort　without　friends　to　help
him。　　We　must　therefore　impress　upon　good　men　that；　should　they
become　inevitably　involved　in　friendships　with　men　of　this　kind；
they　ought　not　to　consider　themselves　under　any　obligation　to
stand　by　friends　who　are　disloyal　to　the　republic。　　Bad　men　must
have　the　fear　of　punishment　before　their　eyes：　a　punishment　not
less　severe　for　those　who　follow　than　for　those　who　lead　others　to
crime。　Who　was　more　famous　and　powerful　in　Greece　than
Themistocles？　At　the　head　of　the　army　in　the　Persian　war　he　had
freed　Greece；　he　owed　his　exile　to　personal　envy：　but　he　did　not
submit　to　the　wrong　done　him　by　his　ungrateful　country　as　he
ought　to　have　done。　He　acted　as　Coriolanus　had　acted　among　us
twenty　years　before。　But　no　one　was　found　to　help　them　in　their
attacks　upon　their　fatherland。　Both　of　them　accordingly　committed
suicide。

We　conclude；　then；　not　only　that　no　such　confederation　of　evilly
disposed　men　must　be　allowed　to　shelter　itself　under　the　plea　of
friendship；　but　that；　on　the　contrary；　it　must　be　visited　with　the
severest　punishment；　lest　the　idea　should　prevail　that　fidelity　to　a
friend　justifies　even　making　war　upon　one's　country。　And　this　is　a
case　which　I　am　inclined　to　think；　considering　how　things　are
beginning　to　go；　will　sooner　or　later　arise。　And　I　care　quite　as
much　what　the　state　of　the　constitution　will　be　after　my　death　as
what　it　is　now。

13。　Let　this；　then；　be　laid　down　as　the　first　law　of　friendship；　that
_we　should　ask　from　friends；　and　do　for　friends'；　only　what　is
good_。　　But　do　not　let　us　wait　to　be　asked　either：　let　there　be　ever
an　eager　readiness；　and　an　absence　of　hesitation。　Let　us　have　the
courage　to　give　advice　with　candour。　　In　friendship；　let　the
influence　of　friends　who　give　good　advice　be　paramount；　and　let
this　influence　be　used　to　enforce　advice　not　only　in　plain…spoken
terms；　but　sometimes；　if　the　case　demands　it；　with　sharpness；　and
when　so　used；　let　it　be　obeyed。

I　give　you　these　rules　because　I　believe　that　some　wonderful
opinions　are　entertained　by　certain　persons　who　have；　I　am　told；　a
reputation　for　wisdom　in　Greece。　　There　is　nothing　in　the　world；　by
the　way；　beyond　the　reach　of　their　sophistry。　　Well；　some　of　them
teach　that　we　should　avoid　very　close　friendships；　for　fear　that　one
man　should　have　to　endure　the　anxieties　of　several。　Each　man；　say
they；　has　enough　and　to　spare　on　his　own　hands；　it　is　too　bad　to　be
involved　in　the　cares　of　other　people。　The　wisest　course　is　to　hold
the　reins　of　friendship　as　loose　as　possible；　you　can　then　tighten　or
slacken　them　at　your　will。　For　the　first　condition　of　a　happy　life　is
freedom　from　care；　which　no　one's　mind　can　enjoy　if　it　has　to
travail；　so　to　speak；　for　others　besides　itself。　Another　sect；　I　am
told；　gives　vent　to　opinions　still　less　generous。　　I　briefly　touched　on
this　subject　just　now。　　They　affirm　that　friendships　should　be
sought　solely　for　the　sake　of　the　assistance　they　give；　and　not　at　all
from　motives　of　feeling　and　affection；　and　that　therefore　just　in
proportion　as　a　man's　power　and　means　of　support　are　lowest；　he　is
most　eager　to　gain。　friendships：　thence　it　comes　that　weak　women
seek　the　support　of　friendship　more　than　men；　the　poor　more　than
the　rich；　the　unfortunate　rather　than　those　esteemed　prosperous。　
What　noble　philosophy！　You　might　just　as　well　take　the　sun　out　of
the　sky　as　friendship　from　life；　for　the　immortal　gods　have　given
us　nothing　better　or　more　delightful。

But　let　us　examine　the　two　doctrines。　What　is　the　value　of　this　〃
freedom　from　care〃？　It　is　very　tempting　at　first　sight；　but　in
practice　it　has　in　many　cases　to　be　put　on　one　side。　For　there　is　no
business　and　no　course　of　action　demanded　from　us　by　our　honour
which　you　can　consistently　decline；　or　lay　aside　when　begun；　from
a　mere　wish　to　escape　from　anxiety。　Nay；　if　we　wish　to　avoid
anxiety　we　must　avoid　virtue　itself；　which　necessarily　involves
some　anxious　thoughts　in　showing　its　loathing　and　abhorrence　for
the　qualities　which　are　opposite　to　itself…as　kindness　for　ill…nature；
self…control　for　licentiousness；　courage　for　cowardice。　Thus　you
may　notice　that　it　is　the　just　who　are　most　pained　at　injustice；　the
brave　at　cowardly　actions；　the　temperate　at　depravity。　It　is　then
characteristic　of　a　rightly　ordered　mind　to　be　pleased　at　what　is
good　and　grieved　at　the　reverse。　Seeing　then　that　the　wise　are　not
exempt　from　the　heart…ache　（which　must　be　the　case　unless　we
suppose　all　human　nature　rooted　out　of　their　hearts）；　why　should
we　banish　friendship　from　our　lives；　for　fear　of　being　involved　by
it　in　some　amount　of　distress？　If　you　take　away　emotion；　what
difference　remains　I　don't　say　between　a　man　and　a　beast；　but
between　a　man　and　a　stone　or　a　log　of　wood；　or　anything　else　of
that　kind？

Neither　should　we　give　any　weight　to　the　doctrine　that　virtue　is
something　rigid　and　unyielding　as　iron。　　In　point　of　fact　it　is　in
regard　to　friendship；　as　in　so　many　other　things；　so　supple　and
sensitive　that　it　expands；　so　to　speak；　at　a　friend's　good　fortune；
contracts　at　his　misfortunes。　We　conclude　then　that　mental　pain
which　we　must　often　encounter　on　a　friend's　account　is　not　of
sufficient　consequence　to　banish　friendship　from　our　life；　any
more　than　it　is　true　that　the　cardinal　virtues　are　to　be　dispensed
with　because　they　involve　certain　anxieties　and　distresses。

14。　Let　me　repeat　then；　〃the　clear　indication　of　virtue；　to　which　a
mind　of　like　character　is　naturally　attracted；　is　the　beginning　of
friendship。〃　When　that　is　the　case　the　rise　of　affection　is　a
necessity。