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the economist-第11部分
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s to her whole household; examining whenever it seemed good to her; and passing in review the several chattels; just as the officer in command of a garrison'16' musters and reviews his men。 She must apply her scrutiny and see that everything was well; even as the Senate'17' tests the condition of the Knights and of their horses。'18' Like a queen; she must bestow; according to the power vested in her; praise and honour on the well… deserving; but blame and chastisement on him who stood in need thereof。
'15' See Plat。 〃Laws;〃 vi。 755 A; 770 C; Aristot。 〃Pol。〃 iii。 15; 1287 A; iv。 14; 1298 B; vi。 8; 1323 A; 〃Ath。 Pol。〃 viii。 4; and Cic。 ap。 Col。 xii。 3。 10 f。 Holden cf。 Cic。 〃de Legg。〃 iii。 20; S。 46; 〃C。 I。 G。〃 3794。
'16' Lit。 Phrourarch; 〃the commandant。〃
'17' Or; 〃Council〃 at Athens。
'18' Cf。 〃Hipparch。〃 i。 8; 13。
Nor did my lessons end here (added he); I taught her that she must not be annoyed should I seem to be enjoining upon her more trouble than upon any of our domestics with regard to our possessions; pointing out to her that these domestics have only so far a share in their master's chattels that they must fetch and carry; tend and guard them; nor have they the right to use a single one of them except the master grant it。 But to the master himself all things pertain to use as he thinks best。 And so I pointed the conclusion: he to whom the greater gain attaches in the preservation of the property or loss in its destruction; is surely he to whom by right belongs the larger measure of attention。'19'
'19' Or; 〃he it is on whom devolves as his concern the duty of surveillance。〃
When; then (I asked); Ischomachus; how fared it? was your wife disposed at all to lend a willing ear to what you told her?'20'
'20' Lit。 〃when she heard did she give ear at all?〃
Bless you;'21' Socrates (he answered); what did she do but forthwith answer me; I formed a wrong opinion if I fancied that; in teaching her the need of minding our property; I was imposing a painful task upon her。 A painful task it might have been'22' (she added); had I bade her neglect her personal concerns! But to be obliged to fulfil the duty of attending to her own domestic happiness;'23' that was easy。 After all it would seem to be but natural (added he); just as any honest'24' woman finds it easier to care for her own offspring than to neglect them; so; too; he could well believe; an honest woman might find it pleasanter to care for than to neglect possessions; the very charm of which is that they are one's very own。
'21' Lit。 〃By Hera!〃 Cf。 the old formula 〃Marry!〃 or 〃By'r lakin!〃
'22' Lit。 〃more painful had it been; had I enjoined her to neglect her own interests than to be obliged 。 。 。〃
'23' {ton oikeion agathon}; cp。 〃charity begins at home。〃 See Joel; op。 cit。 p。 448。
'24' Or; 〃true and honest〃; 〃any woman worthy of the name。〃 {sophroni} = with the {sophrosune} of womanhood; possibly transl。 〃discreet and sober…minded。〃
X
So (continued Socrates); when I heard his wife had made this answer; I exclaimed: By Hera; Ischomachus; a brave and masculine intelligence the lady has; as you describe her。
(To which Ischomachus) Yes; Socrates; and I would fain narrate some other instances of like large…mindedness on her part: shown in the readiness with which she listened to my words and carried out my wishes。
What sort of thing? (I answered)。 Do; pray; tell me; since I would far more gladly learn about a living woman's virtues than that Zeuxis'1' should show me the portrait of the loveliest woman he has painted。
'1' See 〃Mem。〃 I。 iv。 3。
Whereupon Ischomachus proceeded to narrate as follows: I must tell you; Socrates; I one day noticed she was much enamelled with white lead;'2' no doubt to enhance the natural whitenes of her skin; she had rouged herself with alkanet'3' profusely; doubtless to give more colour to her cheeks than truth would warrant; she was wearing high… heeled shoes; in order to seem taller than she was by nature。'4'
'2' Cf。 Aristoph。 〃Eccl。〃 878; ib。 929; {egkhousa mallon kai to son psimuthion}: ib。 1072; 〃Plut。〃 1064。
'3' Lit。 〃enamelled or painted with anchusa or alkanet;〃 a plant; the wild bugloss; whose root yields a red dye。 Cf。 Aristoph。 〃Lys。〃 48; Theophr。 〃H。 Pl。〃 vii。 8。 3。
'4' See Becker; op。 cit。 p。 452; Breit。 cf。 〃Anab。〃 III。 ii。 25; 〃Mem。〃 II。 i。 22; Aristot。 〃Eth。 Nic。〃 iv。 3; 5; 〃True beauty requires a great body。〃
Accordingly I put to her this question:'5' 〃Tell me; my wife; would you esteem me a less lovable co…partner in our wealth; were I to show you how our fortune stands exactly; without boasting of unreal possessions or concealing what we really have? Or would you prefer that I should try to cheat you with exaggeration; exhibiting false money to you; or sham'6' necklaces; or flaunting purples'7' which will lose their colour; stating they are genuine the while?〃
'5' Lit。 〃So I said to her; 'Tell me; my wife; after which fashion would you find me the more delectable partner in our joint estate were I to 。 。 。? or were I to 。 。 。?'〃
'6' Lit。 〃only wood coated with gold。〃
'7' See Becker; op。 cit。 p。 434 f; Holden cf。 Athen。 ix。 374; xii。 525; Ael。 〃V。 H。〃 xii。 32; Aristoph。 〃Plut。〃 533。
She caught me up at once: 〃Hush; hush!〃 she said; 〃talk not such talk。 May heaven forfend that you should ever be like that。 I could not love you with my whole heart were you really of that sort。〃
〃And are we two not come together;〃 I continued; 〃for a closer partnership; being each a sharer in the other's body?〃
〃That; at any rate; is what folk say;〃 she answered。
〃Then as regards this bodily relation;〃 I proceeded; 〃should you regard me as more lovable or less did I present myself; my one endeavour and my sole care being that my body should be hale and strong and thereby well complexioned; or would you have me first anoint myself with pigments;'8' smear my eyes with patches'9' of 'true flesh colour;''10' and so seek your embrace; like a cheating consort presenting to his mistress's sight and touch vermillion paste instead of his own flesh?〃
'8' 〃Red lead。〃
'9' Cf。 Aristoph。 〃Ach。〃 1029。
'10' {andreikelon}。 Cf。 Plat。 〃Rep。〃 501 B; 〃the human complexion〃; 〃Crat。〃 424 E。
〃Frankly;〃 she answered; 〃it would not please me better to touch paste than your true self。 Rather would I see your own 'true flesh colour' than any pigment of that name; would liefer look into your eyes and see them radiant with health than washed with any wash; or dyed with any ointment there may be。〃
〃Believe the same; my wife; of me then;〃 Ischomachus continued (so he told me); 〃believe that I too am not better pleased with white enamel or with alkanet than with your own natural hue; but as the gods have fashioned horses to delight in horses; cattle in cattle; sheep in their fellow sheep; so to human beings the human body pure and undefiled is sweetest;'11' and as to these deceits; though they may serve to cheat the outside world without detection; yet if intimates try to deceive each other; they must one day be caught; in rising from their beds; before they make their toilet; by a drop of sweat they stand convicted; tears are an ordeal they cannot pass; the bath reveals them as they truly are。〃
'11' See 〃Mem。〃 II。 i。 22。
What answer (said I) did she make; in Heaven's name; to what you said?
What; indeed (replied the husband); save only; that thenceforward she never once indulged in any practice of the sort; but has striven to display the natural beauty of her person in its purity。 She did; however; put to me a question: Could I advise her how she might become not in false show but really fair to look upon?
This; then; was the counsel which I gave her; Socrates: Not to be for ever seated like a slave;'12' but; with Heaven's help; to assume the attitude of a true mistress standing before the loom; and where her knowledge gave her the superiority; bravely to give the aid of her instruction; where her knowledge failed; as bravely try to learn。 I counselled her to oversee the baking woman as she made the bread; to stand beside the housekeeper as she measured out her stores; to go tours of inspection to see if all things were in order as they should be。 For; as it seemed to me; this would at once be walking exercise and supervision。 And; as an excellent gymnastic; I recommended her to knead the dough and roll the paste; to shake the coverlets and make the beds; adding; if she trained herself in exercise of this sort she would enjoy her food; grow vigorous in health; and her complexion would in very truth be lovelier。 The very look and aspect of the wife; the mistress; seen in rivalry with that of her attendants; being as she is at once more fair'13' and more beautifully adorned; has an attractive charm;'14' and not the less because her acts are acts of grace; not services enforced。 Whereas your ordinary fine lady; seated in solemn state; would seem to court comparison with painted counterfeits of womanhood。
'12' See Becker; p。 491。 Breit。; etc。; cf。 Nicostr。 ap。 Stob。 〃Tit。〃 lxxiv。 61。
'13' Lit。 〃more spotles〃; 〃like a diamond of purest water。〃 Cf。 Shakesp。 〃Lucr。〃 394; 〃whose perfect white Showed like an April daisy in the grass。〃
'14' Or; 〃is wondrous wooing; and all the more with this addition; hers are acts of grace; theirs services enforced。〃
And; Socrates; I would have you know that still to…day; my wife is living in a style as simple as that I taught her then; and now recount to you。
XI
The conversation was resumed as follows: Thanking Ischomachus for what he had told me about the occupations of his wife; on that side I have heard enough (I said) perhaps for a beginning; the facts you mention reflect the greatest credit on both wife and husband; but would you now in turn describe to me your work and business? In doing so you will have the pleasure of narrating the reason of your fame。 And I; for my part; when I have heard from end to end the story of a beautiful and good man's works; if only my wits suffice and I have understood it; shall be much indebted。
Indeed (replied Ischomachus); it will give me the greatest pleasure to recount to you my daily occupations; and in return
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