euthydemus- 第5部分

Euthydemus　proceeded：　　There　are　some　whom　you　would　call　teachers；　are　there　not？

The　boy　assented。

And　they　are　the　teachers　of　those　who　learnthe　grammar…master　and　the　lyre…master　used　to　teach　you　and　other　boys；　and　you　were　the　learners？

Yes。

And　when　you　were　learners　you　did　not　as　yet　know　the　things　which　you　were　learning？

No；　he　said。

And　were　you　wise　then？

No；　indeed；　he　said。

But　if　you　were　not　wise　you　were　unlearned？

Certainly。

You　then；　learning　what　you　did　not　know；　were　unlearned　when　you　were　learning？

The　youth　nodded　assent。

Then　the　unlearned　learn；　and　not　the　wise；　Cleinias；　as　you　imagine。

At　these　words　the　followers　of　Euthydemus；　of　whom　I　spoke；　like　a　chorus　at　the　bidding　of　their　director；　laughed　and　cheered。　　Then；　before　the　youth　had　time　to　recover　his　breath；　Dionysodorus　cleverly　took　him　in　hand；　and　said：　　Yes；　Cleinias；　and　when　the　grammar…master　dictated　anything　to　you；　were　they　the　wise　boys　or　the　unlearned　who　learned　the　dictation？

The　wise；　replied　Cleinias。

Then　after　all　the　wise　are　the　learners　and　not　the　unlearned；　and　your　last　answer　to　Euthydemus　was　wrong。

Then　once　more　the　admirers　of　the　two　heroes；　in　an　ecstasy　at　their　wisdom；　gave　vent　to　another　peal　of　laughter；　while　the　rest　of　us　were　silent　and　amazed。　　Euthydemus；　observing　this；　determined　to　persevere　with　the　youth；　and　in　order　to　heighten　the　effect　went　on　asking　another　similar　question；　which　might　be　compared　to　the　double　turn　of　an　expert　dancer。　　Do　those；　said　he；　who　learn；　learn　what　they　know；　or　what　they　do　not　know？

Again　Dionysodorus　whispered　to　me：　　That；　Socrates；　is　just　another　of　the　same　sort。

Good　heavens；　I　said；　and　your　last　question　was　so　good！

Like　all　our　other　questions；　Socrates；　he　repliedinevitable。

I　see　the　reason；　I　said；　why　you　are　in　such　reputation　among　your　disciples。

Meanwhile　Cleinias　had　answered　Euthydemus　that　those　who　learned　learn　what　they　do　not　know；　and　he　put　him　through　a　series　of　questions　the　same　as　before。

Do　you　not　know　letters？

He　assented。

All　letters？

Yes。

But　when　the　teacher　dictates　to　you；　does　he　not　dictate　letters？

To　this　also　he　assented。

Then　if　you　know　all　letters；　he　dictates　that　which　you　know？

This　again　was　admitted　by　him。

Then；　said　the　other；　you　do　not　learn　that　which　he　dictates；　but　he　only　who　does　not　know　letters　learns？

Nay；　said　Cleinias；　but　I　do　learn。

Then；　said　he；　you　learn　what　you　know；　if　you　know　all　the　letters？

He　admitted　that。

Then；　he　said；　you　were　wrong　in　your　answer。

The　word　was　hardly　out　of　his　mouth　when　Dionysodorus　took　up　the　argument；　like　a　ball　which　he　caught；　and　had　another　throw　at　the　youth。　　Cleinias；　he　said；　Euthydemus　is　deceiving　you。　　For　tell　me　now；　is　not　learning　acquiring　knowledge　of　that　which　one　learns？

Cleinias　assented。

And　knowing　is　having　knowledge　at　the　time？

He　agreed。

And　not　knowing　is　not　having　knowledge　at　the　time？

He　admitted　that。

And　are　those　who　acquire　those　who　have　or　have　not　a　thing？

Those　who　have　not。

And　have　you　not　admitted　that　those　who　do　not　know　are　of　the　number　of　those　who　have　not？

He　nodded　assent。

Then　those　who　learn　are　of　the　class　of　those　who　acquire；　and　not　of　those　who　have？

He　agreed。

Then；　Cleinias；　he　said；　those　who　do　not　know　learn；　and　not　those　who　know。

Euthydemus　was　proceeding　to　give　the　youth　a　third　fall；　but　I　knew　that　he　was　in　deep　water；　and　therefore；　as　I　wanted　to　give　him　a　respite　lest　he　should　be　disheartened；　I　said　to　him　consolingly：　　You　must　not　be　surprised；　Cleinias；　at　the　singularity　of　their　mode　of　speech：　　this　I　say　because　you　may　not　understand　what　the　two　strangers　are　doing　with　you；　they　are　only　initiating　you　after　the　manner　of　the　Corybantes　in　the　mysteries；　and　this　answers　to　the　enthronement；　which；　if　you　have　ever　been　initiated；　is；　as　you　will　know；　accompanied　by　dancing　and　sport；　and　now　they　are　just　prancing　and　dancing　about　you；　and　will　next　proceed　to　initiate　you；　imagine　then　that　you　have　gone　through　the　first　part　of　the　sophistical　ritual；　which；　as　Prodicus　says；　begins　with　initiation　into　the　correct　use　of　terms。　　The　two　foreign　gentlemen；　perceiving　that　you　did　not　know；　wanted　to　explain　to　you　that　the　word　'to　learn'　has　two　meanings；　and　is　used；　first；　in　the　sense　of　acquiring　knowledge　of　some　matter　of　which　you　previously　have　no　knowledge；　and　also；　when　you　have　the　knowledge；　in　the　sense　of　reviewing　this　matter；　whether　something　done　or　spoken　by　the　light　of　this　newly…acquired　knowledge；　the　latter　is　generally　called　'knowing'　rather　than　'learning；'　but　the　word　'learning'　is　also　used；　and　you　did　not　see；　as　they　explained　to　you；　that　the　term　is　employed　of　two　opposite　sorts　of　men；　of　those　who　know；　and　of　those　who　do　not　know。　　There　was　a　similar　trick　in　the　second　question；　when　they　asked　you　whether　men　learn　what　they　know　or　what　they　do　not　know。　　These　parts　of　learning　are　not　serious；　and　therefore　I　say　that　the　gentlemen　are　not　serious；　but　are　only　playing　with　you。　　For　if　a　man　had　all　that　sort　of　knowledge　that　ever　was；　he　would　not　be　at　all　the　wiser；　he　would　only　be　able　to　play　with　men；　tripping　them　up　and　oversetting　them　with　distinctions　of　words。　　He　would　be　like　a　person　who　pulls　away　a　stool　from　some　one　when　he　is　about　to　sit　down；　and　then　laughs　and　makes　merry　at　the　sight　of　his　friend　overturned　and　laid　on　his　back。　　And　you　must　regard　all　that　has　hitherto　passed　between　you　and　them　as　merely　play。　　But　in　what　is　to　follow　I　am　certain　that　they　will　exhibit　to　you　their　serious　purpose；　and　keep　their　promise　（I　will　show　them　how）；　for　they　promised　to　give　me　a　sample　of　the　hortatory　philosophy；　but　I　suppose　that　they　wanted　to　have　a　game　with　you　first。　　And　now；　Euthydemus　and　Dionysodorus；　I　think　that　we　have　had　enough　of　this。　　Will　you　let　me　see　you　explaining　to　the　young　man　how　he　is　to　apply　himself　to　the　study　of　virtue　and　wisdom？　　And　I　will　first　show　you　what　I　conceive　to　be　the　nature　of　the　task；　and　what　sort　of　a　discourse　I　desire　to　hear；　and　if　I　do　this　in　a　very　inartistic　and　ridiculous　manner；　do　not　laugh　at　me；　for　I　only　venture　to　improvise　before　you　because　I　am　eager　to　hear　your　wisdom：　　and　I　must　therefore　ask　you　and　your　disciples　to　refrain　from　laughing。　　And　now；　O　son　of　Axiochus；　let　me　put　a　question　to　you：　　Do　not　all　men　desire　happiness？　　And　yet；　perhaps；　this　is　one　of　those　ridiculous　questions　which　I　am　afraid　to　ask；　and　which　ought　not　to　be　asked　by　a　sensible　man：　　for　what　human　being　is　there　who　does　not　desire　happiness？

There　is　no　one；　said　Cleinias；　who　does　not。

Well；　then；　I　said；　since　we　all　of　us　desire　happiness；　how　can　we　be　happy？that　is　the　next　question。　　Shall　we　not　be　happy　if　we　have　many　good　things？　　And　this；　perhaps；　is　even　a　more　simple　question　than　the　first；　for　there　can　be　no　doubt　of　the　answer。

He　assented。

And　what　things　do　we　esteem　good？　　No　solemn　sage　is　required　to　tell　us　this；　which　may　be　easily　answered；　for　every　one　will　say　that　wealth　is　a　good。

Certainly；　he　said。

And　are　not　health　and　beauty　goods；　and　other　personal　gifts？

He　agreed。

Can　there　be　any　doubt　that　good　birth；　and　power；　and　honours　in　one's　own　land；　are　goods？

He　assented。

And　what　other　goods　are　there？　I　said。　　What　do　you　say　of　temperance；　justice；　courage：　　do　you　not　verily　and　indeed　think；　Cleinias；　that　we　shall　be　more　right　in　ranking　them　as　goods　than　in　not　ranking　them　as　goods？　　For　a　dispute　might　possibly　arise　about　this。　　What　then　do　you　say？

They　are　goods；　said　Cleinias。

Very　well；　I　said；　and　where　in　the　company　shall　we　find　a　place　for　wisdomamong　the　goods　or　not？

Among　the　goods。

And　now；　I　said；　think　whether　we　have　left　out　any　considerable　goods。

I　do　not　think　that　we　have；　said　Cleinias。

Upon　recollection；　I　said；　indeed　I　am　afraid　that　we　have　left　out　the　greatest　of　them　all。

What　is　that？　he　asked。

Fortune；　Cleinias；　I　replied；　which　all；　even　the　most　foolish；　admit　to　be　the　greatest　of　goods。

True；　he　said。

On　second　thoughts；　I　added；　how　narrowly；　O　son　of　Axiochus；　have　you　and　I　escaped　making　a　laughing…stock　of　ourselves　to　the　strangers。

Why　do　you　say　so？

Why；　because　we　have　already　spoken　of　good…fortune；　and　are　but　repeating　ourselves。

What　do　you　mean？

I　mean　that　there　is　something　ridiculous　in　again　putting　forward　good…　fortune；　which　has　a　place　in　the　list　already；　and　saying　the　same　thing　twice　over。

He　asked　what　was　the　meaning　of　this；　and　I　replied：　　Surely　wisdom　is　good…fortune；　even　a　child　may　know　that。

The　simple…minded　youth　was　amazed；　and；　observing　his　surprise；　I　said　to　him：　　Do　you　not　know；　Cleinias；　that　flute…players　are　most　fortunate　and　successful　in　performing　on　the　flute？

He　assented。

And　are　not　the　scribes　most　fortunate　in　writing　and　reading　letters？

Certainly。

Amid　the　dangers　of　the　sea；　again；　are　any　more　fortunate　on　the　whole　than　wise　pilots？

None；　certainly。

And　if　you　were　engaged　in　war；　in　whose　company　would　you　rather　take　the　riskin　company　with　a　wise　general；　or　with　a　foolish　one？

With　a　wise　one。

And　if　you　were　ill；　whom　would　you　rather　have　as　a　companion　in　a　dangerous　illnessa　wise　physician；　or　an　ignorant　one？

A　wise　one。

You　think；　I　said；　that　to　act　with　a　wise　man　is　more　fortunate　than　to　act　with　an　ignorant　one？

He　assented。

Then　wisdom　always　makes　men　fortunate：　　for　by　wisdom　no　man　would　ever　err；　and　therefore　he　must　act　rightly　and　succeed；　or　his　wisdom　would　be　wisdom　no　longer。

We　contrived　at　last；　somehow　or　other；　to　agree　in　a　general　conclusion；　that　he　who　had　wisdom　had　no　need　of　fortune。　　I　then　recalled　to　his　mind　the　previous　state　of　the　question。　　You　remember；　I　said；　our　making　the　admission　that　we　should　be　happy　and　fortunate　if　many　good　things　were　present　with　us？

He　assented。

And　should　we　be　happy　by　reason　of　the　presence　of　good　things；　if　they　profited　us　not；　o