meno- 第8部分

　　Soc。　And　therefore　not　by　any　wisdom；　and　not　because　they　were



wise；　did　Themistocles　and　those　others　of　whom　Anytus　spoke　govern



states。　This　was　the　reason　why　they　were　unable　to　make　others　like



themselves…because　their　virtue　was　not　grounded　on　knowledge。



　　Men。　That　is　probably　true；　Socrates。



　　Soc。　But　if　not　by　knowledge；　the　only　alternative　which　remains



is　that　statesmen　must　have　guided　states　by　right　opinion；　which　is



in　politics　what　divination　is　in　religion；　for　diviners　and　also



prophets　say　many　things　truly；　but　they　know　not　what　they　say。



　　Men。　So　I　believe。



　　Soc。　And　may　we　not；　Meno；　truly　call　those　men　〃divine〃　who；　having



no　understanding；　yet　succeed　in　many　a　grand　deed　and　word？



　　Men。　Certainly。



　　Soc。　Then　we　shall　also　be　right　in　calling　divine　those　whom　we



were　just　now　speaking　of　as　diviners　and　prophets；　including　the



whole　tribe　of　poets。　Yes；　and　statesmen　above　all　may　be　said　to　be



divine　and　illumined；　being　inspired　and　possessed　of　God；　in　which



condition　they　say　many　grand　things；　not　knowing　what　they　say。



　　Men。　Yes。



　　Soc。　And　the　women　too；　Meno；　call　good　men　divine…do　they　not？



and　the　Spartans；　when　they　praise　a　good　man；　say　〃that　he　is　a



divine　man。〃



　　Men。　And　I　think；　Socrates；　that　they　are　right；　although　very



likely　our　friend　Anytus　may　take　offence　at　the　word。



　　Soc。　I　da　not　care；　as　for　Anytus；　there　will　be　another　opportunity



of　talking　with　him。　To　sum　up　our　enquiry…the　result　seems　to　be；



if　we　are　at　all　right　in　our　view；　that　virtue　is　neither　natural　nor



acquired；　but　an　instinct　given　by　God　to　the　virtuous。　Nor　is　the



instinct　accompanied　by　reason；　unless　there　may　be　supposed　to　be



among　statesmen　some　one　who　is　capable　of　educating　statesmen。　And　if



there　be　such　an　one；　he　may　be　said　to　be　among　the　living　what　Homer



says　that　Tiresias　was　among　the　dead；　〃he　alone　has　understanding；



but　the　rest　are　flitting　shades〃；　and　he　and　his　virtue　in　like



manner　will　be　a　reality　among　shadows。



　　Men。　That　is　excellent；　Socrates。



　　Soc。　Then；　Meno；　the　conclusion　is　that　virtue　comes　to　the　virtuous



by　the　gift　of　God。　But　we　shall　never　know　the　certain　truth　until；



before　asking　how　virtue　is　given；　we　enquire　into　the　actual　nature



of　virtue。　I　fear　that　I　must　go　away；　but　do　you；　now　that　you　are



persuaded　yourself；　persuade　our　friend　Anytus。　And　do　not　let　him



be　so　exasperated；　if　you　can　conciliate　him；　you　will　have　done



good　service　to　the　Athenian　people。











　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…



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