alcibiades ii- 第4部分

ours。'　　When　they　had　thus　spoken；　and　had　made　their　request　to　know　what

remedy　they　could　find　against　the　evils　which　troubled　them；　the　prophet

made　no　direct　answer；clearly　because　he　was　not　allowed　by　the　God　to　do

so；but　he　summoned　them　to　him　and　said：　　'Thus　saith　Ammon　to　the

Athenians：　　〃The　silent　worship　of　the　Lacedaemonians　pleaseth　me　better

than　all　the　offerings　of　the　other　Hellenes。〃'　　Such　were　the　words　of　the

God；　and　nothing　more。　　He　seems　to　have　meant　by　'silent　worship'　the

prayer　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　which　is　indeed　widely　different　from　the

usual　requests　of　the　Hellenes。　　For　they　either　bring　to　the　altar　bulls

with　gilded　horns　or　make　offerings　to　the　Gods；　and　beg　at　random　for　what

they　need；　good　or　bad。　　When；　therefore；　the　Gods　hear　them　using　words　of

ill　omen　they　reject　these　costly　processions　and　sacrifices　of　theirs。　

And　we　ought；　I　think；　to　be　very　careful　and　consider　well　what　we　should

say　and　what　leave　unsaid。　　Homer；　too；　will　furnish　us　with　similar

stories。　　For　he　tells　us　how　the　Trojans　in　making　their　encampment；



'Offered　up　whole　hecatombs　to　the　immortals；'



and　how　the　'sweet　savour'　was　borne　'to　the　heavens　by　the　winds；



'But　the　blessed　Gods　were　averse　and　received　it　not。

For　exceedingly　did　they　hate　the　holy　Ilium；

Both　Priam　and　the　people　of　the　spear…skilled　king。'



So　that　it　was　in　vain　for　them　to　sacrifice　and　offer　gifts；　seeing　that

they　were　hateful　to　the　Gods；　who　are　not；　like　vile　usurers；　to　be　gained

over　by　bribes。　　And　it　is　foolish　for　us　to　boast　that　we　are　superior　to

the　Lacedaemonians　by　reason　of　our　much　worship。　　The　idea　is

inconceivable　that　the　Gods　have　regard；　not　to　the　justice　and　purity　of

our　souls；　but　to　costly　processions　and　sacrifices；　which　men　may

celebrate　year　after　year；　although　they　have　committed　innumerable　crimes

against　the　Gods　or　against　their　fellow…men　or　the　state。　　For　the　Gods；

as　Ammon　and　his　prophet　declare；　are　no　receivers　of　gifts；　and　they　scorn

such　unworthy　service。　　Wherefore　also　it　would　seem　that　wisdom　and

justice　are　especially　honoured　both　by　the　Gods　and　by　men　of　sense；　and

they　are　the　wisest　and　most　just　who　know　how　to　speak　and　act　towards

Gods　and　men。　　But　I　should　like　to　hear　what　your　opinion　is　about　these

matters。



ALCIBIADES：　　I　agree；　Socrates；　with　you　and　with　the　God；　whom；　indeed；　it

would　be　unbecoming　for　me　to　oppose。



SOCRATES：　　Do　you　not　remember　saying　that　you　were　in　great　perplexity；

lest　perchance　you　should　ask　for　evil；　supposing　that　you　were　asking　for

good？



ALCIBIADES：　　I　do。



SOCRATES：　　You　see；　then；　that　there　is　a　risk　in　your　approaching　the　God

in　prayer；　lest　haply　he　should　refuse　your　sacrifice　when　he　hears　the

blasphemy　which　you　utter；　and　make　you　partake　of　other　evils　as　well。　

The　wisest　plan；　therefore；　seems　to　me　that　you　should　keep　silence；　for

your　'highmindedness'to　use　the　mildest　term　which　men　apply　to　folly

will　most　likely　prevent　you　from　using　the　prayer　of　the　Lacedaemonians。　

You　had　better　wait　until　we　find　out　how　we　should　behave　towards　the　Gods

and　towards　men。



ALCIBIADES：　　And　how　long　must　I　wait；　Socrates；　and　who　will　be　my

teacher？　　I　should　be　very　glad　to　see　the　man。



SOCRATES：　　It　is　he　who　takes　an　especial　interest　in　you。　　But　first　of

all；　I　think；　the　darkness　must　be　taken　away　in　which　your　soul　is　now

enveloped；　just　as　Athene　in　Homer　removes　the　mist　from　the　eyes　of

Diomede　that



'He　may　distinguish　between　God　and　mortal　man。'



Afterwards　the　means　may　be　given　to　you　whereby　you　may　distinguish

between　good　and　evil。　　At　present；　I　fear；　this　is　beyond　your　power。



ALCIBIADES：　　Only　let　my　instructor　take　away　the　impediment；　whether　it

pleases　him　to　call　it　mist　or　anything　else！　　I　care　not　who　he　is；　but　I

am　resolved　to　disobey　none　of　his　commands；　if　I　am　likely　to　be　the

better　for　them。



SOCRATES：　　And　surely　he　has　a　wondrous　care　for　you。



ALCIBIADES：　　It　seems　to　be　altogether　advisable　to　put　off　the　sacrifice

until　he　is　found。



SOCRATES：　　You　are　right：　　that　will　be　safer　than　running　such　a

tremendous　risk。



ALCIBIADES：　　But　how　shall　we　manage；　Socrates？At　any　rate　I　will　set

this　crown　of　mine　upon　your　head；　as　you　have　given　me　such　excellent

advice；　and　to　the　Gods　we　will　offer　crowns　and　perform　the　other

customary　rites　when　I　see　that　day　approaching：　　nor　will　it　be　long

hence；　if　they　so　will。



SOCRATES：　　I　accept　your　gift；　and　shall　be　ready　and　willing　to　receive

whatever　else　you　may　proffer。　　Euripides　makes　Creon　say　in　the　play；　when

he　beholds　Teiresias　with　his　crown　and　hears　that　he　has　gained　it　by　his

skill　as　the　first…fruits　of　the　spoil：



'An　auspicious　omen　I　deem　thy　victor's　wreath：

For　well　thou　knowest　that　wave　and　storm　oppress　us。'



And　so　I　count　your　gift　to　be　a　token　of　good…fortune；　for　I　am　in　no　less

stress　than　Creon；　and　would　fain　carry　off　the　victory　over　your　lovers。








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