Consolation of PHilosophy Boethius英文精品课件

THECONSOLATIONOFPHILOSOPHY

mostimportant:moneyhasinitself,byitsownnature,nothingwhichcanpreventitsbeingcarriedofffromthose,whopossessit,againsttheirwill.'

'Ithasnot,'Isaid.

'No,youcannotdenythatanystrongermanmayanydaysnatchitfromthem.Forhowcomeaboutthequarrelsofthelaw-courts?Isitnotbecausepeopletrytoregainmoneythathasbeenbyforceorbyfraudtakenfromthem?''Yes,'Ianswered.

'Then,'saidshe,'amanwillneedtoseekfromtheoutsidehelptoguardhisownmoney.'

'Thatcannotbedenied,'Isaid.

'Andamanwillnotneedthatunlesshepossessesmoneywhichhecanlose.''Undoubtedlyhewillnot.'

'Thentheargumentturnsroundtheotherway,'shesaid.'Thericheswhichwerethoughttomakeamanall-sufficientforhimself,doreallyputhiminneedofotherpeople'shelp.Thenhowcanneedbeseparatedfromwealth?Dotherichneverfeelhungernorthirst?Dothelimbsofmoneyedmenneverfeelthecoldofwinter?Youwillsay,\buttherichhavethewherewithaltosatisfyhungerandthirst,anddriveawaycold.\Butthoughrichesmaythusconsolewants,theycannotentirelytakethemaway.For,thoughtheseevercryingwants,thesecontinualrequests,are

satisfied,yettheremustexistthatwhichistobesatisfied.Ineednotsaythatnatureissatisfiedwithlittle,greedisneversatisfied.Wherefore,Iaskyou,ifwealthcannotremovewant,andevencreatesitsownwants,whatreasonistherethatyoushouldthinkitaffordssatisfactiontoaman?

Met.III

'Thoughtherichmanwithgreedheapupfromever-flowingstreamsthewealththatcannotsatisfy,thoughhedeckhimselfwithpearlsfromtheRedSea'sshore,andploughhisfertilefieldwithoxenbythescore,yetgnawingcarewillneverinhislifetimeleavehim,andathisdeathhiswealthwillnotgowithhim,butleavehimfaithlessly.'

ProseIV

Thevanityofhighplaces

'But,'Iurged,'placesofhonourmaketheman,towhomtheyfall,honouredandvenerated.'

'Ah!'sheanswered,'havethoseofficestheirforceintruththattheymayinstilvirtuesintothemindsofthosethatholdthem,anddriveoutvicestherefrom?Andyetwearetoowellaccustomedtoseethemmakingwickednessconspicuousratherthanavoidingit.Whereforewearedispleasedtoseesuchplacesoftenfallingtothemostwickedofmen,sothatCatulluscalledNonius\diseasedgrowth,\thoughhesatinthehighestchairofoffice.Doyouseehowgreatadisgracehighhonourscanaddtoevilmen?Theirunworthinessislessconspicuousiftheyarenotmadefamousbyhonours.CouldyouyourselfhavebeeninducedbyanydangerstothinkofbeingacolleaguewithDecoratus,[31]whenyousawthathehadthemindofanunscrupulousbuffoon,andabaseinformer?Wecannotconsidermenworthyofvenerationon

accountoftheirhighplaces,whenweholdthemtobeunworthyofthosehighplaces.Butifyouseeamanendowedwithwisdom,youcannotbutconsiderhimworthyofveneration,oratleastofthewisdomwithwhichheisendowed.Forsuchamanhastheworthpeculiartovirtue,whichittransmitsdirectlytothoseinwhomitisfound.Butsincehonoursfromthevulgarcrowdcannotcreatemerit,itisplainthattheyhavenotthepeculiarbeautyofthisworth.Andhereisaparticularpointtobenoticed:ifmenarethemoreworthlessastheyaredespisedbymorepeople,highpositionmakesthemalltheworsebecauseitcannotmakevenerablethosewhomitshewstosomany

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peopletobecontemptible.Andthisbringsitspenaltywithit:wickedpeoplebringalikequalityintotheirpositions,andstainthemwiththeirinfection.

'NowIwouldhaveyouconsiderthematterthus,thatyoumayrecognisethattruevenerationcannotbewonthroughtheseshadowyhonours.IfamanwhohadfilledtheofficeofconsulmanytimesinRome,camebychanceintoacountryofbarbarians,wouldhishighpositionmakehimveneratedbythebarbarians?Yetifthiswereanaturalqualityinsuchdignities,theywouldneverlosetheireffectivefunctioninanyland,justasfireisneveraughtbuthotinallcountries.Butsincetheydonotreceivethisqualityofvenerationfromanyforcepeculiartothemselves,butonlyfromaconnexionintheuntrustworthyopinionsofmen,theybecomeasnothingassoonastheyareamongthosewhodonotconsiderthesedignitiesassuch.

'Butthatisonlyinthecaseofforeignpeoples.Amongtheverypeopleswheretheyhadtheirbeginnings,dothesedignitieslastforever?ConsiderhowgreatwasthepowerinRomeofoldoftheofficeofPr?fect:nowitisanemptynameandaheavyburdenupontheincomeofanymanofSenator'srank.'Thepr?fectthen,whowascommissionerofthecorn-market,washeldtobeagreatman.Nowthereisnoofficemoredespised.For,asIsaidbefore,thatwhichhasnointrinsicbeauty,sometimesreceivesacertainglory,sometimeslosesit,accordingtotheopinionofthosewhoareconcernedwithit.Ifthenhighofficescannotmakemenvenerated,iffurthermoretheygrowvilebytheinfectionofbadmen,ifchangesoftimecanendtheirglory,and,lastly,iftheyareheldcheaplyintheestimationofwholepeoples,Iaskyou,sofarfromaffordingtruebeautytomen,whatbeautyhavetheyinthemselveswhichmencandesire?

Met.IV

'ThoughNerodeckedhimselfproudlywithpurpleofTyreandsnow-whitegems,nonethelessthatmanofrageandluxurylivedeverhatedofall.Yetwouldthatevilmanattimesgivehisdishonouredofficestomenwhowererevered.Whothencouldcountmenblessed,whotosuchavillainowedtheirhighestate?

ProseV

Thevanityofkingdoms

'Cankingdomsandintimacieswithkingsmakepeoplepowerful?\\mayanswer,\sofarastheirhappinessislasting.\Butantiquityandourtimestooarefullofexamplesofthecontrary;examplesofmenwhosehappinessaskingshasbeenexchangedfordisaster.Whatwonderfulpower,whichisfoundtobepowerlessevenforitsownpreservation!Butifthiskinglypowerisreallyasourceofhappiness,surelythen,ifitfailinanyway,itlessensthehappinessitbrings,andequallycausesunhappiness.Howeverwidelyhumanempiresmayextend,theremustbestillmorenationsleft,overwhomeachkingdoesnotreign.Andso,inwhateverdirectionthispowerceasestomakehappy,therebycomesinpowerlessness,whichmakesmenunhappy;thusthereforetheremustbeagreaterpartofunhappinessineveryking'sestate.Thattyrant[32]hadlearntwellthedangersofhislot,wholikenedthefearwhichgoeswithkingshiptotheterrorinspiredbyaswordeverhangingoverhead.Whatthenissuchapower,whichcannotdriveawaythebiteofcares,norescapethestingsoffear?

'Yettheseallwouldwillinglylivewithoutfear,buttheycannot,andyettheyboastoftheirpower.Thinkyouamanispowerfulwhenyouseethathelongsforthatwhichhecannotbringtopass?Doyoureckonamanpowerfulwhowalksabroadwithdignityandattendedbyservants?Amanwhostrikesfearintohissubjects,yetfearsthemmorehimself?Amanwhomustbeatthemercyofthosethatservehim,inorderthathemayseemtohavepower?

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THECONSOLATIONOFPHILOSOPHY

'NeedIspeakofintimacieswithkingswhenkingshipitselfisshewntobefullofweakness?Notonlywhenkings'powersfallaretheirfriendslaidlow,butoftenevenwhentheirpowersareintact.Nerocompelledhisfriendandtutor,Seneca,[33]tochoosehowhewoulddie.Papinianus,[34]foralongwhileapowerfulcourtier,washandedovertothesoldiers'swordsbytheEmperorAntoninus.Yeteachofthesewaswillingtosurrenderallhispower.SenecaeventriedtogiveupallhiswealthtoNero,andtoseekretirement.Buttheveryweightoftheirwealthandpowerdraggedthemdowntoruin,andneithercoulddowhathewished.

'Whatthenisthatpower,whosepossessorsfearit?indesiringtopossesswhich,youarenotsafe,andfromwhichyoucannotescape,eventhoughyoutrytolayitdown?Whathelparefriends,madenotbyvirtuebutbyfortune?Thefriendgainedbygoodfortunebecomesanenemyinill-fortune.Andwhatplaguecanmoreeffectuallyinjurethananintimateenemy?

Met.V

'Themanwhowouldtruepowergain,mustneedssubduehisownwildthoughts:nevermusthelethispassionstriumphandyokehisneckbytheirfoulbonds.Forthoughtheearth,asfarasIndia'sshore,tremblebeforethelawsyougive,thoughThulebowtoyourserviceonearth'sfarthestbounds,yetifthoucanstnotdriveawayblackcares,ifthoucanstnotputtoflightcomplaints,thenisnotruepowerthine.

ProseVI

Thevanityofearthlyglory,fame

Thevanityofnoblebirth

'Howdeceitfulisfameoften,andhowbaseathingitis!Justlydidthetragicpoetcryout,[35]\Fame,Fame,howmanylivesofmenofnaughthastthoupuffedup!\Formanymenhavegotagreatnamefromthefalseopinionsofthecrowd.Andwhatcouldbebaserthansuchathing?Forthosewhoarefalselypraised,mustblushtoheartheirpraises.Andiftheyarejustlywonbymerits,whatcantheyaddtothepleasureofawiseman'sconscience?Forhemeasureshishappinessnotbypopulartalk,butbythetruthofhisconscience.Ifitattractsamantomakehisnamewidelyknown,hemustequallythinkitashameifitbenotmadeknown.ButIhavealreadysaidthattheremustbeyetmorelandsintowhichtherenownofasinglemancannevercome;whereforeitfollowsthattheman,whomyouthinkfamous,willseemtohavenosuchfameinthenextquarteroftheearth.

'Popularfavourseemstometobeunworthyevenofmentionunderthishead,foritcomesnotbyanyjudgment,andisneverconstant.

'Again,whocanbutseehowemptyaname,andhowfutile,isnoblebirth?Forifitsgloryisduetorenown,itbelongsnottotheman.Forthegloryofnoblebirthseemstobepraiseforthemeritsofaman'sforefathers.Butifpraisecreatestherenown,itistherenownedwhoarepraised.Wherefore,ifyouhavenorenownofyourown,thatofotherscannotglorifyyou.Butifthereisanygoodinnoblebirth,Iconceiveittobethis,andthisalone,thatthehighbornseemtobeboundinhonournottoshowanydegeneracyfromtheirfathers'virtue.

Met.VI

'Fromlikebeginningriseallmenonearth,forthereisoneFatherofallthings;oneistheguideofeverything.'TisHewhogavethesunhisrays,andhornsuntothemoon.'TisHewhosetmankindonearth,andintheheavensthestars.Heputwithinourbodiesspiritswhichwereborninheaven.AndthusahighbornracehasHesetforthinman.Whydoyemenrailonyourforefathers?Ifyelooktoyourbeginning

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BOETHIUS

andyourauthor,whichisGod,isanymandegenerateorbasebuthewhobyhisownvicescherishesbasethingsandleavesthatbeginningwhichwashis?

ProseVII

Thevanityofthelustsoftheflesh

'AndnowwhatamItosayofthepleasuresofthebody?Thedesiresoftheflesharefullofcares,theirfulfilmentisfullofremorse.Whatterriblediseases,whatunbearablegriefs,trulythefruitsofsin,dotheybringuponthebodiesofthosewhoenjoythem!Iknownotwhatpleasuretheirimpulseaffords,butanywhocarestorecallhisindulgencesofhispassions,willknowthattheresultsofsuchpleasuresareindeedgloomy.Ifanycanshewthatthoseresultsareblestwithhappiness,thenmaythebeastsofthefieldbejustlycalledblessed,foralltheiraimsareurgedtowardthesatisfyingoftheirbodies'wants.Thepleasuresofwifeandchildrenmaybemosthonourable;butnaturemakesitalltooplainthatsomehavefoundtormentintheirchildren.Howbitterisanysuchkindofsuffering,Ineednottellyounow,foryouhaveneverknownit,norhaveanysuchanxietynow.YetinthismatterIwouldholdwithmyphilosopherEuripides,[36]thathewhohasnochildrenishappyinhismisfortune.

Met.VII

'Allpleasureshavethisway:thosewhoenjoythemtheydriveonwithstings.Pleasure,likethewingedbee,scattersitshoneysweet,thenfliesaway,andwithaclingingstingitstrikestheheartsittouches.

ProseVIII

Allthesevanitiesareactuallyharmful

'Thereisthennodoubtthattheseroadstohappinessarenoroads,andtheycannotleadanymantoanyendwhithertheyprofesstotakehim.Iwouldshewyoushortlywithwhatgreatevilstheyareboundup.Wouldyouheapupmoney?Youwillneedtotearitfromitsowner.Wouldyouseembrilliantbythegloryofgreathonours?Youmustkneelbeforetheirdispenser,andinyourdesiretosurpassothermeninhonour,youmustdebaseyourselfbysettingasideallpride.Doyoulongforpower?Youwillbesubjecttothewilesofalloverwhomyouhavepower,youwillbeatthemercyofmanydangers.Youseekfame?Youwillbedrawntoandfroamongroughpaths,andloseallfreedomfromcare.Wouldyouspendalifeofpleasure?Whowouldnotdespiseandcastoffsuchservitudetosovileandbrittleathingasyourbody?Howpettyarealltheaimsofthosewhoputbeforethemselvesthepleasuresofthebody,howuncertainisthepossessionofsuch?Inbodilysizewillyoueversurpasstheelephant?Instrengthwillyoueverleadthebull,orinspeedthetiger?Lookupontheexpanseofheaven,thestrengthwithwhichitstands,therapiditywithwhichitmoves,andceaseforawhiletowonderatbasethings.Thisheavenisnotmorewonderfulforthosethingsthanforthedesignwhichguidesit.Howsweepingisthebrightnessofoutwardform,howswiftitsmovement,yetmorefleetingthanthe

passingoftheflowersofspring.Butif,asAristotlesays,manycouldusetheeyesoflynxestoseethroughthatwhichmeetstheeye,theniftheysawintotheorganswithin,wouldnotthatbody,thoughithadthemostfairoutsideofAlcibiades,[37]seemmostvilewithin?Whereforeitisnotyourownnature,buttheweaknessoftheeyesofthemthatseeyou,whichmakesyouseembeautiful.Butconsiderhowinexcessyoudesirethepleasuresofthebody,whenyouknowthathowsoeveryouadmireit,itcanbereducedtonothingbyathree-days'fever.Toputallthesepointstheninaword:thesethingscannotgrantthegoodwhichtheypromise;theyarenotmadeperfectbytheunionofallgoodthingsinthem;theydonotleadtohappinessasapaththither;theydonotmakemenblessed.[38]-34-

THECONSOLATIONOFPHILOSOPHY

Met.VIII

'Ah!howwretchedaretheywhomignoranceleadsastraybyhercrookedpath!Yeseeknotgoldupongreentrees,norgatherpreciousstonesfromvines,norsetyournetsonmountaintopstocatchthefishesforyourfeast,norhunttheUmbrianseainsearchofgoats.Manknowsthedepthsoftheseathemselves,hiddenthoughtheybebeneathitswaves;heknowswhichwaterbestyieldshimpearls,andwhichthescarletdye.Butintheirblindnessmenarecontent,andknownotwherelieshidthegoodwhichtheydesire.Theysinkinearthlythings,andtheretheyseekthatwhichhassoaredabovethestar-litheavens.WhatcanIcalldownuponthemworthyoftheirstubbornfolly?Theygoaboutinsearchofwealthandhonours;andonlywhentheyhavebylaboursvaststoredupdeceptionforthemselves,dotheyatlastknowwhatistheirtruegood.

ProseIX

Philosophybeginstoexaminetruehappiness

'Sofar,'shecontinued,'wehavebeencontenttosetforththeformoffalsehappiness.Ifyouclearlyunderstandthat,mynextdutyistoshewwhatistruehappiness.'

'Idosee,'saidI,'thatwealthcannotsatisfy,thatpowercomesnottokingdoms,norvenerationtohighoffices;thattruerenowncannotaccompanyambition,nortrueenjoymentwaituponthepleasuresofthebody.'

'Haveyougraspedthereasonswhyitisso?'sheasked.

'Iseemtolookatthemasthroughanarrowchink,butIwouldlearnmoreclearlyfromyou.'

'Thereasonistohand,'saidshe;'humanerrortakesthatwhichissimpleandbynatureimpossibletodivide,triestodivideit,andturnsitstruthandperfectionintofalsityandimperfection.Tellme,doyouthinkthatanythingwhichlacksnothing,canbewithoutpower?'

'Ofcoursenot.'

'Youareright;forifanythinghasanyweaknessinanypart,itmustlackthehelpofsomethingelse.'

'Thatisso,'Isaid.

'Thenperfectsatisfactionandpowerhavethesamenature?''Yes,itseemsso.'

'Anddoyouthinksuchathingcontemptible,ortheopposite,worthyofallveneration?'

'Therecanbenodoubtthatitisworthy.'

'Thenletusaddvenerationtothatsatisfactionandpower,andsoconsiderthesethreeasone.'

'Yes,wemustadditifwewishtoproclaimthetruth.'

'Doyouthenthinkthatthiswholeisdullandofnoreputation,orrenownedwithallglory?Forconsideritthus:wehavegrantedthatitlacksnothing,thatithasallpowerandisworthyofallveneration;itmustnotthereforelacktheglorywhichitcannotsupplyforitself,andtherebyseemtobeinanydirectioncontemptible.'

'No,'Isaid,'Imustallowthatithasglorytoo.'

'Thereforewemustrankthisgloryequallywiththeotherthree.''Yes,wemust.'

'Thenthatwhichlacksnothingfromoutsideitself,whichisall-powerfulbyitsownmight,whichhasrenownandveneration,mustsurelybeallowedtobemosthappytoo?'

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