正文
2015-4-3
Socrates一定是個很討厭的人，因為他不光直截了當地就事論事，而且還追問表象下的目的，讓稍微不謹慎的或驕傲的人，看了他就怕，就躲，因為他說的正是當事人需要考慮而沒考慮還以為考慮周全的呢。他的話直指人心，直擊時弊，逃無可逃，躲無可藏。
當Glaucon(Plato’s elder brother) 不到20歲即將成為the head of the state時，Socrates就找到他了。
他首先誇獎了Glaucon的野心和上台後唾手可得的福利。
I don’t know that there is any higher human ambition. Clearly if you succeed in it you will have the power to obtain your own desires, and be able to help your friends; you will gain distinction for your family and extend the power of your country; and you will win a name for yourself first in our city, and in Greece, and perhaps even, like Themistocles, among foreign powers. And wherever you are, every eye will be fixed upon you.
正當Glaucon高興之際，Socrates問了幾個很實際的問題：
Where you will start to benefit your country? Then its revenues were increased….
What are our country’s present revenues derived from, and what do they amount to?
What the country’s expenditure is?
Where you will start to benefit your country? Then its revenues were increased….
What are our country’s present revenues derived from, and what do they amount to?
What the country’s expenditure is?
這些都是Glaucon還沒開始考慮的問題，他想的很簡單：But, Socrates, it is possible to enrich one’s country from the resources of its enemies.
可能Glaucong還是傳統古希臘人的想法：出海捋些戰俘回來做奴隸，賣錢….
Socrates就很實在了：Yes, indeed, perfectly possible, if you are stronger than they are. If you are weaker, you are likely to lose even what you have already.
瞧Socrates說得多好：如果你弱的話，連褲子都會輸掉。瞧現在希臘航空在中國找買主，就是輸掉褲子的行為。
Socrates對自以為受過良好教育並且prided themselves on their wisdom的人似乎也有自己的看法。因為當時的古希臘，象現在的希臘一樣，人們習慣於安逸的日子，過於精神的追求，還有老祖宗留下的財富，而將家事甚至國事交給能幹的外來奴隸打理。
當他得知Euthydemus had collected a great many writings of the best-known poets and sophists時，習慣性地，他首先表揚他側重精神追求重於物質貪圖: I do admire you for not preferring hoards of silver and gold to the possession of wisdom. 接著，他劍鋒一轉，又來了：What exactly is it that you want to become good at, Euthydemus, by collecting these books? 當Euthydemus顧左右而言它時，Socrates又總結了：I know that professional reciters are word-perfect, but they have very little intelligence themselves.
看到這兒，不由地哈哈大笑，Socrates真是個可愛的人，他說得真實在！如果他活在當下，一定象Glaucong的兄弟Plato一樣跟他做學生了。
千年前Socrates可能已看到今日希臘破產的命運，不然，他在為自己庭上申辯時，不會如此之說，或果敢下斷言。
麵對自已的prosecutors Anytus and Meletus, 他說：If you put me to death, you will not easily find anyone to take my place. It’s literally true that God has specially appointed me to this city, as though it were a large thoroughbred horse which because of its great size is inclined to be lazy and needs the stimulation of some stinging fly. It seems to me that God has attached me to this city to perform the office of such a fly; and all day long I never cease to settle here, there, and everywhere, rousing, persuading, reproving every one you…..if you finish me off with a single slap, and then you will go on sleeping till the end of your days.
Socrates說的是對的，懶惰的希臘人，殺了我，你們會後悔的；你沒有象Socrates這樣的處處提醒你們的人，你們會有End的這一天的。是的，這一天到來了。
古羅馬最怕的是他的人民象古希臘人一樣，懶惰，整天浮想聯翩，凡事必希臘；其中就有專門整肅希臘風的Senator，如那著名的Cato the Elder，就是麵向河對岸繁華國度Carthage Empire而說出的他那最著名的一句話的人：Carthage must be destroyed!
Carthage，在羅馬的鐵蹄下灰飛煙滅；當第三次Punic War打起來時，當羅馬軍踏上Carthage時，仗還沒打，領軍Scipio首先痛哭流涕，說：這麽繁華的國家也會消失，那想想身後的羅馬，現在輝煌一時，以後也不免此命運，想想就哭啊。
千年過去了，現在，現代希臘終於毀在自己的手上，時事如彈指一揮間，往事並不如煙啊。
這就是希臘的命運，古老的咒符。
隻是讀書筆記而已；一般來說，保持英文原版翻譯更簡潔，有力，生動，傳神。能翻譯古希臘羅馬文化的英文學者大都字斟句酌，功夫很深，跟中國以前的翻譯家一樣，很是精彩。
一並致謝，並為讀得困難致歉！