menexenus-第7部分

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whose　happiness　rests　with　himself；　if　possible；　wholly；　and　if　not；　as　far

as　is　possible；who　is　not　hanging　in　suspense　on　other　men；　or　changing

with　the　vicissitude　of　their　fortune；has　his　life　ordered　for　the　best。

He　is　the　temperate　and　valiant　and　wise；　and　when　his　riches　come　and　go；

when　his　children　are　given　and　taken　away；　he　will　remember　the　proverb

〃Neither　rejoicing　overmuch　nor　grieving　overmuch；〃　for　he　relies　upon

himself。　　And　such　we　would　have　our　parents　to　bethat　is　our　word　and

wish；　and　as　such　we　now　offer　ourselves；　neither　lamenting　overmuch；　nor

fearing　overmuch；　if　we　are　to　die　at　this　time。　　And　we　entreat　our

fathers　and　mothers　to　retain　these　feelings　throughout　their　future　life；

and　to　be　assured　that　they　will　not　please　us　by　sorrowing　and　lamenting

over　us。　　But；　if　the　dead　have　any　knowledge　of　the　living；　they　will

displease　us　most　by　making　themselves　miserable　and　by　taking　their

misfortunes　too　much　to　heart；　and　they　will　please　us　best　if　they　bear

their　loss　lightly　and　temperately。　　For　our　life　will　have　the　noblest　end

which　is　vouchsafed　to　man；　and　should　be　glorified　rather　than　lamented。　

And　if　they　will　direct　their　minds　to　the　care　and　nurture　of　our　wives

and　children；　they　will　soonest　forget　their　misfortunes；　and　live　in　a

better　and　nobler　way；　and　be　dearer　to　us。



'This　is　all　that　we　have　to　say　to　our　families：　　and　to　the　state　we

would　sayTake　care　of　our　parents　and　of　our　sons：　　let　her　worthily

cherish　the　old　age　of　our　parents；　and　bring　up　our　sons　in　the　right　way。

But　we　know　that　she　will　of　her　own　accord　take　care　of　them；　and　does　not

need　any　exhortation　of　ours。'



This；　O　ye　children　and　parents　of　the　dead；　is　the　message　which　they　bid

us　deliver　to　you；　and　which　I　do　deliver　with　the　utmost　seriousness。　　And

in　their　name　I　beseech　you；　the　children；　to　imitate　your　fathers；　and

you；　parents；　to　be　of　good　cheer　about　yourselves；　for　we　will　nourish

your　age；　and　take　care　of　you　both　publicly　and　privately　in　any　place　in

which　one　of　us　may　meet　one　of　you　who　are　the　parents　of　the　dead。　　And

the　care　of　you　which　the　city　shows；　you　know　yourselves；　for　she　has　made

provision　by　law　concerning　the　parents　and　children　of　those　who　die　in

war；　the　highest　authority　is　specially　entrusted　with　the　duty　of　watching

over　them　above　all　other　citizens；　and　they　will　see　that　your　fathers　and

mothers　have　no　wrong　done　to　them。　　The　city　herself　shares　in　the

education　of　the　children；　desiring　as　far　as　it　is　possible　that　their

orphanhood　may　not　be　felt　by　them；　while　they　are　children　she　is　a　parent

to　them；　and　when　they　have　arrived　at　man's　estate　she　sends　them　to　their

several　duties；　in　full　armour　clad；　and　bringing　freshly　to　their　minds

the　ways　of　their　fathers；　she　places　in　their　hands　the　instruments　of

their　fathers'　virtues；　for　the　sake　of　the　omen；　she　would　have　them　from

the　first　begin　to　rule　over　their　own　houses　arrayed　in　the　strength　and

arms　of　their　fathers。　　And　as　for　the　dead；　she　never　ceases　honouring

them；　celebrating　in　common　for　all　rites　which　become　the　property　of

each；　and　in　addition　to　this；　holding　gymnastic　and　equestrian　contests；

and　musical　festivals　of　every　sort。　　She　is　to　the　dead　in　the　place　of　a

son　and　heir；　and　to　their　sons　in　the　place　of　a　father；　and　to　their

parents　and　elder　kindred　in　the　place　of　a　guardianever　and　always

caring　for　them。　　Considering　this；　you　ought　to　bear　your　calamity　the

more　gently；　for　thus　you　will　be　most　endeared　to　the　dead　and　to　the

living；　and　your　sorrows　will　heal　and　be　healed。　　And　now　do　you　and　all；

having　lamented　the　dead　in　common　according　to　the　law；　go　your　ways。



You　have　heard；　Menexenus；　the　oration　of　Aspasia　the　Milesian。



MENEXENUS：　　Truly；　Socrates；　I　marvel　that　Aspasia；　who　is　only　a　woman；

should　be　able　to　compose　such　a　speech；　she　must　be　a　rare　one。



SOCRATES：　　Well；　if　you　are　incredulous；　you　may　come　with　me　and　hear　her。



MENEXENUS：　　I　have　often　met　Aspasia；　Socrates；　and　know　what　she　is　like。



SOCRATES：　　Well；　and　do　you　not　admire　her；　and　are　you　not　grateful　for

her　speech？



MENEXENUS：　　Yes；　Socrates；　I　am　very　grateful　to　her　or　to　him　who　told

you；　and　still　more　to　you　who　have　told　me。



SOCRATES：　　Very　good。　　But　you　must　take　care　not　to　tell　of　me；　and　then

at　some　future　time　I　will　repeat　to　you　many　other　excellent　political

speeches　of　hers。



MENEXENUS：　　Fear　not；　only　let　me　hear　them；　and　I　will　keep　the　secret。



SOCRATES：　　Then　I　will　keep　my　promise。








End