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第5章

statesman-第5章

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  Y。 Soc。 Such changes would naturally occur。

  Str。 And animals; as we know; survive with difficulty great and

serious changes of many different kinds when they come upon them at

once。

  Y。 Soc。 Very true。

  Str。 Hence there necessarily occurs a great destruction of them;

which extends also to…the life of man; few survivors of the race are

left; and those who remain become the subjects of several novel and

remarkable phenomena; and of one in particular; which takes place at

the time when the transition is made to the cycle opposite to that

in which we are now living。

  Y。 Soc。 What is it?

  Str。 The life of all animals first came to a standstill; and the

mortal nature ceased to be or look older; and was then reversed and

grew young and delicate; the white locks of the aged darkened again;

and the cheeks the bearded man became smooth; and recovered their

former bloom; the bodies of youths in their prime grew softer and

smaller; continually by day and night returning and becoming

assimilated to the nature of a newly…born child in mind as well as

body; in the succeeding stage they wasted away and wholly 

disappeared。

And the bodies of those who died by violence at that time quickly

passed through the like changes; and in a few days were no more seen。

  Y。 Soc。 Then how; Stranger; were the animals created in those

days; and in what way were they begotten of one another?

  Str。 It is evident; Socrates; that there was no such thing in the

then order of nature as the procreation of animals from one another;

the earth…born race; of which we hear in story; was the one which

existed in those days…they rose again from the ground; and of this

tradition; which is now…a…days often unduly discredited; our

ancestors; who were nearest in point of time to the end of the last

period and came into being at the beginning of this; are to us the

heralds。 And mark how consistent the sequel of the tale is; after

the return of age to youth; follows the return of the dead; who are

lying in the earth; to life; simultaneously with the reversal of the

world the wheel of their generation has been turned back; 

and they are

put together and rise and live in the opposite order; unless God has

carried any of them away to some other lot。 According to this

tradition they of necessity sprang from the earth and have 

the name of

earth…born; and so the above legend clings to them。

  Y。 Soc。 Certainly that is quite consistent with what has preceded;

but tell me; was the life which you said existed in the reign of

Cronos in that cycle of the world; or in this? For the change in the

course of the stars and the sun must have occurred in both。

  Str。 I see that you enter into my meaning;…no; that blessed and

spontaneous life does not belong to the present cycle of the world;

but to the previous one; in which God superintended the whole

revolution of the universe; and the several parts the universe were

distributed under the rule。 certain inferior deities; as is 

the way in

some places still There were demigods; who were the shepherds of the

various species and herds of animals; and each one was in 

all respects

sufficient for those of whom he was the shepherd; neither was there

any violence; or devouring of one another or war or quarrel among

them; and I might tell of ten thousand other blessings; 

which belonged

to that dispensation。 The reason why the life of man was; as 

tradition

says; spontaneous; is as follows: In those days God himself was

their shepherd; and ruled over them; just as man; over them; 

who is by

comparison a divine being; still rules over the lower animals。 Under

him there were no forms of government or separate possession of

women and children; for all men rose again from the earth; having no

memory; of the past。 And although they had nothing of this sort; the

earth gave them fruits in abundance; which grew on trees and shrubs

unbidden; and were not planted by the hand of man。 And they dwelt

naked; and mostly in the open air; for the temperature of their

seasons; was mild; and they had no beds; but lay on Soft couches of

grass; which grew plentifully out of: the earth。 Such was the life

of man in the days of Cronos; Socrates; the character of our present

life which is said to be under Zeus; you know from your own

experience。 Can you; and will you; determine which of them you deem

the happier?

  Y。 Soc。 Impossible。

  Str。 Then shall I determine for you as well as I can?

  Y。 Soc。 By all means。

  Str。 Suppose that the nurslings of Cronos; having this boundless

leisure; and the power of holding intercourse; not only with men;

but with the brute creation; had used all these advantages 

with a view

to philosophy; conversing with the brutes as well as with 

one another;

and learning of every nature which was gifted with any special

power; and was able to contribute some special experience to 

the store

of wisdom there would be no difficulty in deciding that they would

be a thousand times happier than the men of our own day。 Or; 

again; if

they had merely eaten and drunk until they were full; and 

told stories

to one another and to the animals…such stories as are now attributed

to them…in this case also; as I should imagine; the answer would be

easy。 But until some satisfactory witness can be found of the love

of that age for knowledge and: discussion; we had better let the

matter drop; and give the reason why we have unearthed this tale;

and then we shall be able to get on。

  In the fulness of time; when the change was to take place; and the

earth…born race had all perished; and every soul had completed its

proper cycle of births and been sown in the earth her 

appointed number

of times; the pilot of the universe let the helm go; and retired to

his place of view; and then Fate and innate desire reversed 

the motion

of the world。 Then also all the inferior deities who share 

the rule of

the supreme power; being informed of what was happening; let go the

parts of the world which were under their control。 And the world

turning round with a sudden shock; being impelled in an opposite

direction from beginning to end; was shaken by a mighty earthquake;

which wrought a new destruction of all manner of animals。

Afterwards; when sufficient time had elapsed; the tumult and 

confusion

and earthquake ceased; and the universal creature; once more at

peace attained to a calm; and settle down into his own orderly and

accustomed course; having the charge and rule of himself and of all

the creatures which are contained in him; and executing; as far as

he remembered them; the instructions of his Father and Creator; more

precisely at first; but afterwords with less exactness。 The reason

of the falling off was the admixture of matter in him; this was

inherent in the primal nature; which was full of disorder; until

attaining to the present order。 From God; the constructor; the world

received all that is good in him; but from a previous state came

elements of evil and unrighteousness; which; thence derived; first

of all passed into the world; and were then transmitted to the

animals。 While the world was aided by the pilot in nurturing the

animals; the evil was small; and great the good which he 

produced; but

after the separation; when the world was let go; at first all

proceeded well enough; but; as time went there was more and more

forgetting; and the old discord again held sway and burst forth in

full glory; and at last small was the good; and great was the

admixture of evil; and there was a danger of universal ruin to the

world; and the things contained in him。 Wherefore God; the orderer

of all; in his tender care; seeing that the world was in great

straits; and fearing that all might be dissolved in the storm and

disappear in infinite chaos; again seated himself at the helm; and

bringing back the elements which had fallen into dissolution and

disorder to the motion which had prevailed under his dispensation;

he set them in order and restored them; and made the world

imperishable and immortal。

 

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