letters on literature(关于文学)-第15章
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which it is stated； remain immortal possessions。
Why such a man as Plotinus； with such ideas； remained a pagan； while
Christianity offered him a sympathetic refuge； who can tell？ Probably
natural conservatism； in him as in Dr。 Johnson conservatism and taste
caused his adherence to the forms at least of the older creeds。 There was
much to laugh at in Plotinus； and much to like。 But if you read him in
hopes of material for strange stories； you will be disappointed。 Perhaps
Lord Lytton and others who have invoked his name in fiction （like Vivian
Grey in Lord Beaconsfield's tale） knew his name better than his doctrine。
His 〃Enneads；〃 even as edited by his patient Boswell； Porphyry； are not
very light subjects of study。
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LUCRETIUS
To the Rev。 Geoffrey Martin； Oxford。
Dear Martin；〃How individuals found religious consolation from the
creeds of ancient Greece and Rome〃 is； as you quote C。 O。 Muller； 〃a very
curious question。〃 It is odd that while we have countless books on the
philosophy and the mythology and the ritual of the classic peoples； we
hear about their religion in the modern sense scarcely anything from
anybody。 We know very well what gods they worshipped； and what
sacrifices they offered to the Olympians； and what stories they told about
their deities； and about the beginnings of things。 We know； too； in a
general way； that the gods were interested in morality。 They would all
punish offences in their own department； at least when it was a case of
numine laeso； when the god who protected the hearth was offended by
breach of hospitality； or when the gods invoked to witness an oath were
offended by perjury。
But how did a religiously minded man regard the gods？ What hope
or what fears did he entertain with regard to the future life？ Had he any
sense of sin； as more than a thing that could be expiated by purification
with the blood of slaughtered swine； or by purchasing the prayers and
〃masses；〃 so to speak； of the mendicant clergy or charlatans； mentioned by
Plato in the 〃Republic〃？ About these great questions of the religious life…
…the Future and man's fortunes in the future； the punishment or reward of
justice or iniquitywe really know next to nothing。
That is one reason why the great poem of Lucretius seems so valuable
to me。 The De Rerum Natura was written for no other purpose than to
destroy Religion； as Lucretius understood it； to free men's minds from all
dread as to future punishment； all hope of Heaven； all dread or desire for
the interference of the gods in this mortal life of ours on earth。 For no
other reason did Lucretius desire to 〃know the causes of things；〃 except
that the knowledge would bring 〃emancipation；〃 as people call it； from the
gods； to whom men had hitherto stood in the relation of the Roman son to
the Roman sire； under the patria potestas or in manu patris。
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As Lucretius wrought all his arduous work to this end； it follows that
his fellow…countrymen must have gone in a constant terror about spiritual
penalties； which we seldom associate in thought with the 〃blithe〃 and
careless existence of the ancient peoples。 In every line of Lucretius you
read the joy and the indignation of the slave just escaped from an
intolerable thraldom to fear。 Nobody could well have believed on any
other evidence that the classical people had a gloomy Calvinism of their
own time。 True； as early as Homer； we hear of the shadowy existence of
the souls； and of the torments endured by the notably wicked； by impious
ghosts； or tyrannical； like Sisyphus and Tantalus。 But when we read the
opening books of the 〃Republic；〃 we find the educated friends of Socrates
treating these terrors as old…wives' fables。 They have heard； they say； that
such notions circulate among the people； but they seem never for a
moment to have themselves believed in a future of rewards and
punishments。
The remains of ancient funereal art； in Etruria or Attica； usually show
us the semblances of the dead lying at endless feasts； or receiving
sacrifices of food and wine （as in Egypt） from their descendants； or；
perhaps； welcoming the later dead； their friends who have just rejoined
them。 But it is only in the descriptions by Pausanias and others of certain
old wall…paintings that we hear of the torments of the wicked； of the
demons that torture them and； above all； of the great chief fiend； coloured
like a carrion fly。 To judge from Lucretius； although so little remains to us
of this creed； yet it had a very strong hold of the minds of people； in the
century before Christ。 Perhaps the belief was reinforced by the teaching
of Socrates； who； in the vision of Er； in the 〃Republic；〃 brings back； in a
myth； the old popular faith in a Purgatorio； if not in an Inferno。
In the 〃Phaedo；〃 for certain； we come to the very definite account of a
Hell； a place of eternal punishment； as well as of a Purgatory； whence
souls are freed when their sins are expiated。 〃The spirits beyond
redemption； for the multitude of their murders or sacrileges； Fate hurls
into Tartarus； whence they never any more come forth。〃 But souls of
lighter guilt abide a year in Tartarus； and then drift out down the streams
Cocytus and Pyriphlegethon。 Thence they reach the marsh of Acheron；
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but are not released until they have received the pardon of the souls whom
in life they had injured。
All this； and much more to the same purpose in other dialogues of
Plato's； appears to have been derived by Socrates from the popular
unphilosophic traditions； from Folk…lore in short； and to have been raised
by him to the rank of 〃pious opinion；〃 if not of dogma。 Now； Lucretius
represents nothing but the reaction against all this dread of future doom；
whether that dread was inculcated by Platonic philosophy or by popular
belief。 The latter must have been much the more powerful and widely
diffused。 It follows that the Romans； at least； must have been haunted by
a constant dread of judgment to come； from which； but for the testimony
of Lucretius and his manifest sincerity； we might have believed them free。
Perhaps we may regret the existence of this Roman religion； for it did
its best to ruin a great poet。 The sublimity of the language of Lucretius；
when he can leave his attempts at scientific proof； the closeness of his
observation； his enjoyment of life； of Nature； and his power of painting
them； a certain largeness of touch； and noble amplitude of mannerthese；
with a burning sincerity； mark him above all others that smote the Latin
lyre。 Yet these gre
