alexandria and her schools(亚历山大和她的学校)-第6章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
… Page 16…
ALEXANDRIA AND HER SCHOOLS
persecution； were the fashionable deities of the Roman world。 Surely
this Ptolemy was a man of genius！
But Ptolemy had even more important work to do than making gods。
He had to make men； for he had few or none ready made among his old
veterans from Issus and Arbela。 He had no hereditary aristocracy： and
he wanted none。 No aristocracy of wealth； that might grow of itself； only
too fast for his despotic power。 But as a despot； he must have a knot of
men round him who would do his work。 And here came out his deep
insight into fact。 It had not escaped that man； what was the secret of
Greek supremacy。 How had he come there？ How had his great master
conquered half the world？ How had the little semi…barbarous mountain
tribe up there in Pella； risen under Philip to be the master…race of the globe？
How； indeed； had Xenophon and his Ten Thousand； how had the handfuls
of Salamis and Marathon； held out triumphantly century after century；
against the vast weight of the barbarian？ The simple answer was：
Because the Greek has mind； the barbarian mere brute force。 Because
mind is the lord of matter； because the Greek being the cultivated man； is
the only true man； the rest are ＇Greek text： barbaroi＇； mere things； clods；
tools for the wise Greeks' use； in spite of all their material phantom…
strength of elephants； and treasures； and tributaries by the million。 Mind
was the secret of Greek power； and for that Ptolemy would work。 He
would have an aristocracy of intellect； he would gather round him the wise
men of the world （glad enough most of them to leave that miserable
Greece； where every man's life was in his hand from hour to hour）； and he
would develop to its highest the conception of Philip； when he made
Aristotle the tutor of his son Alexander。 The consequences of that
attempt were written in letters of blood； over half the world； Ptolemy
would attempt it once more； with gentler results。 For though he fought
long； and often； and well； as Despot of Egypt； no less than as general of
Alexander； he was not at heart a man of blood； and made peace the end of
all his wars。
So he begins。 Aristotle is gone： but in Aristotle's place Philetas the
sweet singer of Cos； and Zenodotus the grammarian of Ephesus； shall
educate his favourite son； and he will have a literary court； and a literary
16
… Page 17…
ALEXANDRIA AND HER SCHOOLS
age。 Demetrius Phalereus； the Admirable Crichton of his time； the last of
Attic orators； statesman； philosopher； poet； warrior； and each of them in
the most graceful； insinuating； courtly way； migrates to Alexandria； after
having had the three hundred and sixty statues； which the Athenians had
too hastily erected to his honour； as hastily pulled down again。 Here was
a prize for Ptolemy！ The charming man became his bosom friend and
fellow； even revised the laws of his kingdom； and fired him； if report says
true； with a mighty thoughtno less a one than the great public Library of
Alexandria； the first such institution； it is said； which the world had ever
seen。
So a library is begun by Soter； and organised and completed by
Philadelphus； or rather two libraries； for while one part was kept at the
Serapeium； that vast temple on the inland rising ground； of which； as far as
we can discover； Pompey's Pillar alone remains； one column out of four
hundred； the rest was in the Brucheion adjoining the Palace and the
Museum。 Philadelphus buys Aristotle's collection to add to the stock；
and Euergetes cheats the Athenians out of the original MSS。 of AEschylus；
Sophocles； and Euripides； and adds largely to it by more honest methods。
Eumenes； King of Pergamus in Asia Minor； fired with emulation；
commences a similar collection； and is so successful； that the reigning
Ptolemy has to cut off his rival's supplies by prohibiting the exportation of
papyrus； and the Pergamenian books are henceforth transcribed on
parchment； parchemin； Pergamene； which thus has its name to this day；
from Pergamus。 That collection； too； found its way at last to Alexandria。
For Antony having become possessor of it by right of the stronger； gave it
to Cleopatra； and it remained at Alexandria for seven hundred years。 But
we must not anticipate events。
Then there must be besides a Mouseion； a Temple of the Muses； with
all due appliances； in a vast building adjoining the palace itself； under the
very wing of royalty； and it must have porticos； wherein sages may
converse； lecture…rooms； where they may display themselves at their will
to their rapt scholars； each like a turkey…cock before his brood； and a large
dining…hall； where they may enjoy themselves in moderation； as befits
sages； not without puns and repartees； epigrams； anagrams； and Attic salt；
17
… Page 18…
ALEXANDRIA AND HER SCHOOLS
to be fatal； alas； to poor Diodorus the dialectician。 For Stilpo； prince of
sophists； having silenced him by some quibbling puzzle of logic； Ptolemy
surnamed him Chronos the Slow。 Poor Diodorus went home； took pen
and ink； wrote a treatise on the awful nothing； and died in despair； leaving
five 〃dialectical daughters〃 behind him； to be thorns in the sides of some
five hapless men of Macedonia； as 〃emancipated women；〃 a class but too
common in the later days of Greece； as they will always be； perhaps； in
civilisations which are decaying and crumbling to pieces； leaving their
members to seek in bewilderment what they are； and what bonds connect
them with their fellow…beings。 But to return： funds shall be provided
for the Museum from the treasury； a priest of rank； appointed by royalty；
shall be curator； botanical and zoological gardens shall be attached；
collections of wonders made。 In all things the presiding genius of
Aristotle shall be worshipped； for these； like Alexander； were his pupils。
Had he not mapped out all heaven and earth； things seen and unseen； with
his entelechies； and energies； and dunameis； and put every created and
uncreated thing henceforth into its proper place； from the ascidians and
polypes of the sea to the virtues and the vicesyea； to that Great Deity and
Prime Cause （which indeed was all things）； Noesis Noeseon； 〃the Thought
of Thoughts；〃 whom he discovered by irrefragable processes of logic； and
in whom the philosophers believe privately； leaving Serapis to the women
and the sailors？ All they had to do was to follow in his steps； to take
each of them a branch； of science or literature； or as many branches as one
man conveniently can； and working them out on the approved methods；
end in a few years； as Alexander did； by weeping on the utmost shore of
creation that there are no more worlds left to conquer。
Alas！ the Muses are shy and
