第 6 节
作者:卖吻      更新:2024-04-09 19:51      字数:9322
  expense。'44' Whereas; if part were proceeded with and part stood over; the
  portion of revenue in hand will help to furnish what is necessary to go on
  with。 But to come now to what every one probably will regard as a really
  grave danger; lest the state may become possessed of an over large number
  of slaves; with the result that the works will be overstocked。 That again is
  an apprehension which we may escape if we are careful not to put into the
  works more hands from year to year than the works themselves demand。
  Thus'45'   I   am   persuaded   that   the   easiest   method   of   carrying   out   this
  scheme; as a whole; is also the best。 If; however; you are persuaded that;
  owing   to   the   extraordinary   property   taxes'46'   to   which   you   have   been
  subjected   during   the   present   war;   you   will   not   be   equal   to   any   further
  contributions   at   present;'47'   what   you   should   do   is   this:'48'   during   the
  current   year   resolve   to   carry   on   the   financial   administration   of   the   state
  within the limits of a sum equivalent to that which your dues'49' realised
  before   the peace。 That done;   you   are at   liberty  to   take   any  surplus   sum;
  whether   directly   traceable   to   the   peace   itself;   or   to   the   more   courteous
  treatment of our resident aliens and traders; or to the growth of the imports
  and   exports;   coincident   with   the   collecting   together   of   larger   masses   of
  human beings; or to an augmentation of harbour'50' and market dues: this
  surplus; I say;  however derived; you   should take and   invest'51' so as   to
  bring in the greatest revenue。'52'
  '40' Or; 〃sinking fund。〃
  '41'     {athrooi}〃in      a  body。〃     It  is  a  military    phrase;     I  think。   In
  close order; as it were; not in detachments。
  '42' 〃According to our ability;〃 a favourite Socratic phrase。
  '43'  {authis}。   See   for   this   corrupt   passage   Zurborg;   〃Comm。〃   p。   31。
  He          would   insert;   〃and   a   little   delay   will   not   be   prejudicial   to   our
  interests; but rather the contrary;〃 or to that effect; thus: {kai                       authis
  an 'anutoimen ou gar toiaute te anabole blaben genesthai                             an' emin
  oiometha} 〃vel simile aliquid。〃
  '44' Or; 〃it is we who must bear the whole burthen of the outlay。〃
  '45' {outos}; 〃so far; unless I am mistaken; the easiest method is the
  best。〃
  '46'   Or;    〃heavy   contributions;       subscriptions      incidental   to;〃   but   the
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  word {eisphoras} is technical。 For the exhaustion of the treasury                        see
  Dem。 〃Lept。〃 464; Grote; 〃H。 G。〃xi。 326。
  '47' Or; 〃you will not be able to subscribe a single penny more。〃
  '48' {umeis de}; you are masters of the situation。 It lies with you to
  carry on; etc。; {dioikeite} is of course imperative。
  '49' Or; 〃taxes。〃
  '50'  Reading;  after   Zurborg;  {dia ta   ellimenia}。  Or;  if   the vulg。   {dia
  en limeni}; transl。 〃an augmentation of market dues at Piraeus。〃
  '51' I。e。 as fixed capital; or; 〃you should expend on plant。〃
  '52' Or; adopting Zurborg's emend; {os an pleista eggignetai}; transl。
  〃for     the   purposes     of   the    present    scheme      as   far   as   it  may     be
  available。〃
  Again;  if   there   is   an   apprehension   on   the   part of   any  that   the   whole
  scheme'53' will crumble into nothing on the first outbreak of war; I would
  only beg these alarmists to note that; under the condition of things which
  we  propose   to   bring   about;   war   will   have   more   terrors   for  the   attacking
  party than for this state。 Since what possession I should like to know can
  be more   serviceable   for   war   than   that of   men? Think of   the   many  ships
  which   they   will   be   capable   of   manning   on   public   service。   Think   of   the
  number who will serve on land as infantry 'in the public service' and will
  bear hard upon the enemy。 Only we must treat them with courtesy。'54' For
  myself; my calculation is; that even in the event of war we shall be quite
  able to keep a firm hold of the silver mines。 I may take it; we have in the
  neighbourhood of the mines certain fortressesone on the southern slope
  in Anaphlystus;'55' and we have another on the northern side in Thoricus;
  the two being about seven and a half miles'56' apart。 Suppose then a third
  breastwork were to be placed between these; on the highest point of Besa;
  that would enable the operatives to collect into one out of all the fortresses;
  and at the first perception of a hostile movement it would only be a short
  distance     for  each   to  retire   into  safety。'57'    In  the   event   of  an   enemy
  advancing in large numbers they might certainly make off with whatever
  corn or wine or cattle they found outside。 But even if they did get hold of
  the silver ore; it would be little better to them than a heap of stones。'58'
  But how is an enemy ever to march upon the mines in force? The nearest
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  state; Megara; is distant; I take it; a good deal over sixty miles;'59' and the
  next closest; Thebes;  a   good deal nearer seventy。'60'  Supposing   then   an
  enemy  to   advance   from  some   such   point   to   attack   the   mines;   he   cannot
  avoid passing Athens; and presuming his force to be small; we may expect
  him     to  be   annihilated     by   our    cavalry    and   frontier    police。'61'     I  say;
  presuming his force to be small; since to march with anything like a large
  force; and thereby leave his own territory denuded of troops; would be a
  startling   achievement。   Why;   the   fortified   city   of   Athens   will   be   much
  closer the states of the attacking parties than they themselves will be by
  the time they have got to the mines。 But; for the sake of argument; let us
  suppose an enemy to have arrived in the neighbourhood of Laurium; how
  is   he   going    to   stop   there  without   provisions?   To       go  out   in   search   of
  supplies   with   a   detachment   of   his   force   would   imply   risk;   both   for   the
  foraging   party   and   for   those   who   have   to   do   the   fighting;'62'   whilst;   if
  they   are   driven   to   do   so   in   force   each   time;   they   may   call   themselves
  besiegers; but they will be practically in a state of siege themselves。
  '53' Or; 〃the proposed organisation。〃
  '54' See ch。 ii。 above。
  '55'   Or;   reading   {en   te   pros   mesembrian   thalatte};   〃on   the   southern
  Sea。〃 For Anaphlystus see 〃Hell。〃 I。 ii。 1; 〃Mem。〃 III。 v。 25。 It                           was
  Eubulus's deme; the leading statesman at this date。
  '56' Lit。 〃60 stades。〃
  '57'  The   passage   {sunekoi   t   an   erga};   etc。;   is   probably   corrupt。   {Ta
  erga} seems to mean 〃the operatives;〃 cf。 Latin 〃operae。〃 Others                           take
  it of 〃the works themselves。〃 Possibly it may refer to                        military works
  connecting the three fortresses named。 〃There might                          be a system of
  converging   (works   or)   lines   drawn   to   a   single   point             from   all   the
  fortresses; and at the first sign of any thing                 hostile;〃 etc。
  '58' I。e。 〃they might as well try to carry off so many tons of stone。〃
  '59' Lit。 〃500 stades。〃
  '60' Lit。 〃more than 600 stades。〃
  '61' The {peripoloi}; or horse patrol to guard the frontier。 See Thuc。
  iv。    57;    viii。  92;    Arist。    〃Birds;〃ii。     76。   Young      Athenians       between
  eighteen and twenty were eligible for the service。
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  '62'   Or;   〃for   the   very   object   of   the   contest。〃   The   construction   is   in
  any case unusual。 {peri on agonizontai} = {peri touton oi}。                           Zurborg
  suggests {peri ton agonizomenon}。
  But it is not the income'63' derived from the slaves alone to which we
  look to help the state towards the effective maintenance of her citizens; but
  with   the   growth   and   concentration   of   a   thick   population   in   the   mining
  district various sources of revenue will accrue; whether from the market at
  Sunium; or from the various state buildings in connection with the silver
  mines;   from   furnaces   and   all   the   rest。   Since   we   must   expect   a   thickly
  populated   city   to   spring   up   here;   if   organised   in   th