第 69 节
作者:这就是结局      更新:2021-02-20 14:16      字数:9322
  whatsoever: to be known to have wealth is more dangerous than guilt;
  so that the rich do not care to have any dealings with the powerful;
  and dare not even risk appearing at the muster of the royal troops。
  '7' Therefore; when any man makes war on Persia; whoever he may be; he
  can roam up and down the country to his heart's content without
  striking a blow; because they have forgotten the gods and are unjust
  to their fellow…men。 In every way their hearts and minds are lower
  than in days gone by。
  '8' Nor do they care for their bodies as they did of old。 It was
  always their custom neither to spit nor blow the nose; only it is
  clear this was instituted not from concern for the humours of the
  body; but in order to strengthen themselves by toil and sweat。 But
  nowadays; though this habit is still in vogue; to harden the body by
  exercise has quite gone out of fashion。 '9' Again; from the first it
  was their rule only to take a single meal in the day; which left them
  free to give their time to business and exercise。 The single meal is
  still the rule; but it commences at the earliest hour ever chosen for
  breakfast; and the eating and drinking goes on till the last moment
  which the latest reveller would choose for bed。 '10' It was always
  forbidden to bring chamber…pots into the banquet…hall; but the reason
  lay in their belief that the right way to keep body and brain from
  weakness was to avoid drinking in excess。 But to…day; though as in the
  old time no such vessels may be carried in; they drink so deep that
  they themselves are carried out; too weak to stand on their own legs。
  '11' It was a national custom from the first not to eat and drink on
  the march nor be seen satisfying the wants of nature; but nowadays;
  though they still abstain; they make each march so short that no man
  need wonder at their abstinence。
  '12' In the old time they went out to hunt so often that the chase
  gave enough exercise and training for man and horse alike。 But when
  the day came that Artaxerxes and all his court were the worse for
  wine; the old custom of the king leading the hunt in person began to
  pass away。 And if any eager spirits hunted with their own followers it
  was easy to see the jealousy; and even the hatred; aroused by such
  superiority。
  '13' It is still the habit to bring up the boys at the palace…gates;
  but fine horsemanship has disappeared; for there is no place where the
  lads can win applause by their skill。 The old belief that the children
  of Persia would learn justice by hearing the judges decide the cases
  has been turned upside down: the children have only to use their eyes
  and they see that the verdict goes to the man with the longest purse。
  '14' Children in former times were taught the properties of plants in
  order to use the wholesome and avoid the harmful; but now they seem to
  learn it for the mere sake of doing harm: at any rate; there is no
  country where deaths from poison are so common。 '15' And the Persian
  to…day is far more luxurious than he was in the time of Cyrus。 Then
  they still clung to the Persian style of education and the Persian
  self…restraint; merely adopting the Median dress and a certain grace
  of life。 But now the old Persian hardihood may perish for all they
  care; if only they preserve the softness of the Mede。 '16' I might
  give instances of their luxury。 They are not content with soft sheets
  and rugs for their beds; they must have carpets laid under the bed…
  posts to prevent any jarring from the floor。 They have given up none
  of the cooked dishes invented in former days; on the contrary; they
  are always devising new ones; and condiments to boot: in fact; they
  keep men for the very purpose。 '17' In the winter it is not enough to
  have the body covered; and the head and the feet; they must have warm
  sleeves as well and gloves for the hands: and in the summer they are
  not content with the shade from the trees or the rocks; they must have
  servants standing beside them with artificial screens。 '18' To have an
  endless array of cups and goblets is their special pride: and if these
  are come by unjustly; and all the world knows it; why; there is
  nothing to blush for in that: injustice has grown too common among
  them; and ill…gotten gain。 '19' Formerly no Persian was ever to be
  seen on foot; but the sole object of the custom was to make them
  perfect horsemen。 Now they lay more rugs on their horses' backs than
  on their own beds; it is not a firm seat they care for; but a soft
  saddle。
  '20' As soldiers we may imagine how they have sunk below the ancient
  standard; in past times it was a national institution that the land…
  owner should furnish troopers from his own estate; and men were bound
  to go on active service; while the garrison troops in the country
  received regular pay; but now the Persian grandees have manufactured a
  new type of cavalry; who earn their pay as butlers and cooks and
  confectioners and cupbearers and bathmen and flunkeys to serve at
  table or remove the dishes; and serving…men to put their lords to bed
  and help them to rise; and perfumers to anoint them and rub them and
  make them beautiful。 '21' In numbers they make a very splendid show;
  but they are no use for fighting; as may be seen by what actually
  takes place: an enemy can move about their country more freely than
  the inhabitants themselves。 '22' It will be remembered that Cyrus put
  a stop to the old style of fighting at long range; and by arming men
  and horses with breastplates and giving each trooper a short spear he
  taught them to fight at close quarters。 But nowadays they will fight
  in neither one style nor the other。 '23' The infantry still carry the
  large shields; the battle…axes; and the swords; as if they meant to do
  battle as they did in Cyrus' day。 '24' But they will never close with
  the enemy。 Nor do they use the scythe…bearing chariots as Cyrus
  intended。 By the honours he gave he raised the dignity and improved
  the quality of his charioteers till he had a body of men who would
  charge right into the enemy's ranks; but the generals of to…day;
  though they do not even know the charioteers by sight; flatter
  themselves that untrained men will serve their purpose quite as well
  as trained。 '25' So the charioteers will dash off; but before they
  reach the enemy half the men have fallen from their boxes; and the
  others will jump out of their own accord; and the teams; left without
  their drivers; will do more harm to their friends than to their foes。
  '26' And since in their hearts the Persians of to…day are well aware
  what their fighting condition really is; they always give up the
  struggle; and now none of them will take the field at all without
  Hellenes to help them; whether they are fighting among themselves or
  whether Hellenes are in arms against them: even then it is a settled
  thing that they must have the aid of other Hellenes to face them。
  '27' I venture to think I have shown the truth of the statement that I
  made。 I asserted that the Persians of to…day and their allies are less
  religious than they were of old; less dutiful to their kindred; less
  just and righteous towards other men; and less valiant in war。 And if
  any man doubts me; let him examine their actions for himself; and he
  will find full confirmation of all I say。
  NOTES
  C1。 Xenophon puts into the mouth of Chrysantas his favourite theory of
  monarchism; the relationship strongly cemented by obedience and trust
  between subjects and king。
  C1。4; med。 On /willing/ service。 This again is one of the best
  utterances in all Xenophon。 It has a deep spiritual import。
  C1。4; fin。 He is thinking of Athens; perhaps。 It is a choice: obey the
  ruler or knock under to foreign foes。
  C1。8。 Surely a remark of the author。 It is an old inveterate thought
  of his: 〃the Master's eye。〃 I feel the /old/ man at times。
  C1。9…10。 This side of the Persian state…machine strongly impressed the
  mind and imagination of Xenophon。 Hence he works it into the treatise
  on economy as well as here。 In fact his expansion of the Socratic
  reflections into the /Economist/ has to do; I believe; with these
  reflections on state economy。
  C1。13。 Hellenic aristocratic theory of existence。 Leisure for the
  grand duties which devolve on the lords of mankind。 It doesn't seem to
  strike Xenophon that this rigid system of self…absorption in the
  higher selfhood of the social system might be destructive of
  individual life。 Of course he would say; 〃No; it enlarges the
  individual life。〃
  C1。17…20。 Seems to me to show Xenophon struggling with the hard parts
  of the later Persian system。 The theory of Persian feudalism is too
  high…strung for these grand satraps; rulers of provinces as big as
  ordinary kingdoms。 It tends to snap; and from the beginning did。 The
  archic man has no charm to compel his followers to archic virtue。 It
  is a negative {episteme} after all。 Does Xenophon realise this; or is
  hgd。 wrong?
  C1。21。 Cf。 headmasters with preposters in a public school; based on
  the same system of high aims and duties corresponding to rights。
  C1。23; init。 Cf。 Louis Napoleon in Browning's poem '/Prince
  Hohensteil…Schwangau/'。
  C1。23; med。 The Magians; the Persian order of priests。 Y