alcibiades ii(阿尔西比亚德斯)

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ALCIBIADES II

Platonic Imitator

Translated by Benjamin Jowett

ALCIBIADES II

APPENDIX II.

The two dialogues which are translated in the second appendix are not

mentioned by Aristotle, or by any early authority, and have no claim to be

ascribed to Plato. They are examples of Platonic dialogues to be assigned

probably to the second or third generation after Plato, when his writings

were well known at Athens and Alexandria. They exhibit considerable

originality, and are remarkable for containing several thoughts of the sort

which we suppose to be modern rather than ancient, and which therefore

have a peculiar interest for us. The Second Alcibiades shows that the

difficulties about prayer which have perplexed Christian theologians were

not unknown among the followers of Plato. The Eryxias was doubted by

the ancients themselves: yet it may claim the distinction of being, among

all Greek or Roman writings, the one which anticipates in the most

striking manner the modern science of political economy and gives an

abstract form to some of its principal doctrines.

For the translation of these two dialogues I am indebted to my friend

and secretary, Mr. Knight.

That the Dialogue which goes by the name of the Second Alcibiades is

a genuine writing of Plato will not be maintained by any modern critic,

and was hardly believed by the ancients themselves. The dialectic is poor

and weak. There is no power over language, or beauty of style; and there

is a certain abruptness and agroikia in the conversation, which is very un-

Platonic. The best passage is probably that about the poets:--the remark

that the poet, who is of a reserved disposition, is uncommonly difficult to

understand, and the ridiculous interpretation of Homer, are entirely in the

spirit of Plato (compare Protag; Ion; Apol.). The characters are ill- drawn.

Socrates assumes the 'superior person' and preaches too much, while

Alcibiades is stupid and heavy-in-hand. There are traces of Stoic influence

in the general tone and phraseology of the Dialogue (compare opos

melesei tis...kaka: oti pas aphron mainetai): and the writer seems to have

been acquainted with the 'Laws' of Plato (compare Laws). An incident

from the Symposium is rather clumsily introduced, and two somewhat

hackneyed quotations (Symp., Gorg.) recur. The reference to the death of

ALCIBIADES II

Archelaus as having occurred 'quite lately' is only a fiction, probably

suggested by the Gorgias, where the story of Archelaus is told, and a

similar phrase occurs;--ta gar echthes kai proen gegonota tauta, k.t.l. There

are several passages which are either corrupt or extremely ill- expressed.

But there is a modern interest in the subject of the dialogue; and it is a

good example of a short spurious work, which may be attributed to the

second or third century before Christ.

ALCIBIADES II

PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: Socrates and Alcibiades.

SOCRATES: Are you going, Alcibiades, to offer prayer to Zeus?

ALCIBIADES: Yes, Socrates, I am.

SOCRATES: you seem to be troubled and to cast your eyes on the

ground, as though you were thinking about something.

ALCIBIADES: Of what do you suppose that I am thinking?

SOCRATES: Of the greatest of all things, as I believe. Tell me, do you

not suppose that the Gods sometimes partly grant and partly reject the

requests which we make in public and private, and favour some persons

and not others?

ALCIBIADES: Certainly.

SOCRATES: Do you not imagine, then, that a man ought to be very

careful, lest perchance without knowing it he implore great evils for

himself, deeming that he is asking for good, especially if the Gods are in

the mood to grant whatever he may request? There is the story of Oedipus,

for instance, who prayed that his children might divide their inheritance

between them by the sword: he did not, as he might have done, beg that

his present evils might be averted, but called down new ones. And was not

his prayer accomplished, and did not many and terrible evils thence arise,

upon which I need not dilate?

ALCIBIADES: Yes, Socrates, but you are speaking of a madman:

surely you do not think that any one in his senses would venture to make

such a prayer?

SOCRATES: Madness, then, you consider to be the opposite of

discretion?

ALCIBIADES: Of course.

SOCRATES: And some men seem to you to be discreet, and others the

contrary?

ALCIBIADES: They do.

SOCRATES: Well, then, let us discuss who these are. We acknowledge

that some are discreet, some foolish, and that some are mad?

ALCIBIADES: Yes.

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摘要：

ALCIBIADESII1ALCIBIADESIIPlatonicImitatorTranslatedbyBenjaminJowettALCIBIADESII2APPENDIXII.ThetwodialogueswhicharetranslatedinthesecondappendixarenotmentionedbyAristotle,orbyanyearlyauthority,andhavenoclaimtobeascribedtoPlato.TheyareexamplesofPlatonicdialoguestobeassignedprobablytothesecondorthirdge...

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