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when dwelling in a base and cowardly man, appear comely, but the reverse of
comely, making the possessor more conspicuous, and manifesting forth his
cowardice. And all knowledge, when separated from justice and virtue, is
seen to be cunning and not wisdom; wherefore make this your first and last
and constant and all-absorbing aim, to exceed, if possible, not only us but all
your ancestors in virtue; and know that to excel you in virtue only brings us
shame, but that to be excelled by you is a source of happiness to us. And we
shall most likely be defeated, and you will most likely be victors in the
contest, if you learn so to order your lives as not to abuse or waste the
reputation of your ancestors, knowing that to a man who has any self-respect,
nothing is more dishonourable than to be honoured, not for his own sake, but
on account of the reputation of his ancestors. The honour of parents is a fair
and noble treasure to their posterity, but to have the use of a treasure of wealth
and honour, and to leave none to your successors, because you have neither
money nor reputation of your own, is alike base and dishonourable. And if
you follow our precepts you will be received by us as friends, when the hour
of destiny brings you hither; but if you neglect our words and are disgraced in
your lives, no one will welcome or receive you. This is the message which is
to be delivered to our children.
‘Some of us have fathers and mothers still living, and we would urge them,
if, as is likely, we shall die, to bear the calamity as lightly as possible, and not
to condole with one another; for they have sorrows enough, and will not need
any one to stir them up. While we gently heal their wounds, let us remind
them that the Gods have heard the chief part of their prayers; for they prayed,
not that their children might live for ever, but that they might be brave and
renowned. And this, which is the greatest good, they have attained. A mortal
man cannot expect to have everything in his own life turning out according to
his will; and they, if they bear their misfortunes bravely, will be truly deemed
brave fathers of the brave. But if they give way to their sorrows, either they
will be suspected of not being our parents, or we of not being such as our
panegyrists declare. Let not either of the two alternatives happen, but rather
let them be our chief and true panegyrists, who show in their lives that they
are true men, and had men for their sons. Of old the saying, “Nothing too
much,” appeared to be, and really was, well said. For he whose happiness
rests with himself, if possible, wholly, and if not, as far as is possible,—who
is not hanging in suspense on other men, or changing with the vicissitude of
their fortune,—has his life ordered for the best. He is the temperate and
valiant and wise; and when his riches come and go, when his children are
given and taken away, he will remember the proverb— “Neither rejoicing
overmuch nor grieving overmuch,” for he relies upon himself. And such we
would have our parents to be—that is our word and wish, and as such we now
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Buch The Complete Plato"
The Complete Plato
- Titel
- The Complete Plato
- Autor
- Plato
- Datum
- ~347 B.C.
- Sprache
- englisch
- Lizenz
- PD
- Abmessungen
- 21.0 x 29.7 cm
- Seiten
- 1612
- Schlagwörter
- Philosophy, Antique, Philosophie, Antike, Dialogues, Metaphysik, Metaphysics, Ideologie, Ideology, Englisch
- Kategorien
- Geisteswissenschaften
- International