正文
2015-4-3
Socrates一定是个很讨厌的人，因为他不光直截了当地就事论事，而且还追问表象下的目的，让稍微不谨慎的或骄傲的人，看了他就怕，就躲，因为他说的正是当事人需要考虑而没考虑还以为考虑周全的呢。他的话直指人心，直击时弊，逃无可逃，躲无可藏。
当Glaucon(Plato’s elder brother) 不到20岁即将成为the head of the state时，Socrates就找到他了。
他首先夸奖了Glaucon的野心和上台后唾手可得的福利。
I don’t know that there is any higher human ambition. Clearly if you succeed in it you will have the power to obtain your own desires, and be able to help your friends; you will gain distinction for your family and extend the power of your country; and you will win a name for yourself first in our city, and in Greece, and perhaps even, like Themistocles, among foreign powers. And wherever you are, every eye will be fixed upon you.
正当Glaucon高兴之际，Socrates问了几个很实际的问题：
Where you will start to benefit your country? Then its revenues were increased….
What are our country’s present revenues derived from, and what do they amount to?
What the country’s expenditure is?
Where you will start to benefit your country? Then its revenues were increased….
What are our country’s present revenues derived from, and what do they amount to?
What the country’s expenditure is?
这些都是Glaucon还没开始考虑的问题，他想的很简单：But, Socrates, it is possible to enrich one’s country from the resources of its enemies.
可能Glaucong还是传统古希腊人的想法：出海捋些战俘回来做奴隶，卖钱….
Socrates就很实在了：Yes, indeed, perfectly possible, if you are stronger than they are. If you are weaker, you are likely to lose even what you have already.
瞧Socrates说得多好：如果你弱的话，连裤子都会输掉。瞧现在希腊航空在中国找买主，就是输掉裤子的行为。
Socrates对自以为受过良好教育并且prided themselves on their wisdom的人似乎也有自己的看法。因为当时的古希腊，象现在的希腊一样，人们习惯于安逸的日子，过于精神的追求，还有老祖宗留下的财富，而将家事甚至国事交给能干的外来奴隶打理。
当他得知Euthydemus had collected a great many writings of the best-known poets and sophists时，习惯性地，他首先表扬他侧重精神追求重于物质贪图: I do admire you for not preferring hoards of silver and gold to the possession of wisdom. 接着，他剑锋一转，又来了：What exactly is it that you want to become good at, Euthydemus, by collecting these books? 当Euthydemus顾左右而言它时，Socrates又总结了：I know that professional reciters are word-perfect, but they have very little intelligence themselves.
看到这儿，不由地哈哈大笑，Socrates真是个可爱的人，他说得真实在！如果他活在当下，一定象Glaucong的兄弟Plato一样跟他做学生了。
千年前Socrates可能已看到今日希腊破产的命运，不然，他在为自己庭上申辩时，不会如此之说，或果敢下断言。
面对自已的prosecutors Anytus and Meletus, 他说：If you put me to death, you will not easily find anyone to take my place. It’s literally true that God has specially appointed me to this city, as though it were a large thoroughbred horse which because of its great size is inclined to be lazy and needs the stimulation of some stinging fly. It seems to me that God has attached me to this city to perform the office of such a fly; and all day long I never cease to settle here, there, and everywhere, rousing, persuading, reproving every one you…..if you finish me off with a single slap, and then you will go on sleeping till the end of your days.
Socrates说的是对的，懒惰的希腊人，杀了我，你们会后悔的；你没有象Socrates这样的处处提醒你们的人，你们会有End的这一天的。是的，这一天到来了。
古罗马最怕的是他的人民象古希腊人一样，懒惰，整天浮想联翩，凡事必希腊；其中就有专门整肃希腊风的Senator，如那著名的Cato the Elder，就是面向河对岸繁华国度Carthage Empire而说出的他那最著名的一句话的人：Carthage must be destroyed!
Carthage，在罗马的铁蹄下灰飞烟灭；当第三次Punic War打起来时，当罗马军踏上Carthage时，仗还没打，领军Scipio首先痛哭流涕，说：这么繁华的国家也会消失，那想想身后的罗马，现在辉煌一时，以后也不免此命运，想想就哭啊。
千年过去了，现在，现代希腊终于毁在自己的手上，时事如弹指一挥间，往事并不如烟啊。
这就是希腊的命运，古老的咒符。
只是读书笔记而已；一般来说，保持英文原版翻译更简洁，有力，生动，传神。能翻译古希腊罗马文化的英文学者大都字斟句酌，功夫很深，跟中国以前的翻译家一样，很是精彩。
一并致谢，并为读得困难致歉！