谁是世上最幸福的人 —— 梭伦与克洛伊斯.doc

谁是世上最幸福的人？ 梭伦与克洛伊斯 一方是古希腊七贤之一的梭伦，一方是富甲天下的吕底亚国王克洛伊斯，他们对于幸福的看法却有着天壤之别。 标签： history 幸福 herodotus 梭伦 克洛伊斯 窗体顶端Croesus and Solon: Whos the happiest person?30. So Solon, having left his native country for this reason and for thesake of seeing various lands, came to Amasis in Egypt,and also to Croesus at Sardis.Having there arrived he was entertained as a guest by Croesus in the kingspalace; and afterwards, on the third or fourth day, at the bidding of Croesushis servants led Solon round to see his treasuries; and they showed him allthings, how great and magnificent they were: and after he had looked upon themall and examined them as he had occasion, Croesus asked him as follows:Athenian guest, much report of thee has come to us, both in regard to thywisdom and thy wanderings, how that in thy search for wisdom thou hasttraversed many lands to see them; now therefore a desire has come upon me toask thee whether thou hast seen any whom thou deemest to be of all men the mosthappy. 27This he asked supposing that he himselfwas the happiest of men; but Solon, using no flattery but the truth only, said:Yes, O king, Tellos the Athenian. And Croesus, marveling at thatwhich he said, asked him earnestly: In what respect dost thou judgeTellos to be the most happy? And he said: Tellos, in the firstplace, living while his native State was prosperous, had sons fair and good andsaw from all of them children begotten and living to grow up; and secondly hehad what with us is accounted wealth, and after his life a most glorious end: forwhen a battle was fought by the Athenians at Eleusis against the neighbouringpeople, he brought up supports and routed the foe and there died by a most fairdeath; and the Athenians buried him publicly where he fell, and honoured himgreatly.31. So when Solon had moved Croesus to inquire further by the story ofTellos, recounting how many points of happiness he had, the king asked againwhom he had seen proper to be placed next after this man, supposing that hehimself would certainly obtain at least the second place; but he replied:Cleobis and Biton: for these, who were of Argos by race, possessed asufficiency of wealth and, in addition to this, strength of body such as Ishall tell. Both equally had won prizes in the games, and moreover thefollowing tale is told of them:There was a feast of Hera among the Argives andit was by all means necessary that their mother should be borne in a car to thetemple. But since their oxen were not brought up in time from the field, theyoung men, barred from all else by lack of time, submitted themselves to theyoke and drew the wain, their mother being borne by them upon it; and so theybrought it on for five-and-forty furlongs, 28and came to the temple. Then after theyhad done this and had been seen by the assembled crowd, there came to theirlife a most excellent ending; and in this the deity declared that it was betterfor man to die than to continue to live. For the Argive men were standing roundand extolling the strength 29 of the young men, while the Argivewomen were extolling the mother to whose lot it had fallen to have such sons;and the mother being exceedingly rejoiced both by the deed itself and by the reportmade of it, took her stand in front of the image of the goddess and prayed thatshe would give to Cleobis and Biton her sons, who had honoured her 30 greatly, that gift which is best forman to receive: and after this prayer, when they had sacrificed and feasted,the young men lay down to sleep within the temple itself, and never rose again,but were held bound in this last end. 31 And the Argives made statues in thelikeness of them and dedicated them as offerings at Delphi,thinking that they had proved themselves most excellent.32. Thus Solon assigned the second place in respect of happiness to these:and Croesus was moved to anger and said: Athenian guest, hast thou thenso cast aside our prosperous state as worth nothing, that thou dost prefer tous even men of private station? And he said: Croesus, thou artinquiring about human fortunes of one who well knows that the Deity isaltogether envious and apt to disturb our lot. For in the course of long time aman may see many things which he would not desire to see, and suffer also manythings which he would not desire to suffer. The limit of life for a man I laydown at seventy years: and these seventy years give twenty-five thousand andtwo hundred days, not reckoning for any intercalated month. Then if every otherone of these years shall be made longer by one month, that the seasons may becaused to come round at the due time of the year, the intercalated months willbe in number five-and-thirty besides the seventy years; and of these months thedays will be one thousand and fifty. Of all these days, being in number twenty-sixthousand two hundred and fifty, which go to the seventy years, one day producesnothing at all which resembles what another brings with it. Thus then, OCroesus, man is altogether a creature of accident. As for thee, I perceive thatthou art both great in wealth and king of many men, but that of which thoudidst ask me I cannot call thee yet, until I learn that thou hast brought thylife to a fair ending: for the very rich man is not at all to be accounted morehappy than he who has but his subsistence from day to day, unless also thefortune go with him of ending his life well in possession of all things fair.For many very wealthy men are not happy, 32 while many who have but a moderate livingare fortunate; 33 and in truth the very rich man who isnot happy has two advantages only as compared with the poor man who is fortunate,whereas this latter has many as compared with the rich man who is not happy.The rich man is able better to fulfil his desire, and also to endure a greatcalamity if it fall upon him; whereas the other has advantage over him in thesethings which follow:he is not indeed able equally with the rich man to endurea calamity or to fulfil his desire, but these his good fortune keeps away fromhim, while he is sound of limb, 34 free from disease, untouched bysuffering, the father of fair children and himself of comely form; and if inaddition to this he shall end his life well, he is worthy to be called thatwhich thou seekest, namely a happy man; but before he comes to his end it iswell to hold back and not to call him yet happy but only fortunate. Now to possessall these things together is impossible for one who is mere man, just as nosingle land suffices to supply all tings for itself, but one thing it has andanother it lacks, and the land that has the greatest number of things is thebest: so also in the case of a man, no single person is complete in himself,for one thing he has and another he lacks; but whosoever of men continues tothe end in possession of the greatest number of these things and then has agracious ending of his life, he is by me accounted worthy, O king, to receivethis name. But we must of every thing examine the end and how it will turn outat the last, for to many God shows but a glimpse of happiness and then plucks themup by the roots and overturns them.33. Thus saying he refused to gratify Croesus, who sent him away from hispresence holding him in no esteem, and thinking him utterly senseless in thathe passed over present good things and bade men look to the end of everymatter.1.30 梭伦【出于前面说到的原因】离开了祖国，他也想借此机会四处游历一番，于是去埃及见了法老雅赫摩斯，也去萨第斯见了国王克洛伊斯。当他到达那里的时候，克洛伊斯把他作为客人在王宫里进行了招待。在第三天或第四天上，克洛伊斯命令他的仆人带梭伦去见识他的财宝。他们给梭伦看了所有价值连城的珍宝。 当他看完所有这些，并且尽可能仔细地端详了其中很多件以后，克洛伊斯这样问他：“雅典来的贵客，我们以前听说过很多关于你的故事，谈论你如何见多识广，以及你如何为了寻找智慧而去很多国家考察。现在我有一个愿望，想要询问你：在你见过的所有人当中，谁是你认为最幸福的那个人？”他问这个问题，其实是自以为他就是那个最幸福的人。 但是梭伦并没有去吹捧他，而是照实回答：“国王陛下，是有这样一个人，他就是雅典人提洛斯。” 克洛伊斯听到他这样说，觉得很意外，急忙问：“你根据什么来说提洛斯是最幸福的人呢？” 他回答说：“首先，提洛斯生活在他祖国的繁荣时期，他的儿子们个个高贵而优秀，他见到每个儿子都有了自己的孩子，并且顺利长大成人。其次，他拥有我们常人所说的财富，并且在生命结束时死得辉煌壮烈：当雅典人与外人在厄琉西斯进行一次战斗时，他率领援军赶来并彻底击溃敌人，而自己战死在疆场。这是最高贵的死法。雅典人在他倒下的地方为他举行了国葬，对他无比敬仰。”1.31 梭伦就这样使克洛伊斯追问关于提洛斯的故事，他则历数提洛斯到底有哪些幸福之处。 后来国王克洛伊斯又问梭伦，谁是排在提洛斯之后第二幸福的人，心想这次想必轮到自己得到这个头衔了。 但是梭伦回答说：“那应该属于阿尔戈斯族的两兄弟克琉比斯和比同。因为他们拥有足够的财富，并且还有着强健的体魄，正如我马上要告诉您的那样，他们在竞技中获得过同样多的胜利。 “另外，关于他们还有这样一个故事：阿尔戈斯人要为女神赫拉举办一场祭祀，为此他们兄弟俩的母亲必须要坐着牛车赶赴神殿。但是当时他们的牛都在地里，来不及赶回来套车。因为时间仓促，他俩别无选择，让母亲坐到车里，自己套上牛轭拉起了车。他们一共拉了45弗隆的距离（约9公里）才来到神殿。 “当他们做完这件事，并被聚集在那里的人群所目睹之后，他们的生命有了一个很好的结局。这结局说明天神认为，对于人类而言，死亡是比继续生活更好的选择。 “当时阿尔戈斯族的男人们都围在这哥俩的身边，颂扬着这两个年轻人的强壮，而阿尔戈斯族的妇女则围在他俩的母亲身边，夸赞她有这么好的运气，养育了这样优秀的儿子。这位母亲也因为儿子们的举动和大家对这事的赞扬而满心欢喜。她来到女神的像前祈祷，对于这两个带给她极大荣耀的儿子克琉比斯和比同，她祈求女神给他们一份凡人所能得到的最好的礼物。 “祈祷之后，他们接着进行了祭祀和飨宴。然后这两个年轻人在神殿里躺下并睡了过去。这一睡就是他们的终点，再也没有醒过来。阿尔戈斯人认为这事证明他俩是最优秀的青年，因此按照他们的模样制造了两尊雕塑，并把它们祭献到德尔斐。”1.32 就这样，梭伦把第二幸福的位置给了这兄弟俩。克洛伊斯非常生气，他说：“雅典来的客人啊，难道你认为我们这个繁荣的国家一钱不值吗？为什么你要把平民百姓排到比我们还高的位置？”梭伦回答说：“克洛伊斯，你所谈论的人间财富，会让天神觊觎，他可以随时扭转我们的运气。在一个人漫长的生命里，会见到很多他不愿见到的事情，遭受很多他不愿遭受的苦难。 “我们假设一个人的生命有七十年。如果不算闰月，这七十年是两万五千两百天。假如每隔一年就增加一个闰月，使季节能够保持按时来临，那么七十年间就会多出三十五个闰月，也就是一千零五十天。这些加到一起，七十年里一共有两万六千两百五十天。这其中，没有哪天发生的事情会和另外一天完全一样。所以说，克洛伊斯啊，人类是充满偶然性的动物。 “至于说到您，我认为您现在的确拥有巨大的财富，而且也是众人之王。但是您所问我的问题，只有当我知道您的生命有一个美好的结局之后，我才能称您是最幸福的人。这是因为，除非好运能一直伴随到生命的终点，并至死都拥有那些美好的东西，否则富人并不会一定就比那些勉强度日没有余财的人更幸福。有很多非常富有的人并不幸福，而很多生活一般的人却很幸运。 “实际上，极端富有但并不幸福的人，与贫穷但幸运的人相比，前者只有两个优势，而后者却比前者多很多长处：富人能够更好的满足他自己的欲望，并且比穷人更能承受命运来的巨大灾难。而后者的优势在于：尽管他的确在承受灾难或满足欲望上不如富人，但是他的好运能使他免于这样的灾难或欲望，让他肢体强健，百病不生，没有苦难，抚养出优秀的儿女并且自己也仪表堂堂。假如除此以外，他还能得以善终，那么他就可以称为你所寻找的那种幸福之人。然而在他去世之前，我们应该先不要把他叫做幸福的人，只应说他是幸运的人。 “对于人类来说，想要拥有所有一切好处是不可能的，这就好比在一块土地上，不可能盛产所有的东西。它总是有些东西有，有些东西没有。而物产最丰富的就是最好的土地。与此同理，没有哪一个人是完美无缺的，总是会拥有某些东西，而缺乏另外一些。但是假如一个人到生命终点时仍然拥有很多，并且能够安详地离开，那么在我看来，国王陛下，他就可以接受这个称号。但是我们必须要考察最后的结局，看看最终结果如何才行，因为对于很多人来说，上帝只让他们看到短暂的幸福，然后就把他们连根拔起，彻底打翻。”1.33 梭伦用这样的说辞拒绝了对克洛伊斯的逢迎。克洛伊斯很轻蔑地把梭伦打发走了，他认为梭伦不考虑他当前所拥有的美好事物，而一味让人去思考所有事物的结局，简直是糊涂透顶。Croesus and Solon: Whos the happiest person?30. So Solon, having left his native country for this reason and for thesake of seeing various lands, came to Amasis in Egypt,and also to Croesus at Sardis.Having there arrived he was entertained as a guest by Croesus in the kingspalace; and afterwards, on the third or fourth day, at the bidding of Croesushis servants led Solon round to see his treasuries; and they showed him allthings, how great and magnificent they were: and after he had looked upon themall and examined them as he had occasion, Croesus asked him as follows:Athenian guest, much report of thee has come to us, both in regard to thywisdom and thy wanderings, how that in thy search for wisdom thou hasttraversed many lands to see them; now therefore a desire has come upon me toask thee whether thou hast seen any whom thou deemest to be of all men the mosthappy. 27This he asked supposing that he himselfwas the happiest of men; but Solon, using no flattery but the truth only, said:Yes, O king, Tellos the Athenian. And Croesus, marveling at thatwhich he said, asked him earnestly: In what respect dost thou judgeTellos to be the most happy? And he said: Tellos, in the firstplace, living while his native State was prosperous, had sons fair and good andsaw from all of them children begotten and living to grow up; and secondly hehad what with us is accounted wealth, and after his life a most glorious end: forwhen a battle was fought by the Athenians at Eleusis against the neighbouringpeople, he brought up supports and routed the foe and there died by a most fairdeath; and the Athenians buried him publicly where he fell, and honoured himgreatly.31. So when Solon had moved Croesus to inquire further by the story ofTellos, recounting how many points of happiness he had, the king asked againwhom he had seen proper to be placed next after this man, supposing that hehimself would certainly obtain at least the second place; but he replied:Cleobis and Biton: for these, who were of Argos by race, possessed asufficiency of wealth and, in addition to this, strength of body such as Ishall tell. Both equally had won prizes in the games, and moreover thefollowing tale is told of them:There was a feast of Hera among the Argives andit was by all means necessary that their mother should be borne in a car to thetemple. But since their oxen were not brought up in time from the field, theyoung men, barred from all else by lack of time, submitted themselves to theyoke and drew the wain, their mother being borne by them upon it; and so theybrought it on for five-and-forty furlongs, 28and came to the temple. Then after theyhad done this and had been seen by the assembled crowd, there came to theirlife a most excellent ending; and in this the deity declared that it was betterfor man to die than to continue to live. For the Argive men were standing roundand extolling the strength 29 of the young men, while the Argivewomen were extolling the mother to whose lot it had fallen to have such sons;and the mother being exceedingly rejoiced both by the deed itself and by the reportmade of it, took her stand in front of the image of the goddess and prayed thatshe would give to Cleobis and Biton her sons, who had honoured her 30 greatly, that gift which is best forman to receive: and after this prayer, when they had sacrificed and feasted,the young men lay down to sleep within the temple itself, and never rose again,but were held bound in this last end. 31 And the Argives made statues in thelikeness of them and dedicated them as offerings at Delphi,thinking that they had proved themselves most excellent.32. Thus Solon assigned the second place in respect of happiness to these:and Croesus was moved to anger and said: Athenian guest, hast thou thenso cast aside our prosperous state as worth nothing, that thou dost prefer tous even men of private station? And he said: Croesus, thou artinquiring about human fortunes of one who well knows that the Deity isaltogether envious and apt to disturb our lot. For in the course of long time aman may see many things which he would not desire to see, and suffer also manythings which he would not desire to suffer. The limit of life for a man I laydown at seventy years: and these seventy years give twenty-five thousand andtwo hundred days, not reckoning for any intercalated month. Then if every otherone of these years shall be made longer by one month, that the seasons may becaused to come round at the due time of the year, the intercalated months willbe in number five-and-thirty besides the seventy years; and of these months thedays will be one thousand and fifty. Of all these days, being in number twenty-sixthousand two hundred and fifty, which go to the seventy years, one day producesnothing at all which resembles what another brings with it. Thus then, OCroesus, man is altogether a creature of accident. As for thee, I perceive thatthou art both great in wealth and king of many men, but that of which thoudidst ask me I cannot call thee yet, until I learn that thou hast brought thylife to a fair ending: for the very rich man is not at all to be accounted morehappy than he who has but his subsistence from day to day, unless also thefortune go with him of ending his life well in possession of all things fair.For many very wealthy men are not happy, 32 while many who have but a moderate livingare fortunate; 33 and in truth the very rich man who isnot happy has two advantages only as compared with the poor man who is fortunate,whereas this latter has many as