HODOI ELEKTRONIKAI
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DION CHRYSOSTOME, Diogène (discours 10; traduction anglaise)

Paragraphes 19-20

  Paragraphes 19-20

[10,19] οὐκ οἶσθα τοὺς μέν τινας ὠφελημένους, τοὺς δὲ καὶ βεβλαμμένους ἀπό τε προβατείας καὶ ὀνηλασίας; Ἔγωγε. Πότερον δι´ ἄλλο τι διότι ἀνάγκη τοὺς μὲν ἀπείρους ζημιοῦσθαι, τοὺς δὲ εἰδότας ὀνίνασθαι καὶ ἀπὸ ὄνων καὶ ἀπὸ συῶν καὶ ἀπὸ χηνῶν καὶ ἀπὸ ἄλλου ζῴου παντός; Ἔοικε. Τί δέ; οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῖς σκεύεσιν αὐτὸς λόγος; ἀλλὰ κιθάρᾳ χρήσαιτο ἂν ἄμουσος, ἐπιχειρῶν οὐκ ἂν εἴη καταγέλαστος, πρὸς τῷ μηδὲν ἐργάζεσθαι καὶ τὴν κιθάραν διαφθείρων καὶ ἀπορρηγνὺς τοὺς φθόγγους; [10,19] Or do you not know that from the keeping of sheep and the driving of asses some derive benefit and others injury ? " " I do." "Is it not simply because the inexperienced necessarily receive damage and those who know benefit, whether it be a question of asses or swine or geese or any other creature ? " " It appears so." "Furthermore, can it be that, as regards the use of things, the same reasoning does not hold good, but that one who has no knowledge of music could use a lyre, or would he not be ridiculous for trying, not to speak of his accomplishing nothing and ruining the lyre and breaking the strings ?
[10,20] τί δέ; εἴ τις αὐλοῖς οὐκ ὢν αὐλητικὸς ἐθέλοι χρῆσθαι καὶ παριὼν εἰς τὰ θέατρα αὐλεῖν, οὐκ αὐτός τε δώσει δίκην βαλλόμενος καὶ τοὺς αὐλοὺς ἂν προσέτι συντρίψειεν; ὃς δ´ ἂν ἐπιχειρῇ πηδαλίῳ χρῆσθαι οὐκ ἐπιστάμενος κυβερνᾶν, ἔστιν ὅπως οὐκ ἂν τάχιστα ἀνατρέψας τὴν ναῦν αὑτόν τε ἀπολέσειεν καὶ τοὺς ἐμπλέοντας; τί δέ; δόρατος χρῆσις ἀσπίδος συμφέρει τοῖς δειλοῖς καὶ ἀνεπιστήμοσιν, ἀλλ´ οὐκ ἂν ἀποβάλοιεν τῇ τοιαύτῃ πείρᾳ τῆς χρήσεως οὐ τὰ ὅπλα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὑτούς; Συγχωρῶ, ἔφη, Διόγενες· ἀλλὰ καταδύεις τὸν ἥλιον περὶ πάντων ἐπερωτῶν. [10,20] Then again, if one who is not a flautist should wish to use the flute and appear in the theatres and play upon it, would he not be pelted as a punishment and be likely to smash his flute into the bargain ? And if a man undertakes to handle a rudder without knowing how to steer, will he not assuredly capsize the boat in short order and cause the death of both himself and his fellow-passengers ? Still further, does the use of spear or shield do any good when wielded by timid and inexperienced persons, or rather, would they not by such an attempt at use lose not only their weapons but their own lives as well? " I grant it, Diogenes," he replied ; " but you are letting the sun go down with your interminable questions."


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Dernière mise à jour : 22/11/2007