Texte grec :
| [71,0] ΠΕΡΙ ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΟΥ.
(71,1) Εἰσὶν οἵ φασι δεῖν πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν εἶναι περιττὸν τὸν φιλόσοφον·
καὶ ὁμιλῆσαι ἀνθρώποις φασὶ δεῖν εἶναι δεινότατον καὶ
μηδέποτε σιγᾶν μηδὲ ἀπορεῖν λόγων τοιούτων πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας,
οἳ δυνήσονται τέρπειν αὐτούς· εἰ δὲ μή, φασὶν ἰδιώτην εἶναι τὸν
μὴ παρεσκευασμένον οὕτως καὶ ὀλίγου ἄξιον. ἐγὼ δέ φημι τὰ μὲν
δίκαια καὶ ἀληθῆ λέγειν αὐτούς, τὰ δὲ οὔ.
(71,2) τὸ μὲν γὰρ διαφέρειν
πανταχοῦ τὸν φιλόσοφον τῶν ἄλλων δοκοῦσιν ὀρθῶς ἀξιοῦν· πλὴν
εἰ μή γε καὶ τὰς τέχνας φασὶ δεῖν αὐτὸν ἁπάσας εἰδέναι καὶ
βέλτιον κατὰ τὴν τέχνην ἅπαντα ποιεῖν τῶν δημιουργῶν, οἰκίας τε
οἰκοδομούμενον καὶ πλοῖα ναυπηγούμενον καὶ χαλκεύοντα καὶ ὑφαίνοντα
καὶ γεωργοῦντα· ὥσπερ ὁ Ἠλεῖος Ἱππίας ἠξίου σοφώτατος
εἶναι τῶν Ἑλλήνων, οὐ μόνον ποιήματα παντοδαπὰ καὶ λόγους
αὑτοῦ ποικίλους προφέρων Ὀλυμπίασί τε καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις πανηγύρεσι
τῶν Ἑλλήνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλα {ἐπιδεικνὺς} ἔργα, τόν τε δακτύλιον
καὶ τὴν λήκυθον καὶ στλεγγίδα καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον καὶ τὴν ζώνην,
ὡς ἅπαντα πεποιηκὼς αὐτός, οἷον ἀπαρχὰς τῆς σοφίας τοῖς Ἕλλησιν
ἐπιδεικνύων.
(71,3) σχεδὸν δὲ καὶ Ὅμηρος Ὀδυσσέα πεποίηκεν οὐ
μόνον γνώμῃ διαφέροντα καὶ τῷ δύνασθαι περὶ πραγμάτων βουλεύεσθαι
καὶ λέγειν δεινότατον ἔν τε πλήθει καὶ πρὸς ὀλίγους
καὶ πρὸς ἕνα, καὶ νὴ Δία γε ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ τε καὶ παρὰ πότον καὶ
εἰ τύχοι μετά τινος βαδίζων ὁδόν, καὶ πρὸς βασιλέα καὶ πρὸς ἰδιώτην,
καὶ πρὸς ἐλεύθερον καὶ πρὸς δοῦλον, καὶ αὐτὸν ἔνδοξον ὄντα
καὶ βασιλέα καὶ αὖ πάλιν ἀγνοούμενον καὶ πτωχόν, καὶ πρὸς ἄνδρα
τε ὁμοίως καὶ γυναῖκα καὶ κόρην, ἔτι δὲ μάχεσθαι ἐπιστάμενον,
ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἁπάντων ἔμπειρον, τεκτονικῆς καὶ οἰκοδομίας
καὶ ναυπηγικῆς.
(71,4) πῶς γὰρ ἂν τὸ λέχος ἐποίησεν ἀποκόψας
τόν {γε} τῆς ἐλαίας θαλλόν, εἰ μὴ τεκτονικῆς ἐπιστήμων ἦν; πῶς
δ´ ἂν περιέβαλε τὸν θάλαμον, εἰ μὴ καὶ οἰκοδομῆσαι ἠπίστατο;
πῶς δ´ ἂν εἰργάσατο τὴν σχεδίαν οὐκ ὢν ἔμπειρος ναυπηγίας; τὰ
δὲ περὶ φυτείαν καὶ γεωργίαν εὐθὺς ἐκ παίδων ἐσπουδακὼς φαίνεται
παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς δένδρα αἰτῶν καὶ ἀμπέλους· ἄλλως τε
καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς γεωργοῦ ὄντος πάνυ ἐπιμελοῦς τε καὶ ἐμπείρου
εἰκὸς ἦν αὐτὸν ταῦτα μὴ ἀγνοεῖν, ὅπου γε καὶ προκαλεῖται τὸν
Εὐρύμαχον καὶ ἀμῆσαι καὶ ἀρόσαι. ἀλλά φησι καὶ τῶν τοιούτων
ἔμπειρος εἶναι, μαγειρικῆς τε καὶ οἰνοχοΐας καὶ τῆς ἄλλης ἁπάσης
διακονίας, ἅ φησι τοὺς χείρονας τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς διακονεῖσθαι.
(71,5) ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἴσως Ἱππίας καὶ Ὀδυσσεὺς δεινὼ ἤστην· ἐγὼ δέ φημι
τὸν φιλόσοφον τὰς μὲν τέχνας οὐχ οἷόν τε εἶναι πάσας εἰδέναι
(χαλεπὸν γὰρ καὶ μίαν ἀκριβῶς ἐργάσασθαι) ποιῆσαι δ´ ἂν ἅπαντα
βέλτιον ὅ,τι ἂν τύχῃ ποιῶν τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων, καὶ τὰ κατὰ
τὰς τέχνας, ἂν ἄρα ἀναγκασθῇ ποτε ἅψασθαι τοιούτου τινός, οὐ
κατὰ τὴν τέχνην διαφέροντα—τοῦτο γὰρ οὐχ οἷόν τε, τοῦ τέκτονος
τὸν ἰδιώτην ἄμεινον ποιῆσαί τι κατὰ τὴν τεκτονικὴν ἢ τοῦ γεωργοῦ
τὸν οὐκ ὄντα γεωργίας ἔμπειρον ἐν τῷ ποιεῖν τι τῶν γεωργικῶν
ἐμπειρότερον φανῆναι—ποῦ δ´ ἂν διαφέροι;
(71,6) τῷ συμφερόντως
ποιεῖν ἢ μὴ ποιεῖν καὶ ὅτε δεῖ καὶ ὅπου καὶ τὸν καιρὸν γνῶναι τοῦ
δημιουργοῦ μᾶλλον καὶ τὸ δυνατόν. αὐτίκα οὐ δοκεῖ μοι Δαίδαλος
καλῶς εἰργάσθαι ἐν Κρήτῃ τὸν Λαβύρινθον, οὗ εἰσερχόμενοι ἀπώλλυντο
οἱ πολῖται αὐτοῦ καὶ αἱ πολίτιδες· οὐ γὰρ δικαίως εἰργάσατο.
συμπράττων δ´ αὖ τῇ νόσῳ τῆς Πασιφάης οὐκ ὀρθῶς
εἰργάσατο· οὐ γὰρ συνέφερεν οὐδὲ ἦν δίκαιον οὐδὲ καλὸν τοιαῦτα
συμπράττειν οὐδὲ μηχανὰς εὑρίσκειν ἐπὶ τὰ αἰσχρὰ καὶ ἀνόσια.
οὐδὲ ὡς τὸν Ἴκαρον ἐπτέρωσεν, εἰ χρὴ πιστεύειν τῷ μύθῳ, καλῶς
ἐξευρεῖν φημι τήνδε τὴν μηχανήν· οὐ γὰρ δυνατὰ ἐμηχανᾶτο, πτέρυγας
ἀνθρώπῳ προστιθείς.
(71,7) οὐκοῦν διέφθειρε τὸν υἱόν. ἔοικε δὲ
καὶ Ὅμηρος λοιδορεῖν τινα τέκτονα τῶν Τρώων, οὐ καλῶς ἐργασάμενον
τὰς ναῦς τῷ Ἀλεξάνδρῳ, αἷς ἔπλευσεν εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα, οὐδὲν
ἔχων αἰτιάσασθαι κατὰ τὴν τέχνην. φησὶ γάρ,
ὃς καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρῳ τεκτήνατο νῆας ἐΐσας, ἀρχεκάκους,
οὐκ ἐγκωμιάζων αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῇ ποιήσει τῶν νεῶν, ἀλλὰ ψέγων πολὺ
μᾶλλον ἢ εἰ λέγων αὐτὸν ποιῆσαι τὰς ναῦς ἢ βραδείας ἢ ἄλλο τι
ἁμάρτημα ἐχούσας ᾐτιᾶτο περὶ τὴν ναυπηγίαν. ψέγει δὲ ὁμοίως
καὶ κυνηγέτην τινὰ καὶ καταγελᾷ τῆς ἐμπειρίας, ὅτι εἰς οὐδὲν δέον
ἐκέκτητο αὐτήν, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν θηρία ἠπίστατο βάλλειν, ἐν δὲ τῷ
πολέμῳ οὐκ ἐτύγχανεν οὐδενός, ἀλλ´ ἀχρεῖος ἦν διὰ τὴν δειλίαν,
καὶ οὔ φησιν αὐτῷ τότε βοηθῆσαι τὴν Ἄρτεμιν.
(71,8) οὐκοῦν ἐκ τούτων δῆλον ὅτι δεῖ φρονήσεως καὶ ἀρετῆς καὶ πρὸς ἃ
ἐπίστανται οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ πρὸς ἃ οὐκ ἐπίστανται· καὶ οὕτως ἂν ἅπαντα
διαφέροι πάντων ὁ σώφρων, οἷον χρὴ εἶναι τὸν φιλόσοφον, καὶ
ποιῶν τι τούτων καὶ μὴ ποιῶν, κἂν ὁπωσοῦν ποιῇ κατὰ τὴν
τέχνην. ὡς δὲ τῶν ζωγράφων γράψει κρεῖττον οὐκ ὢν ζωγράφος,
ἢ τῶν ἰατρῶν ἄμεινον θεραπεύσει {κατὰ τὴν ἰατρικὴν} οὐκ
ὢν ἰατρός, ἢ τῶν μουσικῶν μουσικώτερον ᾄσεται οὐκ ὢν ἔμπειρος
μουσικῆς ἢ μετρίως ἔμπειρος γεγονώς, ἢ τῶν ἀριθμητικῶν περὶ
τοὺς ἀριθμοὺς ἢ τῶν γεωμετρῶν ἐμπειρότερος φανεῖται περὶ γεωμετρίαν
ἢ περὶ φυτείαν τῶν γεωργῶν ἢ περὶ κυβερνητικὴν τῶν κυβερνητῶν,
ἢ σφάξει θᾶττον τῶν μαγείρων ἢ διελεῖ δέον διελεῖν
τῶν αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἔργον πεποιημένων, οὐ χρὴ διανοεῖσθαι.
(71,9) καίτοι
τῶν νῦν βασιλέων τις ἐπεθύμει σοφὸς εἶναι τὴν τοιαύτην σοφίαν,
ὡς πλεῖστα ἐπιστάμενος· οὐ μέντοι τὰ τοιαῦτα, ἃ μὴ θαυμάζεται
παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλὰ ἐφ´ οἷς στεφανωθῆναι ἔστι, κηρύττειν
καὶ ᾄδειν πρὸς κιθάραν καὶ τραγῳδεῖν καὶ παλαίειν καὶ παγκρατιάζειν.
φασὶ δὲ καὶ γράφειν καὶ πλάττειν ἱκανὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι·
καὶ αὐλεῖν τῷ τε στόματι καὶ ταῖς μασχάλαις ἀσκὸν ὑποβάλλοντα,
ὅπως διαπεφευγὼς ᾖ τὸ αἰσχρὸν τὸ τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς. οὔκουν ὑπῆρχε σοφός;c
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Traduction française :
| [71,0] The Seventy-first Discourse : On the Philosopher.
1 There are those who say that the philosopher should be remarkable in everything in
any surroundings; moreover, they say that he should be very able in conversation
with men and never keep silent or be at a loss before those in his company for lack of
such language as will be capable of pleasing them; otherwise, they say, he who is not
thus equipped is an ignoramus and worth but little. But I say that, though some of
their statements are just and truthful, some are not. 2 For that the philosopher should
in every situation be superior to all others, it seems to me they are right in demanding
— unless they mean that he must not only know all the crafts but also, in accordance
with the rules of the craft, produce everything better than the craftsmen, both
building houses and making boats and working as a smith and weaving and farming.
For example, Hippias of Elis claimed to be the wisest of the Greeks, for both at the
Olympic Games and at the other national gatherings of the Greeks he produced
poems of every style and speeches which he had composed of divers kinds, but he also
displayed other products of his — his ring, his oil-flask and strigil, his mantle, and
(p165) his girdle — boasting that he had made them all himself, displaying them to the
Greeks as a kind of firstfruits of his wisdom.
3 And Homer too, I venture to remark, has represented Odysseus, not merely as
pre-eminent and judgement and in his ability to plan concerning practical matters, not
merely as a most able speaker, whether in a crowd or before a few or before only one
person — yes, by Heaven, both in assembly and over the wine-cups and on occasions
when walking with somebody on a journey — whether in the presence of king or of
commoner, freeman or slave, no matter whether he was himself held in honour and
recognized as king or, on the other hand, unknown and a beggar, and, moreover, alike
when addressing either man or woman or maiden; but he also makes him
pre-eminent for his knowledge of the art of combat, and he has even represented him as
skilled in all such crafts as those of the joiner, the carpenter, and the shipwright. 4 For
instance, how could Odysseus have constructed his bed by cutting off the trunk of an
olive tree if he were not acquainted with the joiner's art? How could he have enclosed
his bed-chamber if he had not been acquainted with the builder's art? How could he
have built his raft if he had not understood ship-building? As for the operations
connected with planting and husbandry, he obviously had shown a serious interest in
all that from his very boyhood, since he begged his father for trees and vines; and
especially, since his father was a very careful and experienced farmer, it was to be
(p167) expected that Odysseus would not be ignorant of these matters, yes, he even
challenges Eurymachus to a contest in both reaping and ploughing. Why, Odysseus
claims to be acquainted also with such matters as cookery and wine-serving and all
other departments of domestic service, matters wherein he says that those of lower
rank serve the nobles.
5 Very well, in these respects no doubt Hippias and Odysseus were a clever pair; but
I say that the philosopher, while unable to know every one of the crafts — for it is
difficult to be thoroughly proficient in the practice of even one — nevertheless could
do everything, no matter what he might be doing, better than anybody else, even
though from the point of view of the crafts, if he really is ever compelled to tackle
anything of that nature, he is not superior when measured by the standard of
craftsmanship. For this is an impossibility, that the layman should produce anything
better than the joiner by the standard of the joiner's craft, or that one who lacks
experience in farming should be found more expert than the farmer in performing
any of the tasks of the farmer.
6 Wherein, then, would the philosopher be superior? It would be in his acting, or not
acting, advantageously, and in his knowing when to act and where and the right
moment better than the craftsman, and also in his knowing what is possible of
achievement. For instance, I believe that Daedalus did not build his Labyrinth in
Crete well — entering which his fellow citizens, both male and female, met their
death — for he did not build it justly. And besides, in abetting the malady of Pasiphaë
he wrought not (p169) rightly; for it was not advantageous nor was it just or honourable
to lend such aid or to invent devices for ends which were shameful and impious. And
even when he equipped Icarus with wings — if we are to believe the tale — I say he did
not do well to invent this device; for he was attempting the impossible when he
attached wings to a human being. Accordingly he wrought the death of his son.
7 But apparently Homer too says harsh things of a certain builder among the Trojans,
as not having done well when he built for Alexander the ships with which he sailed to
Hellas — though he has no fault to find with him on the score of craftsmanship. For
this is what he says:
"Who built for Paris well-proportioned ships,
Sources of ill",
not lauding him for his construction of the ships, but rather censuring him much
more severely than if, by saying that he had made the ships either slow or with some
other defect, he had censured him for ship-building. And Homer in similar fashion
censures also a certain huntsman and ridicules his skill, because he had acquired it
to no good purpose, but, on the contrary, while the man knew how to shoot wild
beasts, in warfare he could not hit any one but was useless because of his cowardice,
and (p171) he adds that on the occasion in question Artemis did not aid him.
8 From these illustrations, therefore, it is evident that there is need of wisdom and
virtue as applied both to what men know and also to what they do not know; and thus
it is that the prudent man, such as the philosopher should be, would in everything be
superior to all the world, whether in doing any of these things or in not doing, no
matter how he performs according to the standards of the craft. But that he will paint
better than the painter when not himself a painter; or that he will tend the sick better
than the physician, as measured by the standards of art, when himself not a
physician; or that he will sing more musically than the musicians when unacquainted
with the art of music or only slightly acquainted; or that he will show himself better
versed than the arithmeticians in the theory of numbers, or than the surveyors in
surveying, or than the farmers in planting, or than the pilots in piloting; or that he
will slaughter an animal more expeditiously than the butchers, or, should it be
necessary to cut it up, do so more expeditiously than those who have made this very
thing their profession — such things are not to be expected.
9 And yet a certain king of our times had the ambition to be wise in this sort of
wisdom, believing that he had knowledge of very many things — not, however, of
such things as do not receive applause among men, but rather those for which it is
possible to win a crown — I mean acting as a herald, singing to the cithara, reciting
tragedies, wrestling, and taking part in the pancration. Besides, they say that he could
(p173) paint and fashion statues and play the pipe, both by means of his lips and by
tucking a skin beneath his armpits with a view to avoiding the reproach of Athena!
Was he not, then, a wise man?
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