Texte grec :
| [3,60] <60> εἰ δὲ δεῖ τὰς αὐτὰς μὲν φροντίδας ἔχειν ἢ καὶ πλείους, πολὺ δὲ
μείζους ἀσχολίας, ὁμοίως δὲ εὐλαβεῖσθαι τὰς ἡδονάς, ὁμοίως δὲ
τοὺς κινδύνους ὑπομένειν, πόσῳ γε κρεῖττον μετὰ δικαιοσύνης καὶ
ἀρετῆς ἢ μετὰ πονηρίας καὶ ἀδικίας πάντα ταῦτα ἐπιτηδεύειν, καὶ
μετὰ ἐπαίνου {φαίνεσθαι τοιοῦτον} ἢ μετὰ ψόγου, ἀγαπώμενον
μὲν ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπων, ἀγαπώμενον δὲ ὑπὸ θεῶν, ἢ τοὐναντίον μισούμενον;
<61> καὶ τοίνυν τὸ μὲν παρὸν βραχύ τι τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ καὶ ἀσυλλόγιστον,
κατέχει δὲ τοῦ βίου τὸ πλεῖστον ἡ μνήμη τῶν προγεγονότων καὶ ἡ τῶν
μελλόντων ἐλπίς. πότερον οὖν τοῖν ἀνδροῖν ἡγώμεθα
εὐφραίνειν τὴν μνήμην καὶ πότερον ἀνιᾶν, καὶ πότερον θαρρύνειν τὰς
ἐλπίδας καὶ πότερον ἐκπλήττειν; οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡδίονα ἀνάγκη τὸν βίον
εἶναι τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ βασιλέως.
(62) ὁρᾷς γὰρ ὅτι πανταχοῦ τὸ βέλτιον τοῦ ἥττονος ἔταξεν ὁ θεὸς προνοεῖν
τε καὶ ἄρχειν, οἷον τέχνην μὲν ἀτεχνίας, ἀσθενείας δὲ δύναμιν, τοῦ δὲ ἀνοήτου
τὸ φρόνιμον προνοεῖν καὶ προβουλεύειν ἐποίησεν.
ἐν πάσαις δὲ ταύταις ταῖς ἐπιμελείαις τὸ ἄρχειν οὐδαμῶς ῥᾴθυμον, ἀλλὰ
ἐπίπονον, οὐδὲ πλεονεκτοῦν ἀνέσεως καὶ σχολῆς, ἀλλὰ φροντίδων καὶ πόνων.
(63) αὐτίκα ἐν νηὶ ἐπιβάταις ἔξεστιν ἀμελεῖν
καὶ μηδὲ ὁρᾶν τὴν θάλατταν, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ ὅποι γῆς εἰσι, τὸ τοῦ
λόγου, τοῦτο εἰδέναι· καὶ πολλοὶ τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον πλέουσι ταῖς
εὐδίαις, οἱ μὲν πεττεύοντες, οἱ δὲ ᾄδοντες, οἱ δὲ εὐωχούμενοι δι´
ἡμέρας· ὅταν δὲ καταλάβῃ χειμών, ἐγκαλυψάμενοι περιμένουσι τὸ
συμβησόμενον· οἱ δέ τινες καθυπνώσαντες οὐδὲ ἀνέστησαν, ἕως
ἐγένοντο ἐν τῷ λιμένι.
(64) τῷ κυβερνήτῃ δὲ ἀνάγκη μὲν ὁρᾶν πρὸς
τὸ πέλαγος, ἀνάγκη δὲ ἀποβλέπειν εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, ἀνάγκη δὲ
προσκοπεῖν τὴν γῆν· οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ βυθῷ χρὴ λανθάνειν
αὐτόν, ἢ λήσεται περιπεσὼν ὑφάλοις πέτραις ἢ ἀδήλοις ἕρμασι·
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Traduction française :
| [3,60] Therefore, if the unjust ruler must have the same
anxieties as the otheror even moreand much
more exacting toil, if he must equally steel himself
against pleasure, must equally face danger, how much
better it is for him to show justice and virtue rather
than wickedness and injustice in doing all this, to
win credit rather than censure for his acts, to have
the love of men and gods instead of their hate ?
Besides, man's present is short and uncertain; the
most of his life is filled with remembrance of the past
and expectation of the future. Which, therefore, of
the two men do we think finds joy in remembrance,
and which remorse ? Which do we think is encouraged
by his expectations and which dismayed ?
Therefore of necessity the life of the good king is
more pleasant also.
(62) Once more, you see that God has everywhere
appointed the superior to care for and rule over the
inferior : skill, for instance, over unskilfulness, strength
over weakness ; and for the foolish he has made the
wise to have care and thought, to watch and plan ;
and with all these responsibilities governing is by no
means easy ; nay, it is laborious and does not get the
greater share of relaxation and ease, but rather of
care and toil. Thus, on board ship the passengers
may disregard the sea and not even look at it ; yes,
not even know " where on earth they are," as the
saying isand many do sail the sea after this fashion
in fair weather, some gambling, some singing, some
feasting the livelong day. Then when a storm comes
on, they wrap themselves up and await the event,
while some few retire and do not rise from their beds
until they reach port. But the pilothe must look
out to sea, must scan the sky, must see the land in
time ; nay, nor should what is in the depths escape
him either, else he will unexpectedly strike submerged
rocks or hidden reefs.
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