Texte grec :
| [35,3] ἀλλ´ ἐγὼ δέδοικα μὴ οὐδὲν ᾖ τοῖς ἀνοήτοις ὄφελος τοῦ κομᾶν,
{ὥσπερ οὐκ ἔστιν,} οὐδ´ ἂν τὴν καρδίαν αὐτὴν γένωνται δασεῖς, καθάπερ
Ἀριστομένη τὸν Μεσσήνιόν φασιν, ὃς πλεῖστα Λακεδαιμονίοις πράγματα
παρέσχε, καὶ πολλάκις ἁλοὺς ἀπέδρα {παρ´ αὐτῶν}, τοῦτον, ἐπεὶ δή ποτε
ἀπέθανεν, οὕτως ἔχοντα εὑρεθῆναι. φημὶ τοίνυν οὐδὲν ὄφελος εἶναι
τοῖς γυμνῆσι τούτοις, {οὐδ´ ἂν πελτασταὶ γένωνται}, πρός γε τὸ
δίκαιον καὶ σωφροσύνην ἀληθῆ καὶ φρόνησιν, οὐδ´ ἂν ἔτι μᾶλλον
ἀποδύσωνται καὶ γυμνοὶ περιτρέχωσι τοῦ χειμῶνος ἢ τὴν Μήδων
καὶ Ἀράβων στολὴν λάβωσιν, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ αὐλεῖν ἱκανοὶ ἔσονται
τὰ τῶν αὐλητῶν ἐνδεδυκότες. οὐδὲ γὰρ τοὺς ὄνους ἵππους γενέσθαι
δυνατόν, οὐδ´ ἂν ἔτι πλέον τὰς ῥῖνας ἀνατμηθῶσιν, οὐδ´
ἂν τὰς γνάθους τρήσαντες αὐτῶν ψάλιον ἐμβάλωσιν, οὐδὲ ἂν ἀφέλῃ
τις τὰ σάγματα· ἀλλὰ ὀγκήσονται πρὸ τῶν τειχῶν πάνυ μέγα καὶ
τἄλλα ποιήσουσι τὰ πρέποντα αὐτοῖς.
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Traduction française :
| [35,3] However, I fear that fools get no good from their
long hair, not even if they get shaggy to the very heart
— as in the case of Aristomenes, the Messenian, who
caused a deal of trouble for the Spartans, and who,
though taken captive many times, always managed
to escape from them— he, we are told, when at
last he met his death, was found to be in that
condition. I claim, therefore, that these nude
philosophers get no good from their shagginess —
not even if they should join the light infantry-
at least with regard to justice and true sobriety and
wisdom, nay, not even if they should strip off still
more clothing and run about stark naked in winter
time, or else adopt the garb of Medes and Arabs;
just as they will not acquire proficiency with the
flute by merely donning the costume of flautists.
Neither can asses become horses even if they have
their nostrils slit still more, or even if they have
their jaws bored and a curb-chain placed between
their teeth, or even if their pack-saddles are taken
from them; nay, they will still bray before the
walls right lustily and perform the other acts that
befit their nature.
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