Address to Young Men on Reading Greek Literature (De legendis gentilium libris) · Part 2

mean by the god, inclines the balances for men, now this way, now that, giving to some riches, and to others poverty.^ Also Prodicus, the sophist of Ceos,^ whose opinion we must respect, for he is a man not to be slighted, somewhere in his writings expressed similar ideas about virtue and vice. I do not remember the exact words, but as far as I recollect the sentiment, in plain prose it ran somewhat as follows: While Hercules was yet a youth, being about your age, as he was debating which path he should choose, the one lead- ing through toil to virtue, or its easier alternate, two women appeared before him, who proved to be Virtue and Vice, Though they said not a word, the difference between them was at once apparent from their mien. The one had arranged herself to please the eye, while she exhaled charms, and a multitude of delights swarmed in her train. With such a display, and promising still more, she sought to allure Hercules to her side. The other, wasted and squalid, looked fixedly at him, and bespoke quite another thing. For she promised nothing easy or engaging, but rather infinite toils and hardships, and perils in every land and on every sea. As a reward for these trials, he was to become a god, so our author has it. The latter, Hercules at length followed.^

VI

Almost all who have written upon the subject of wisdom have more or less, in proportion to their several abilities, extolled virtue in their writings. Such men must one obey, and must try to realize their words in his life. For he, who by his works exemplifies the wisdom which with others is

' Gnomes 157-158.

' 'A celebrated sophist of the fifth century, B.C. He was accustomed to travel through Greece, delivering lectures for money. He paid special attention to the correct use of words. Although severely criti- cised by the other sophists, he is mentioned with respect by Xenophon and Plato, the former of whom has preserved, in The Choice of Her- cules, the story here used by St. Basil.' ^ See Xenophon, Memorab. ii. I. 22; Cicero, De Off. i. 32; Chrysostom, Regnum; Lucian, Somnium.

The Right Use of Greek Literature

a matter of theory alone, 'breathes; all others flutter about like shadows.'^ I think it is as if a painter should represent some marvel of manly beauty, and the subject should actually be such a man as the artist pictures on the canvas. To praise virtue in public with brilliant words and with long drawn out speeches, while in private preferring pleas- ures to temperance, and self-interest to justice, finds an analogy on the stage, for the players frequently appear as kings and rulers, though they are neither, nor perhaps even genuinely free men. A musician would hardly put up with a lyre which was out of tune, nor a choregus with a chorus not singing in perfect harmony. But every man is divided against himself who does not make his life conform to his words, but who says with Euripides, 'The mouth indeed hath sworn, but the heart knows no oath.'^ Such a man will seek the appearance of virtue rather than the reality. But to seem to be good when one is not so, is, if we are to respect the opinion of Plato* at all, the very height of injustice.

VII

After this wise, then, are we to receive those words from the pagan authors which contain suggestions of the virtues. But since also the renowned deeds of the men of old either are preserved for us by tradition, or are cherished in the pages of poet or historian, we must not fail to profit by them. A fellow of the street rabble once kept taunting Pericles, but he, meanwhile, gave no heed; and they held out all day, the fellow deluging him with reproaches, but he, for his part, not caring. Then when it was evening and dusk, and the fellow still clung to him, Pericles escorted him with a light, in order that he might not fail in the

' Odys. X. 495.

^ Hippolytus 612; see Cicero, De Off. 3. 29. 108: 'Juravi lingua, mentem injuratam gero.'

^Rep. ii, 361; see Cicero, De Off. i. 13. 41: ' Totius autem injustitiae nulla capitalior est quam eorum qui quum maxime fallunt, id agunt, ut viri boni esse videantur;' Plutarch, Flatterer and Friend /^.

The Right Use of Greek Literature

practice of philosophy.^ Again, a man in a passion threat- ened and vowed death to EucHd of Megara,- but he in turn vowed that the man should surely be appeased, and cease from his hostility to him.

How invaluable it is to have such examples in mind when a man is seized with anger! On the other hand, one must altogether ignore the tragedy which says in so many words: 'Anger arms the hand against the enemy;'* for it is much better not to give way to anger at all. But if such restraint is not easy, we shall at least curb our anger by reflection, so as not to give it too much rein.

But let us bring our discussion back again to the exam- ples of noble deeds. A certain man once kept striking Socrates, the son of Sophroniscus, in the face, yet he did not resent it, but allowed full play to the ruffian's anger, so that his face was swollen and bruised from the blows. Then when he stopped striking him, Socrates did nothing more than write on his forehead, as an artisan on a statue, who did it, and thus took out his revenge. Since these examples almost coincide with our teachings, I hold that such men are worthy of emulation. For this conduct of Socrates is akin to the precept that to him who smites you upon the one cheek, you shall turn the other also* — thus much may you be avenged; the conduct of Pericles and of Euclid also conforms to the precept: 'Submit to those who persecute you, and endure their wrath with meekness;'^ and to the other: 'Pray for your enemies and curse them not.'^ One who has been instructed in the pagan examples will no longer hold the Christian precepts impracticable. But I will not overlook the conduct of Alexander, who, on taking captive the daughters of Darius, who were reputed to be of surpassing beauty, would not even look at them, for he deemed it unworthy of one who was a conqueror of men

' See Plutarch, Li/e of Pericles v, from which the story is taken.

'See Plutarch, Concerning the Cure of Anger 14.

' Sommer notes that St. Basil has not quoted Euripides correctly; St. Basil reads: 'Ett" kxOpovg Ov/ibg SttM^si x^P'^', but Euripides: 'A7r?Mvg kir kyfipdig (mM^Eiv x^P<^- ■'Matt. v. 39. 'Ibid. v. 44. *Ibid.

The Right Use of Greek Literature

to be a slave to women.^ This is of a piece with the state- ment that he who looks upon a woman to lust after her, even though he does not commit the act of adultery, is not free from its guilt, since he has entertained impure thoughts.^ It is hard to believe that the action of Cleinias,^ one of the disciples of Pythagoras, was in accidental conformity to our teachings, and not designed imitation of them. What, then, was this act of his? By taking an oath he could have avoided a fine of three talents, yet rather than do so he paid the fine, though he could have sworn truthfully. I am in- clined to think that he had heard of the precept which for- bids us to swear.*

VIII

But let us return to the same thought with which we started, namely, that we should not accept everything with- out discrimination, but only what is useful. For it would be shameful should we reject injurious foods, yet should take no thought about the studies which nourish our souls, but as a torrent should sweep along all that came near our path and appropriate it. If the helmsman does not blindly abandon his ship to the winds, but guides it toward the anchorage; if the archer shoots at his mark; if also the metal-worker or the carpenter seeks to produce the objects for which his craft exists, would there be rime or reason in our being outclassed by these men, mere artisans as they are, in quick appreciation of our interests? For is there not some end in the artisan's work, is there not a goal in human life, which the one who would not wholly resemble unrea- soning animals must keep before him in all his words and deeds? If there were no intelligence sitting at the tiller of our souls, like boats without ballast we should be borne hither and thither through life, without plan or purpose.

An analogy may be found in the athletic contests, or, if

' See Plutarch, Of the Fortune or Virtue of Alexander the Great ii. 6 and 12; Life of Alexander; Arrian, Exped. of Alex. i\. 12. The same story is told of Cyrus in the Cyropaedia. See p. 84.

* Matt. V. 28. ' A contemporary and friend of Plato.

*Lev. xix. 12, or Deut. v. 11.

The Right Use of Greek Literature

you will, in the musical contests; for the contestants pre- pare themselves by a preliminary training for those events in which wreaths of victory are offered, and no one by training for wrestling or for the pancratium would get ready to play the lyre or the flute. At least Polydamas^ would not, for before the Olympic games he was wont to bring the rushing chariot to a halt, and thus hardened himself. Then Milo^ could not be thrust from his smeared shield, but, shoved as he was, clung to it as firmly as statues soldered by lead. In a word, by their training they prepared themselves for the contests. If they had meddled with the airs of Marsyas or of Olympus, the Phrygians,^ abandoning dust and exer- cise, would they have won ready laurels or crowns, or would they have escaped being laughed at for their bodily incapacity? On the other hand, certainly Timotheus the musician* did not spend his time in the schools for wrest- ling, for then it would not have been his to excel all in music, he who was so skilled in his art that at his pleasure he could arouse the passions of men by his harsh and vehement strains, and then by gentle ones, quiet and soothe them. By this art, when once he played Phrygian airs on the flute to Alexander, he is said to have incited the general to arms in the midst of feasting, and then, by milder music, to have restored him to his carousing friends.'' Such power to compass one's end, either in music or in athletic contests, is developed by practice.

I have called to mind the wreaths and the fighters. These

' ' Of Scotussa, conquered in the Pancratium at the Olympic games in Ol. 93, B.C. 408. His size was immense, and the most marvelous stories are related of his strength, how he killed without arms a huge and fierce lion on Mount Olympus, etc' See Pausanias vi. 5; Persius i, 4.

* Of Crotona. He was six times victor in wrestling at the Olympic games, and as often at the Pythian. He is said to have carried a four- year-old heifer on his shoulders through the stadium at Olympia, and then to have eaten the whole of it in a single day. See Pausanias vi. 14.

* Olympus was the pupil of Marsyas, Schol. in Aristoph Eq. 9; see also Plutarch, Concerning Music ii; Arist., Pol. viii. 5. 6.

* A celebrated flute-player of Thebes.

* See Plutarch, Of the Fortune or Virtue of Alexander the Great ii. 2; Cicero, Legg. 2. 12; Dryden, Alexander" s Feast.

The Right Use of Greek Literature

men endure hardships beyond number, they use every means to increase their strength, they sweat ceaselessly at their training, they accept many blows from the master, they adopt the mode of life which he prescribes, though it is most unpleasant, and, in a word, they so rule all their conduct that their whole life before the contest is prepara- tory to it. Then they strip themselves for the arena, and endure all and risk all, to receive the crown of olive, or of parsley, or some other branch, and to be announced by the herald as victor.^

Will it then be possible for us, to whom are held out rewards so wondrous in number and in splendor that tongue can not recount them, while we are fast asleep and leading care-free lives, to make these our own by half-hearted efforts? Surely, were an idle life a very commendable thing, Sardana- palus^ would take the first prize, or Margites^ if you will, whom Homer, if indeed the poem is by Homer, put down as neither a farmer, nor a vine-dresser, nor anything else that is useful. Is there not rather truth in the maxim of Pitta- cus* which says, 'It is hard to be good?'^ For after we have

' See I Cor. ix. 24-27.

* 'According to an inaccurate classical tradition, the last king of Assy- ria. He was noted for eflFeminacy and voluptuousness, and in order to escape falling into the hands of the besiegers of Nineveh, ended his worthless life by burning himself in his palace. It seems certain that the original of Sardanapalus is Asshurbanipal, King of Assyria, 668- 626 B.C.'