Furthermore (I appeal to you, Niceratus),[60] Homer makes Achilles avenge Patroclus in that brilliant fashion, not as his favourite, but as his comrade.[61] Yes, and Orestes and Pylades,[62] Theseus and Peirithous,[63] with many another noble pair of demigods, are celebrated as having wrought in common great and noble deeds, not because they lay inarmed, but because of the admiration they felt for one another.
[60] As an authority on Homer.
[61] Cf. Plat. "Symp." 179 E: "The notion that Patroclus was the beloved one is a foolish error into which Aeschylus has fallen," etc. (in his "Myrmidons"). See J. A. Symonds, "The Greek Poets," 2nd series, "Achilles," p. 66 foll.
[62] Concerning whom Ovid ("Pont." iii. 2. 70) says, "nomina fama tenet."
[63] See Plut. "Thes." 30 foll. (Clough, i. p. 30 foll.); cf. Lucian, xli. "Toxaris," 10.
Nay, take the fair deeds of to-day: and you shall find them wrought rather for the sake of praise by volunteers in toil and peril, than by men accustomed to choose pleasure in place of honour. And yet Pausanias,[64] the lover of the poet Agathon,[65] making a defence in behalf[66] of some who wallow in incontinence, has stated that an army composed of lovers and beloved would be invincible.[67] These, in his opinion, would, from awe of one another, have the greatest horror of destruction. A truly marvellous argument, if he means that men accustomed to turn deaf ears to censure and to behave to one another shamelessly, are more likely to feel ashamed of doing a shameful deed. He adduced as evidence the fact that the Thebans and the Eleians[68] recognise the very principle, and added: Though they sleep inarmed, they do not scruple to range the lover side by side with the beloved one in the field of battle. An instance which I take to be no instance, or at any rate one-sided,[69] seeing that what they look upon as lawful with us is scandalous.[70] Indeed, it strikes me that this vaunted battle-order would seem to argue some mistrust on their part who adopt it--a suspicion that their bosom friends, once separated from them, may forget to behave as brave men should. But the men of Lacedaemon, holding that "if a man but lay his hand upon the body and for lustful purpose, he shall thereby forfeit claim to what is beautiful and noble"--do, in the spirit of their creed, contrive to mould and fashion their "beloved ones" to such height of virtue,[71] that should these find themselves drawn up with foreigners, albeit no longer side by side with their own lovers,[72] conscience will make desertion of their present friends impossible. Self-respect constrains them: since the goddess whom the men of Lacedaemon worship is not "Shamelessness," but "Reverence."[73]
[64] See Cobet, "Pros. Xen." p. 15; Plat. "Protag." 315 D; Ael. "V. H." ii. 21.
[65] Ib.; Aristot. "Poet." ix.
[66] Or, "in his 'Apology' for."
[67] Plat. "Symp." 179 E, puts the sentiment into the mouth of Phaedrus: "And if there were only some way of contriving that a state or an army should be made up of lovers and their loves, they would be the very best governors of their own city, abstaining from all dishonour, and emulating one another in honour; and when fighting at one another's side, although not a mere handful, they would overcome the world. For what lover would not choose rather to be seen by all mankind than by his beloved, either when abandoning his post or throwing away his arms? He would be ready to die a thousand deaths rather than endure this. Or would desert his beloved or fail him in the hour of danger? The veriest coward would become an inspired hero, equal to the bravest, at such a time; Love would inspire him. That courage which, as Homer says, the god breathes into the soul of heroes, Love of his own nature infuses into the lover" (Jowett). Cf. "Hunting," xii. 20; "Anab." VII. iv. 7; "Cyrop." VII. i. 30.
[68] Sc. in their institutions. Cf. Plat. "Symp." 182, "in Elis and Boeotia"; "Pol. Lac." ii. 13; Ael. "V. H." iii. 12, xiii. 5; Athen. xiii. 2. For the Theban Sacred Band see Plut. "Pelop." 18, 19 (Clough, ii. 218).
[69] Or, "not in pari materia, so to speak."
[70] Is not Xenophon imputing himself to Socrates? Henkel cf. Plat. "Crito," 52 E. See Newman, op. cit. i. 396.
[71] Or, "shape to so fine a manhood that . . ."
[72] Reading {en te aute taxei}. Al. {. . . polei}, transl. "nor indeed in the same city." Cf. "Hell." V. iv. 33, re death of Cleonymus at Leuctra.
[73] Lit. "Aidos not Anaideia." See Paus. "Lac." xx. 10; "Attica," xvii. 1; Cic. "de Leg." ii. 11, a reference which I owe to M. Eugene Talbot, "Xen." i. 236.
I fancy we should all agree with one another on the point in question, if we thus approached it. Ask yourself to which type of the two must he[74] accord, to whom you would entrust a sum of money, make him the guardian of your children, look to find in him a safe and sure depositary of any favour?[75] For my part, I am certain that the very lover addicted to external beauty would himself far sooner have his precious things entrusted to the keeping of one who has the inward beauty of the soul.[76]
[74] He (the master-mistress of my passion).
[75] {kharitas} = "kindly offices," beneficia. Cf. "Ages." iv. 4; "Mem." IV. iv. 17. Al. = delicias, "to deposit some darling object."
[76] Or, "some one truly lovable in soul and heart."
Ah, yes! and you, my friend (he turned to Callias), you have good reason to be thankful to the gods who of their grace inspired you with love for your Autolycus. Covetous of honour,[77] beyond all controversy, must he be, who could endure so many toils and pains to hear his name proclaimed[78] victor in the "pankration."
[77] See "Mem." II. iii. 16; "Isocr." 189 C, {ph. kai megalopsukhoi}.
[78] i.e. "by the public herald."
But what if the thought arose within him:[79] his it is not merely to add lustre to himself and to his father, but that he has ability, through help of manly virtue, to benefit his friends and to exalt his fatherland, by trophies which he will set up against our enemies in war,[80] whereby he will himself become the admired of all observers, nay, a name to be remembered among Hellenes and barbarians.[81] Would he not in that case, think you, make much of[82] one whom he regarded as his bravest fellow-worker, laying at his feet the greatest honours?
[79] Cf. Theogn. 947:
{patrida kosmeso, liparen polin, out' epi demo trepsas out' adikois andrasi peithomenos}.
[80] Who in 421 B.C. were of course the Lacedaemonians and the allies. Autolycus was killed eventually by the Thirty to please the Lacedaemonian harmost. See Plut. "Lysand." 15 (Clough, iii. 120); Paus. i. 18. 3; ix. 32. 8. Cf. "Hell." II. iii. 14.
[81] Cf. "Anab." IV. i. 20; "Mem." III. vi. 2.
[82] {periepein}. Cf. "Cyrop." IV. iv. 12; "Mem." II. ix. 5.
If, then, you wish to be well-pleasing in his eyes, you had best inquire by what knowledge Themistocles[83] was able to set Hellas free. You should ask yourself, what keen wit belonged to Pericles[83] that he was held to be the best adviser of his fatherland. You should scan[84] the field of history to learn by what sage wisdom Solon[85] established for our city her consummate laws. I would have you find the clue to that peculiar training by which the men of Lacedaemon have come to be regarded as the best of leaders.[86] Is it not at your house that their noblest citizens are lodged as representatives of a foreign state?[87]
[83] See "Mem." II. vi. 13; III. vi. 2; IV. ii. 2.
[84] For the diction, {skepteon, skepteon, aphreteon, ereuneteon, epistamenos, eidos, philosopheras}, Xenophon's rhetorical style imitates the {orthoepeia} of Prodicus.
[85] See "Econ." xiv. 4.
[86] Or, "won for themselves at all hands the reputation of noblest generalship." Cf. "Ages." i. 3; "Pol. Lac." xiv. 3.
[87] Reading as vulg. {proxenoi d' ei . . .} or if with Schenkl, {proxenos d' ei . . .} transl. "You are their consul-general; at your house their noblest citizens are lodged from time to time." As to the office, cf. Dem. 475. 10; 1237. 17; Thuc. ii. 29; Boeckh, "P. E. A." 50. Callias appears as the Lac. {proxenos} ("Hell." V. iv. 22) 378 B.C., and at Sparta, 371 B.C., as the peace commissioner ("Hell." VI. iii. 3).
Be sure that our state of Athens would speedily entrust herself to your direction were you willing.[88] Everything is in your favour. You are of noble family, "eupatrid" by descent, a priest of the divinities,[89] and of Erechtheus' famous line,[90] which with Iacchus marched to encounter the barbarian.[91] And still, at the sacred festival to-day, it is agreed that no one among your ancestors has ever been more fitted to discharge the priestly office than yourself; yours a person the goodliest to behold in all our city, and a frame adapted to undergo great toils.
[88] Cf. "Mem." III. vii.
[89] i.e. Demeter and Core. Callias (see "Hell." VI. l.c.) was dadouchos (or torch-holder) in the mysteries.
[90] Or, "whose rites date back to Erechtheus." Cf. Plat. "Theag." 122.
[91] At Salamis. The tale is told by Herod. viii. 65, and Plut. "Themist." 15; cf. Polyaen. "Strat." iii. 11. 2. Just as Themistocles had won the battle of Salamis by help of Iacchus on the 16th Boedromion, the first day of the mysteries, so Chabrias won the sea-fight of Naxos by help of the day itself, {to 'Alade mustai}, 376 B.C.
But if I seem to any of you to indulge a vein more serious than befits the wine-cup, marvel not. It has long been my wont to share our city's passion for noble-natured souls, alert and emulous in pursuit of virtue.
He ended, and, while the others continued to discuss the theme of his discourse, Autolycus sat regarding Callias. That other, glancing the while at the beloved one, turned to Socrates.
Call. Then, Socrates, be pleased, as go-between,[92] to introduce me to the state, that I may employ myself in state affairs and never lapse from her good graces.[93]
[92] Lit. "as pander."
[93] So Critobulus in the conversation so often referred to. "Mem." II. vi.
Never fear (he answered), if only people see your loyalty to virtue is genuine,[94] not of mere repute. A false renown indeed is quickly seen for what it is worth, being tested; but true courage[95] (save only what some god hinder) perpetually amidst the storm and stress of circumstance[96] pours forth a brighter glory.
[94] See "Mem." I. vii. 1, passim; II. vi. 39; "Econ." x. 9.
[95] Cf. Thuc. ii. 42, {andragathia}, "true courage in the public service covers a multitude of private shortcomings."
[96] {en tais praxesi}. Cf. Plat. "Phaedr." 271 D, "in actual life."
IX
On such a note he ended his discourse.
At that, Autolycus, whose hour for walking exercise had now come, arose. His father, Lycon, was about to leave the room along with him, but before so doing, turned to Socrates, remarking:
By Hera, Socrates, if ever any one deserved the appellation "beautiful and good,"[1] you are that man!
[1] For {kalos ge kalathos} see "Econ." vii. 2 and passim.
So the pair departed. After they were gone, a sort of throne was first erected in the inner room abutting on the supper chamber. Then the Syracusan entered, with a speech:
With your good pleasure, sirs, Ariadne is about to enter the bridal chamber set apart for her and Dionysus. Anon Dionysus will appear, fresh from the table of the gods, wine-flushed, and enter to his bride. In the last scene the two will play[2] with one another.
[2] {paixountai}. The Syracusan naturally uses the Doric form. See Cobet, "Pros. Xen." p. 16, note 23. Rutherford, "N. Phrynicus," p. 91.
He had scarce concluded, when Ariadne entered, attired like a bride. She crossed the stage and sate herself upon the throne. Meanwhile, before the god himself appeared a sound of flutes was heard; the
cadence of the Bacchic air proclaimed his coming.
At this point the company broke forth in admiration of the ballet- master. For no sooner did the sound of music strike upon the ear of Ariadne than something in her action revealed to all the pleasure which it caused her. She did not step forward to meet her lover, she did not rise even from her seat; but the flutter of her unrest was plain to see.[3]
[3] Lit. "the difficulty she had to keep so still was evident."
When Dionysus presently caught sight of her he loved, lightly he danced towards her, and with show of tenderest passion gently reclined upon her knees; his arms entwined about her lovingly, and upon her lips he sealed a kiss;[4]--she the while with most sweet bashfulness was fain to wind responsive arms about her lover; till the banqueters, the while they gazed all eyes, clapped hands and cried "Encore!" But when Dionysus rose upon his feet, and rising lifted Ariadne to her full height, the action of those lovers as they kissed and fondled one another was a thing to contemplate.[5] As to the spectators, they could see that Dionysus was indeed most beautiful, and Ariadne like some lovely blossom; nor were those mocking gestures, but real kisses sealed on loving lips; and so,[6] with hearts aflame, they gazed expectantly. They could hear the question asked by Dionysus, did she love him? and her answer, as prettily she swore she did. And withal so earnestly, not Dionysus only, but all present, had sworn an oath in common: the boy and girl were verily and indeed a pair of happy lovers. So much less did they resemble actors, trained to certain gestures, than two beings bent on doing what for many a long day they had set their hearts on.
[4] Or, "and encircling his arms about her impressed upon her lips a kiss."
[5] Or, "then was it possible to see the more than mimic gestures."
[6] Or, "on the tiptoe of excitement." Cf. "Hell." III. i. 14, iv. 2.
At last when these two lovers, caught in each other's arms, were seen to be retiring to the nuptial couch, the members of the supper party turned to withdraw themselves; and whilst those of them who were unmarried swore that they would wed, those who were wedded mounted their horses and galloped off to join their wives, in quest of married joys.
