登陆注册
5214200000366

第366章

Or, lastly, is it neither the soul alone nor the body alone, but both together, which are man, the body and the soul being each a part, but the whole man being both together, as we call two horses yoked together a pair, of which pair the near and the off horse is each a part, but we do not call either of them, no matter how connected with the other, a pair, but only both together? Of these three alternatives, then, Varro chooses the third, that man is neither the body alone, nor the soul alone, but both together.And therefore the highest good, in which lies the happiness of man, is composed of goods of both kinds, both bodily and spiritual.And consequently he thinks that the primary objects of nature are to be sought for their own sake, and that virtue, which is the art of living, and can be communicated by instruction, is the most excellent of spiritual goods.This virtue, then, or art of regulating life, when it has received these primary objects of nature which existed independently of it, and prior to any instruction, seeks them all, and itself also, for its own sake; and it uses them, as it also uses itself, that from them all it may derive profit and enjoyment, greater or less, according as they are themselves greater or less; and while it takes pleasure in all of them, it despises the less that it may obtain or retain the greater when occasion demands.Now, of all goods, spiritual or bodily, there is none at all to compare with virtue.For virtue makes a good use both of itself and of all other goods in which lies man's happiness; and where it is absent, no matter how many good things a man has, they are not for his good, and consequently should not be called good things while they belong to one who makes them useless by using them badly.

The life of man, then, is called happy when it enjoys virtue and these other spiritual and bodily good things without which virtue is impossible.

It is called happier if it enjoys some or many other good things which are not essential to virtue; and happiest of all, if it lacks not one of the good things which pertain to the body and the soul.For life is not the same thing as virtue, since not every life, but a wisely regulated life, is virtue; and yet, while there can be life of some kind without virtue, there cannot be virtue without life.This I might apply to memory and reason, and such mental faculties; for these exist prior to instruction, and without them there cannot be any instruction, and consequently no virtue, since virtue is learned.But bodily advantages, such as swiftness of foot, beauty, or strength, are not essential to virtue, neither is virtue essential to them, and yet they are good things; and, according to our philosophers, even these advantages are desired by virtue for its own sake, and are used and enjoyed by it in a becoming manner.

They say that this happy life is also social, and loves the advantages of its friends as its own, and for their sake wishes for them what it desires for itself, whether these friends live in the same family, as a wife, children domestics; or in the locality where one's home is, as the citizens of the same town; or in the world at large, as the nations bound in common human brotherhood; or in the universe itself, comprehended in the heavens and the earth, as those whom they call gods, and provide as friends for the wise man, and whom we more familiarly call angels.Moreover, they say that, regarding the supreme good and evil, there is no room for doubt, and that they therefore differ from the New Academy in this respect, and they are not concerned whether a philosopher pursues those ends which they think true in the Cynic dress and manner of life or in some other.And, lastly, in regard to the three modes of life, the contemplative, the active, and the composite, they declare in favor of the third.That these were the opinions and doctrines of the Old Academy, Varro asserts on the authority of Antiochus, Cicero's master and his own, though Cicero makes him out to have been more frequently in accordance with the Stoics than with the Old Academy.But of what importance is this to us, who ought to judge the matter on its own merits, rather than to understand accurately what different men have thought about it?

CHAP.4.--WHAT THE CHRISTIANS BELIEVE REGARDINGTHE SUPREME GOOD AND EVIL, IN OPPOSITION TO THE PHILOSOPHERS, WHO HAVEMAINTAINED THAT THE SUPREME GOOD IS IN THEMSELVES.

同类推荐
  • 显道经

    显道经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 浦峰法柱栋禅师语录

    浦峰法柱栋禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 八吉祥经

    八吉祥经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 五言古

    五言古

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 金刚般若波罗蜜经破取著不坏假名论

    金刚般若波罗蜜经破取著不坏假名论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 四圣真君灵签

    四圣真君灵签

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 锦瑟无双之倾君心

    锦瑟无双之倾君心

    她是二十一世纪杀手女王,意外穿越至异世大陆相府小姐身上,一场阴谋也随之展开,入宫为婢是为了躲避追杀还是阴谋的一部分。那刀光剑影惊起了躲藏在背后的麻雀,浮萍的身世也即将揭开。他是帝凰国尊贵的寒王,两人携手面对这一场阴谋,在这乱世两人是否能一直相伴。迷雾将揭,序幕即将拉开。看他们俩如何在这乱世携手,傲视群雄,俯看天下。
  • 张岱集

    张岱集

    《张岱集(修订版)》为绝世散文家张岱的佳作选集,其内容包括《西湖十景》《蝶恋花(山水精神莺燕喜)》《葑门荷宕》《小青佛舍》《伍公祠》等。张岱散文广汲市民文化和通俗文艺的丰富养料,既雅且俗,亦庄亦谐,洋溢着十七世纪的时代气息,具有鲜明的个人特色。
  • 太子弃妃:青楼季九儿

    太子弃妃:青楼季九儿

    原来他就是当朝一手遮天的太子殿下,毒母弑兄控制着皇帝,名不正言不顺登上太子之位,他的狠他的绝情震惊天下。他玩弄政治权谋、坐拥如花美眷时,她在民间苦苦找了他整整六年,找到最后只等到一封休书……难怪他能那么轻易抛下她,一个青楼出身的低贱娘子。
  • 都市至尊花帝

    都市至尊花帝

    至尊上仙花帝与众仙在无上仙域探寻古宝落仙木的时候,被要抢夺落仙木的魔帝暗算陨落,只剩一缕神识飞出无上仙域,附在了与花帝同名的高中生凌霄身上,随后开始了一段传奇香艳的都市修仙人生。百花争艳!独揽九星!统御虹霞!踏碎虚空!看凌霄如何一路所向披靡,重返巅峰!
  • 穿越女尊之背锅

    穿越女尊之背锅

    这是一个魂穿女尊、无原主记忆的苦逼宅女被迫背上吃喝嫖赌、打架斗殴、强抢民夫……等等锅,艰难求生的故事。穿越、背锅,只为和你相遇。
  • 弃妃难宠,洞房不拜堂

    弃妃难宠,洞房不拜堂

    他娶她的那一天,万人空巷,热闹空前。她是全天下女人羡慕的对象,因为她的夫君是西凉最宠爱的贤王。他休离她的那一天,天下易主,众望所归。她成为全天下女人笑话的对象,因为她曾经的身份曝光人前。她一个青楼女子,如何能成为母仪天下的皇后?从云端跌入泥中,个中滋味只有自己知晓。再次相见,他温润一笑,她却释然颔首。听着她身后的稚童甜甜的叫她一声“娘亲”。为何他的心有刹那间的疼痛。衣袂翩然,指尖轻擦。他想握,却再也握不住……情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 不灭玄帝

    不灭玄帝

    苏家少主,从小到大受尽冷眼嘲讽,机缘巧合之下得至母亲遗留神阶玄功诛仙吞天诀,之后,凭借自身实力夺得全城最强,从那以后,他步步变强,弹指灭燕家,杀天位天才,得天阶玄魂,闯四方绝地,咬牙苦修炼,吞噬无尽玄魂,鏖战天下各族,融合各种血脉,保护最重要之人。
  • 梦魂归仙

    梦魂归仙

    修武一途唯我独尊。我叫陈丰,我生来就是奇迹!当我出生的那一刻,一切都因我而改变。记住!我喜欢虐天才…
  • 如若有你,一生何求(典藏版)

    如若有你,一生何求(典藏版)

    宋安辰和叶一生青梅竹马、两小无猜地长大,小心翼翼地喜欢彼此。而因为家庭变故,一生突然间不告而别,好像是从来没有来过他的身边。六年后,叶一生成为了一名小护士,遇上了在同一家医院的肿瘤外科医生宋安辰,宋安辰对当年一生的不告而别无法释怀,故意装作不在意,但是喜欢这种东西,即使捂住嘴巴不说,还是会从眼睛里跑出来。当两个人误会解除,原来暗生的情愫早已经深深地延伸至彼此心底。肿瘤外科医生宋安辰×单纯小护士叶一生。六年前,她因家庭变故,离开了家,也离开了隐忍爱他的宋安辰。六年后,他用一个吻,向她索取问路费,她无处可逃。暗恋你,这是让我变得卑微的原因……