第二回テキスト

---はじめ---

Neither must we forget that the Republic is but the third
part of a still larger design which was to have included an
ideal history of Athens, as well as a political and physical
philosophy. The fragment of the Critias has given birth to a
world-famous fiction, second only in importance to the tale
of Troy and the legend of Arthur; and is said as a fact to
have inspired some of the early navigators of the sixteenth
century. This mythical tale, of which the subject was a
history of the wars of the Athenians against the Island of
Atlantis, is supposed to be founded upon an unfinished poem
of Solon, to which it would have stood in the same relation
as the writings of the logographers to the poems of Homer. It
would have told of a struggle for Liberty, intended to
represent the conflict of Persia and Hellas. We may judge
from the noble commencement of the Timaeus, from the fragment
of the Critias itself, and from the third book of the Laws,
in what manner Plato would have treated this high argument.
We can only guess why the great design was abandoned; perhaps
because Plato became sensible of some incongruity in a
fictitious history, or because he had lost his interest in
it, or because advancing years forbade the completion of it;
and we may please ourselves with the fancy that had this
imaginary narrative ever been finished, we should have found
Plato himself sympathizing with the struggle for Hellenic
independence, singing a hymn of triumph over Marathon and
Salamis, perhaps making the reflection of Herodotus where he
contemplates the growth of the Athenian empire--"How brave a
thing is freedom of speech, which has made the Athenians so
far exceed every other state of Hellas in greatness!" or,
more probably, attributing the victory to the ancient good
order of Athens and to the favor of Apollo and Athene.

---終わり---

> 第二回テキスト
>
> ---はじめ---
>
> Neither must we forget that the Republic is but the third
> part of a still larger design which was to have included an
> ideal history of Athens, as well as a political and physical
> philosophy.

　また、私たちは、「国家」は政治的自然的哲学だけでなくアテネの理想的な
歴史を含むはずであったさらに大きな計画の第３部に過ぎないと言うことを忘
れてはならない。

> The fragment of the Critias has given birth to a
> world-famous fiction, second only in importance to the tale
> of Troy and the legend of Arthur; and is said as a fact to
> have inspired some of the early navigators of the sixteenth
> century.

　クリティアスの断片は、重要性においてはトロイの物語やアーサー王伝説に
次ぐ世界中に知られるフィクションを生み出した。そして、１６世紀の初期の
何人かの航海者たちにインスピレーションを与えた事実として語られる。

> This mythical tale, of which the subject was a
> history of the wars of the Athenians against the Island of
> Atlantis, is supposed to be founded upon an unfinished poem
> of Solon, to which it would have stood in the same relation
> as the writings of the logographers to the poems of Homer.

　この神話的物語、その主題はアテネ人のアトランティス島との戦いの歴史で
あるが、それはソロンの終わりのない詩に基づいているように思える。それは
ホメロスの詩と散文史家の著作との関係と同じ関係にあっただろう。

> It
> would have told of a struggle for Liberty, intended to
> represent the conflict of Persia and Hellas.

　それはペルシアとギリシアとの衝突を描こうと意図した「自由」への闘争を
語っていただろう。

> We may judge
> from the noble commencement of the Timaeus, from the fragment
> of the Critias itself, and from the third book of the Laws,
> in what manner Plato would have treated this high argument.

　私たちは、プラトンがこの高度な議論をどのように扱っていたかを「ティマ
イオス」の高貴な始まりから、「クリティアス」そのものの断片から、そして
「法律」の第三書から判断することができる。

> We can only guess why the great design was abandoned; perhaps
> because Plato became sensible of some incongruity in a
> fictitious history, or because he had lost his interest in
> it, or because advancing years forbade the completion of it;

　私たちは、なぜその偉大な計画が破棄されたのか推測しかできないが、恐ら
く、プラトンは架空の歴史に何らか適切でないものを感じ取るようになってい
たからか、それに対する関心を失ったか、年が経つことでそれを完成すること
ができなくなったからであろう。

> and we may please ourselves with the fancy that had this
> imaginary narrative ever been finished, we should have found
> Plato himself sympathizing with the struggle for Hellenic
> independence,

　また、私たちは、この想像上の話を完成させた空想力に満足するかもしれな
いが、私たちは、プラトン自身はギリシアの独立への闘争に共感していたこと
を見出すべきであった。

> singing a hymn of triumph over Marathon and
> Salamis, perhaps making the reflection of Herodotus where he
> contemplates the growth of the Athenian empire--"How brave a
> thing is freedom of speech, which has made the Athenians so
> far exceed every other state of Hellas in greatness!" or,
> more probably, attributing the victory to the ancient good
> order of Athens and to the favor of Apollo and Athene.

　マラトンとサラミスでの勝利の賛歌を歌い、恐らく、そこでは、彼はアテネ
帝国の成長を深く思考しているだろうが、ヘロドトスのことを思い出しながら
--「言論の自由は、如何に勇敢なことだろう。それがアテネの人々をギリシア
の他のどのポリスよりも偉大さにおいて遙かに凌ぐことになったのだ」、ある
いは、一層可能性のあることだが、その勝利をアテネの古代のよき秩序とアポ
ロンとアテーネーのご加護によるものだとして。

> ---終わり---