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| タイトル | ： 第二回 |
| 投稿日 | ： 2003/09/27(Sat) 10:48 |
| 投稿者 | ： 惣田正明 <vem13077@> |
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---