§15ὅταν οὖν οὕτως ἀρχώμεθα τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐρᾶν, ὥστε μὴ μόνον κατὰ Πλάτωνα μακάριον μὲν αὐτὸν ἡγεῖσθαι τὸν σώφρονα,
μακάριον δὲ τὸν ξυνήκοον τῶν ἐκ τοῦ σωφρονοῦντος στόματος ἰόντων λόγων,
ἀλλὰ καὶ σχῆμα καὶ βάδισμα καὶ βλέμμα καὶ μειδίαμα θαυμάζοντες αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀγαπῶντες οἷον συναρμόττειν καὶ συγκολλᾶν ἑαυτοὺς ὦμεν πρόθυμοι, τότε χρὴ νομίζειν ἀληθῶς προκόπτειν.
Therefore, when we begin to love good men in such a way that, not only according to Plato, we deem the temperate man himself happy, and happy also the one who listens to the words that come from the temperate mouth, but we also admire and love his appearance, carriage, look, and smile, so as to be eager to fit and glue ourselves to him, then indeed we must believe that we are truly making progress.
ἔτι δὲ μᾶλλον, ἂν μὴ μόνον εὐημεροῦντας τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς θαυμάζωμεν, ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ οἱ ἐρῶντες καὶ τραυλότητας ἀσπάζονται τῶν ἐν ὥρᾳ καὶ ὠχρότητας, τῆς δὲ Πανθείας καὶ δάκρυα καὶ κατήφεια πενθούσης ἄρα καὶ κεκακωμένης ἐξέπληξε τὸν Ἀράσπην, οὕτως ἡμεῖς μήτε φυγὴν Ἀριστείδου μήτε εἱργμὸν Ἀναξαγόρου μήτε πενίαν Σωκράτους ἢ Φωκίωνος καταδίκην ὑποδειμαίνωμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ τούτων ἀξιέραστον ἡγούμενοι τὴν ἀρετὴν ὁμόσε χωρῶμεν αὐτῇ, τὸ Εὐριπίδειον ἐφʼ ἑκάστῳ φθεγγόμενοι
"
φεῦ, τοῖσι γενναίοισιν ὡς ἅπαν καλόν
"
τὸν γὰρ ἄχρι τοῦ καὶ τὰ φαινόμενα δεινὰ μὴ δυσχεραίνειν ἀλλὰ θαυμάζειν καὶ ζηλοῦν ἐνθουσιασμὸν οὐκ ἂν ἔτι γε τῶν καλῶν οὐδεὶς ἀποτρέψειεν.
And still more, if we do not only admire good men when they prosper, but just as lovers embrace even the lispings and paleness of those in their youth, and just as the tears and downcast look of Panthea in her grief and affliction struck Araspes with awe, so we do not dread the banishment of Aristides, the imprisonment of Anaxagoras, the poverty of Socrates, or the condemnation of Phocion, but considering virtue lovely even with these, we go to meet it, reciting Euripides' line on each occasion: "Ah! how everything is beautiful to the noble-born!" For no one could any longer turn away from beautiful things an enthusiasm that has reached the point of not being displeased by apparent terrors but admiring and emulating them.
ἤδη δὲ τοῖς τοιούτοις παρέπεται τὸ βαδίζοντας ἐπὶ πράξεις τινὰς ἢ λαβόντας ἀρχὴν ἢ χρησαμένους τύχῃ τίθεσθαι πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν τοὺς ὄντας ἀγαθοὺς ἢ γενομένους, καὶ διανοεῖσθαι
τί δʼ ἂν ἔπραξεν ἐν τούτῳ Πλάτων, τί δʼ ἂν εἶπεν Ἐπαμεινώνδας, ποῖος δʼ ἂν ὤφθη Λυκοῦργος ἢ Ἀγησίλαος,
οἷον πρὸς ἔσοπτρα κοσμοῦντας ἑαυτοὺς καὶ μεταρρυθμίζοντας ἢ φωνῆς ἀγεννεστέρας αὑτῶν ἐπιλαμβανομένους ἢ πρός τι πάθος ἀντιβαίνοντας.
And to such people, it already follows that, when going to certain actions or holding office or enjoying good fortune, they set before their eyes those who are or have been good, and reflect: "What would Plato have done in this case? What would Epaminondas have said? What kind of figure would Lycurgus or Agesilaus have presented?" as if adorning and remodeling themselves before a mirror, or checking themselves when their voice is too ignoble, or resisting some passion.
οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐκμεμαθηκότες τὰ τῶν Ἰδαίων ὀνόματα δακτύλων χρῶνται πρὸς τοὺς φόβους αὐτοῖς ὡς ἀλεξικάκοις, ἀτρέμα καταλέγοντες ἕκαστον· ἡ δὲ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐπίνοια καὶ μνήμη ταχὺ παρισταμένη καὶ διαλαμβάνουσα τοὺς προκόπτοντας ἐν πᾶσι πάθεσι καὶ ἀπορίαις ἁπάσαις, ὀρθούς τε καὶ ἀπτῶτας διαφυλάσσει.
For those who have learned by heart the names of the Idaean Dactyls use them as amulets against fears, calmly enumerating each one; but the thought and memory of good men, quickly presenting itself and supporting those who are making progress in all passions and all difficulties, keeps them upright and free from falling.
ὅθεν ἔστω σοι καὶ τοῦτο σημεῖον τοῦ πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἐπιδιδόντος.
Wherefore, let this also be a sign to you of one who is improving in virtue.
§16πρὸς δὲ τούτῳ τὸ μηκέτι ταράττεσθαι σφόδρα μηδʼ ἐρυθριᾶν μηδὲ κατακρύπτειν ἢ μετασχηματίζειν τι τῶν καθʼ ἑαυτόν, ἀνδρὸς ἐνδόξου καὶ σώφρονος ἐξαπίνης ἐπιφανέντος, ἀλλὰ θαρρεῖν ὁμόσε χωροῦντα τοῖς τοιούτοις ἔχει τοῦ συνειδότος τινὰ βεβαίωσιν.
In addition to this, the fact of no longer being greatly disturbed, nor blushing, nor hiding or disguising anything about oneself when an illustrious and temperate man suddenly appears, but confidently going to meet such persons, has a certain confirmation from one's conscience.
Ἀλέξανδρος μὲν γὰρ ὡς ἔοικεν ἄγγελον ἰδὼν περιχαρῆ προσθέοντα καὶ τὴν δεξιὰν προτείνοντα
τί μοι μέλλεις
εἶπεν
ὦ τᾶν ἀπαγγελεῖν;
For Alexander, it seems, when he saw a messenger running toward him in great joy and stretching out his right hand, said: "What are you going to tell me, my friend?
ἢ ὅτι Ὅμηρος ἀναβεβίωκεν
οὐδενὸς αὐτῷ τὰ πράγματα πλὴν ὑστεροφημίας ἐνδεῖν οἰόμενος.
That Homer has come back to life?" thinking that nothing was lacking to his deeds except posthumous fame.
νέῳ δʼ ἀνδρὶ βελτιουμένῳ τὸ ἦθος οὐδενὸς ἔρως ἐμφύεται μᾶλλον ἢ καλοῖς κἀγαθοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἐγκαλλωπίσασθαι καὶ παρασχεῖν οἰκίαν αὑτοῦ καταφανῆ, τράπεζαν γυναῖκα, παιδιὰν σπουδήν, λόγους λεγομένους ἢ γραφομένους, ὥστε καὶ δάκνεσθαι πατρὸς τεθνεῶτος ἢ καθηγητοῦ μεμνημένον οὐκ ἐπιδόντος αὐτὸν ἐν διαθέσει τοιαύτῃ, καὶ μηδὲν ἂν οὕτως εὔξασθαι παρὰ τῶν θεῶν, ὡς ἐκείνους ἀναβιώσαντας αὐτῷ γενέσθαι τοῦ βίου καὶ τῶν πράξεων θεατάς.
But in a young man whose character is improving, there grows no desire more than to show himself off to good and noble men, and to present his own house, table, wife, amusement, serious business, and spoken or written words to their view; so that he is even stung when remembering a deceased father or teacher who did not see him in such a state, and would pray for nothing so much from the gods as that they might return to life to be spectators of his life and actions.
ὥσπερ αὖ τοὐναντίον οἱ καταμελήσαντες ἑαυτῶν καὶ διαφθαρέντες οὐδʼ ἐν ὕπνῳ τοὺς προσήκοντας ἀτρέμα καὶ ἀδεῶς ὁρῶσιν.
Just as, on the contrary, those who have neglected themselves and become corrupt do not look upon their relatives even in sleep calmly and without fear.
§17ἔτι τοίνυν πρόσλαβε τοῖς εἰρημένοις σημεῖον οὐ μικρόν, εἰ βούλει, τὸ μηδὲν ἔτι μικρὸν ἡγεῖσθαι τῶν ἐξαμαρτανομένων ἀλλʼ ἐξευλαβεῖσθαι καὶ προσέχειν ἅπασιν.
Therefore, add to what has been said, if you please, a sign of no small importance: namely, no longer to deem any of one's errors small, but to be on one's guard and pay attention to all of them.
ὥσπερ· γὰρ οἱ τὸ πλουτήσειν ἀπεγνωκότες ἐν οὐδενὶ τίθενται τὰ μικρὰ δαπανήματα, μηδὲν οἰόμενοι ποιήσειν μέγα τὸ μικρῷ τινι προστιθέμενον, ἡ δʼ ἐλπὶς ἐγγυτέρω τοῦ τέλους βαδίζουσα τῷ πλούτῳ συναύξει τὴν φιλοπλουτίαν, οὕτως ἐν τοῖς πρὸς ἀρετὴν πράγμασιν ὁ μὴ πολλὰ συγχωρῶν τῷ
τί γὰρ τὸ παρὰ τοῦτο; καὶ
νῦν μὲν οὕτως αὖθις δὲ βέλτιον,
ἀλλὰ προσέχων ἑκάστῳ κἂν εἰς τὸ σμικρότατον ἡ κακία ποτὲ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἐνδῦσα συγγνώμην πορίζηται δυσανασχετῶν καὶ δυσκολαίνων, δῆλός ἐστιν ἤδη τι καθαρὸν κτώμενος ἑαυτῷ καὶ οὐδʼ ὁπωσοῦν ἀξιῶν ῥυπαίνεσθαι, τὸ δὲ μηδὲν οἴεσθαι κατʼ αἰσχύνην μέγα μηδʼ ἔχειν εὐχερεῖς ποιεῖ καὶ ὀλιγώρους πρὸς τὰ μικρά.
For just as those who have despaired of becoming rich make no account of small expenses, thinking that what is added to a small sum will make nothing great, while hope, walking closer to its goal, increases the love of wealth along with the wealth itself, so in matters concerning virtue, he who does not make many concessions by saying, "What does this matter?" and "Now indeed it is so, but next time it will be better," but pays attention to each thing, and even if vice, creeping into the smallest of errors, seeks to provide an excuse, is vexed and annoyed, is clearly already acquiring something pure for himself and not tolerating being defiled in any way; whereas thinking nothing great as a matter of shame makes people easy and negligent toward small things.
καὶ γὰρ αἱμασιάν τινα καὶ θριγκὸν οἰκοδομοῦσιν οὐ διαφέρει ξύλον τὸ τυχὸν ἢ λίθον ὑποβαλεῖν χυδαῖον ἢ στήλην ὑποθεῖναι παραπεσοῦσαν ἀπὸ μνήματος, οἷα, ποιοῦσιν οἱ φαῦλοι, πᾶσαν ἐργασίαν καὶ πρᾶξιν ὡς ἔτυχε συμφοροῦντες εἰς ταὐτὸ καὶ σωρεύοντες ἀλλʼ οἵ γε προκόπτοντες, οἷς ἤδη, καθάπερ ἱεροῦ τινος οἰκοδομήματος καὶ βασιλικοῦ τοῦ βίου
"
κεκρότηται χρυσέα κρηπίς,
"
οὐδὲν εἰκῇ προσίενται τῶν γιγνομένων, ἀλλʼ οἷον ἀπὸ στάθμης τοῦ λόγου προσάγουσι καὶ προσαρμόττουσιν ἕκαστον.
For to those who are building a hedge or a wall, it makes no difference whether they put in any random wood or common stone, or place beneath it a gravestone that has fallen from a tomb—such as worthless men do, gathering together and piling up every deed and action at random; but those who are making progress, for whom, as though for some sacred and royal building of life, "a golden foundation has been laid," accept nothing of what happens at random, but bring and fit each thing as if by the plumb-line of reason.
ὑπὲρ οὗ τὸν Πολύκλειτον οἰόμεθα λέγειν ὡς ἔστι χαλεπώτατον τὸ ἔργον οἷς ἂν εἰς ὄνυχα ὁ πηλὸς ἀφίκηται.
In regard to which we think Polyclitus said that the work is most difficult for those whose clay has reached the fingernail.