英语短文名人故事 哲学思想家 第21期:苏格拉底

 3 Socrates 3 苏格拉底

Socratic "irony¹" 苏格拉底的"伪装"

Socrates is talking to Hippias of Elis, a travelling "sophist" who sets up as a professional "wise man"， 苏格拉底正在和埃里斯的希比阿聊天。希比阿是云游四方的"智术大师"，将自己称为职业的"智者"，

taking money for lessons in private and public rhetoric², and managing public business himself.  主讲修辞术，收费授课，还亲自负责公众事务。

How, Socrates asks, does Hippias explain the fact that wise men in the old days were not rich public figures? 苏格拉底问希比阿：为何历史上的智者都不富有呢？

Hippias: What do you think it could be, Socrates,  希比阿：你怎么想呢，苏格拉底？

other than that they were incompetent³ and not capable of using their wisdom to achieve in both areas, public and private? 还不是因为他们无能，不会把智慧运用于个人和国家，并在这两方面有所作为。

Socrates: Well, other skills have certainly improved,  苏格拉底：对呀，其他的技艺都有进步，

and by comparison with modern craftsmen⁴ the older ones are worthless.  例如与现代工匠相比，古代工匠简直一钱不值。

Are we to say that your skill - sophistry⁵ - has improved in the same way,  我们是否可以说：你这门技艺--诡辩术，也同样进步了？

and that the ancients who practiced wisdom were worthless compared to you? 与你相比，那些以智慧为业的古人也同样一文不值呢？

Hippias: Yes, you're completely right! 希比阿：是的，你说得没错！

Socrates: None of those early thinkers thought it right to demand money as payment, or to make displays of their own wisdom before all sorts of people. 苏格拉底：早先的思想家以为，在各种各样的人面前公开展露自己的智慧是不对的，收费更是错的。

That's how simple-minded they were; they didn't notice how valuable money is.  他们的头脑真简单，居然不知道钱是多么重要。

But each of the modern people you mention has made more money from his wisdom than any other craftsman⁶ from any skill.  但你提到的现代人，每个人靠自己的智慧挣了大钱，超过任何一个工匠。

And Protagoras did it even before they did. 在他们之前，还有普罗泰弋拉，早就这样做了。

Hippias: Socrates, you have no idea just how fine this is.  希比阿：苏格拉底，你根本不知道这样做有多棒。

If you knew how much money I've made, you'd be amazed!  如果你知道我挣了多少钱，你肯定要吓坏了！

I'm pretty sure that I've made more money than any two sophists you like put together! 我敢肯定，你随便举两个智术师，我一个人挣的钱绝对超过他们的总和！

Socrates: What a fine thing to say, Hippias!  苏格拉底：希比阿，你说得真好！

It's very indicative of your own wisdom, and of what a difference there is between people nowadays and the ancients. 这恰恰体现了你的智慧，也显示出今人和古人的确不一样啊。

Hippias thinks Socrates is complimenting him.  希比阿以为苏格拉底在夸奖他。

The reader, however, sees clearly that Socrates despises the use of intellect to make money,  然而，读者却能清楚地看出他蔑视以智术牟利的做法，

rather than to search for the truth, and hence has complete contempt for Hippias.  苏格拉底认为智术应当求真理，因此他对希比阿嗤之以鼻。

This is the "Socratic irony". 这就是所谓的"苏格拉底的伪装"。

1 irony   

n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄

参考例句：

• She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。
• In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。

2 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

3 incompetent   

adj.无能力的，不能胜任的

参考例句：

• He is utterly incompetent at his job.他完全不能胜任他的工作。
• He is incompetent at working with his hands.他动手能力不行。

4 craftsmen   

n. 技工

参考例句：

• rugs handmade by local craftsmen 由当地工艺师手工制作的小地毯
• The craftsmen have ensured faithful reproduction of the original painting. 工匠保证要复制一幅最接近原作的画。

5 sophistry   

n.诡辩

参考例句：

• Sophistry cannot alter history.诡辩改变不了历史。
• No one can be persuaded by sophistry.强词夺理不能折服人。

6 craftsman   

n.技工，精于一门工艺的匠人

参考例句：

• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。
• The craftsman is working up the mass of clay into a toy figure.艺人把一团泥捏成玩具形状。