Book Seven from Republic by plato Now,if they could talk to one another,would th -An excerpt Readings in orld civilizotions. their words referred only to those passing shadows Questions kevinReilly NowYak:Gt.martin's.1992) Necessarily. And suppose their prison had an echo from th hat do tta followin月expressions mean？ When one of the people crossing behind them spe suppose that the sound came from the shadow passi ·Hewe No doubt. ·he fire In every way,then,such prisoners would recogni He ascant vf ta raleased prisoner but the shadows of those artificial objects. Inevitably. ,。dahu€h。migoner Now consider what would happen if their release ,h是电5nt通of educ+on the healing of their unwisdom should come aboutin t of them was set free and forced suddenly to stand u tunction of law walk with eyes lifted to the light;all these movemer and he would be too dazzled to make out the objec philosopher's responsibilit had been used to see.What do you think he would say that what he had formerly seen was meaningless ill wky sheuld philosophers be kiags somewhat nearer to reality and turned towards mor getting a truer view?Suppose further that he wer objects being carried by and were made to say,in rep each of them was.Would he not be perplexed and be shown him to he not so real as what he formerly sav Next,said I,here is a parable to illustrate the degrees in which our nature Yes,not nearly so real. may be enlightened or unenlightened.Imagine the condition of men And if he were forced to look at the firelight itsel living in a sort of cavernous chamber underground,with an entrance open to the light and a long passage all down the cave.Here they have ache,so that he would try to escape and turn back t could see distinctly,convinced that they really wer been from childhood,chained by the leg and also by the neck,so that they other objects now being shown to him? cannot move and can see only what is in front of them,because the chains Yes. will not let them turn their heads.At some distance higher up is the light of a fire burning behind them;and between the prisoners and the fire is a And suppose someone were to drag him away 1 and rugged ascent and not let him go until he had
BOOK VII 第七卷 514 Socrates:Now compare our condition with this:Picture men living in a 苏：现在把我们所说的事做一个比拟：我们想像在一个祠穴里住着514 cave which has a wide mouth open towards the light.They are kept in 一些人，宽阔的洞口大开，能透进亮光。他们被固定在一个位置 the same places,looking forward only away from the mouth and unable 上，只能背着洞口看眼前的洞壁，头也不能掉转，因为他们的 to turn their heads,for their legs and necks have been fixed in chains 腿和脖子从一出生就被链子锁定了。在他们背后洞外较高的地 from birth.A fire is burning higher up at their backs,and between 方有一处火焰在燃烧，在火焰和囚徒之间有一条路，路边有一 it and the prisoners there is a road with a low wall built at its side, 道矮墙，好像演木偶戏的人表演木偶戏时用的屏幕。 like the screen over which puppet players put up their puppets. 理 Glaucon:All that I see. 格：这些全在我眼前了。 Socrates:See,again,then,men walking under cover of this low wall 苏：再往下看，有些人从这道矮墙的后面走过，携带着各种各样的 515 carrying past all sorts of things,copies of men and animals,in stone 东西，用石头、木头或其他材料制作的人或动物的偶形。这些515 相 or wood and other materials;some of them may be talking and others 人有的可能在说话，也有些人没有说话。 not. 国 Glaucon:This is a strange sort of comparison and these are strange 格：这是一种奇特的比拟和一些奇怪的囚徒。 prisoners. Socrates:They are like ourselves.They see nothing but their own 苏：他们是像我们自已一样的人。他们只看见被火光映照在洞穴壁 shadows,or one another's,which the fire throws on the wall of the 上的自己的影子和彼此的影子，此外他们什么也看不到。人们 cave.And so too with the things carried past.If they were able to 走过这里时携带的那些东西，囚徒们也只能看见它们的影子。 talk to one another,wouldn't they think that in naming the shadows 如果囚徒们能互相谈话，他们在谈论看到的影子时，不会把影 they were naming the things that went by?And if their prison sent 子当成经过这里的实物吗？再说，要是有个经过这里的人发出 back an echo whenever one of those who went by said a word,what 声音，囚禁他们的洞穴传来回音，他们只能认为那是他们看见 could they do but take it for the voice of the shadow? 的影子发出的声音，此外还能有什么想法吗？ Glaucon:By Zeus,they would. 格：凭宙斯的圣名，他们是只会这样认为的。 Socrates:The only real things for them would be the shadows of the 苏：对他们来说，惟一真实的东西就是那些偶形的影子。 puppets. Glaucon:Certainly. 格：那是当然的。 Socrates:Now see how it will be if something frees them from their 苏：我们且来看看，如果有什么东西帮他们解脱了锁链又将如何： chains:When one is freed and forced to get on his feet and turn his 当一个人获得了自由而不得不站起来，掉头向着光亮走去一 head and walk and look towards the light-and all this hurts,and 这一切都让他感到痛苦，又因为光线太亮，他看不见以前他看 because the light is too bright,he isn't able to see the things whose 到过的那些影子的实物。如果有人说，在此刻之前，他所看到 shadows he saw before-what will he answer,if someone says that 的一切都是假的，是人家变戏法骗骗他们的，而现在他才看得 all he has seen till now,was false and a trick,but that now he sees 更真实，他会怎么回答？又如果有人指给他看经这里走过去的
B0目KW 第七卷 more truly?And if someone points out to him the things going by and 东西，问他这是业什么，他会不知道该怎么说才好，不是吗？ asks him to name them,won't he be at a loss?And won't he take the 他不会认为以前看到过的影子比这些实物更真实吗？ shadows he saw before as more real than these things? Glaucon:Much more real. 格：他会觉得那更真实得多。 Socrates:And if he were forced to look straight at the light itself, 苏：要是他被迫直视老光，他会不会眼睛刺痛，返身退回呢？又如 wouldn't he start back with pained eyes?And if someone pulled him 果有人拽着他攀上崎岖不平的坡路，硬让他来到光天化日之516 516 up the rough and hard ascent and forced him out into the light of the 下，他会不会生气呢？再者，光线太充足，我们所说的真实的 理 sun,wouldn't he be angry?And wouldn't his eyes be too full of light 东西他会不会一个也看不见呢？ to make out even one of the things we say are real? Glaucon:Yes,that would be so at first. 格：是啊，刚开头是会这样的。 相 Socrates:He would nced to get used to the light before he could see 苏：他需要先习惯阳光才能在外面看东西。最初，他看得最清楚的 things up there.At first he would see shadows best,and after that 是影子，随后是静水里面人和物的倒影，只有最后才是这些事 国 reflections in still water of men and other things,and only later these 物的本身。于是他会轻而易举地看月亮和星星，而晚上看天空 things themselves.Then he would be ready to look at the moon and 比白天看太阳和阳光更容易。就这样，我认为他最终就能够观 stars,and would see the sky by night better than the sun and the sun's 看太阳本身了；不是通过表面和水中的映像、脱离其本身真正 light by day.So,at last,I take it,he'd be able to look upon the sun 的位置来看它，而是在它本身所在的位置看它本身。 itself,and see it not through seemings and images of itself in water and away from its true place,but in its own field and as it truly is. Glaucon:So. 格：是这样。 Socrates:And with that he will discover that it is the sun which gives 苏：那么，他就会发现，正是太阳使这个世界有了四季轮回和岁月 the seasons and the years,and is the chief in the field of the things 更迭，而且太阳是可见世界万物的主幸，在某些方面其至可以 which are seen,and in some way the cause even of all the things he 说是他以前所看见的一切事物的起因。如果此时他回想起以前 had been seeing before.If he now went back in his mind to where he 住过的地方，回想起他的奴隶弟兄们引以为智慧的东西，他会 was living before,and to what his brother slaves took to be wisdom 不为自己的变化而快乐，同时觉得他们可怜吗？ there,wouldn't he be happy at the change and pity them? Glaucon:Certainly,he would. 格：当然，他会的。 Socrates:And if their way was to reward those who were quickest to 苏：如果这些奴隶当中有人能够最快地分辨出经过这里的影子，记 make out the shadows as they went by and to note in memory which 住了那些影子先来后到或同时到来的惯例，因而受到众奴隶的 came before which as a rule,and which together,would he care very 尊粜；这个自由了的人会很在意这种尊崇吗？还有，如果他再 much about such rewards?And,if he were to go down again out of 度离开阳光，来到他的老地方，他的眼前不会马上漆黑一片 the sunlight into his old place,would not his eyes get suddenly full of 吗？要是跟那些从来没有动过地方的囚徒们来一场判断影子的
B00KYⅦ 第七卷 the dark?And if there were to be a competition then with the prison- 竞赛，在他的眼请还没有习惯黑暗之前，他得要费很大的劲才517 517 ers who had never moved out and he had to do his best in judging the 行一而这得需要不少时间才能习惯，他不会招来嘲笑吗？那 shadows before his eyes got used to the dark-which needs more than 些囚徒不会说他到上面去了一趟回来，眼睛就糟糕到这种地步， a minute-wouldn't he be laughed at?Wouldn't they say he had come 根本就没有上去的必要吗？要是他们能惩治那个想要为他们打 back from his time on high with his eyes in very bad condition so that 开锁链，把他们带到上面去的人，他们不会把他置于死地吗？ there was no point in going up there?And if they were able to get their hands on the man who attempted to take their chains off and 理 guide them up,wouldn't they put him to death? Glaucon:They certainly would! 格：他们一定会的！ Socrafes:Take this comparison,dear Glaucon,with all we have said 苏：亲爱的格劳孔，套这个比喻跟咱们前面说过的那一切做个对照 相 before.The world seen through the eyes,that is the prison house; 吧。把眼睛看见的世界比做监狱，把火光比做太阳的力量。如 心 the light of the fire is like the power of the sun;and if you see the 果你把走出洞穴观看上面世界的事物看作是灵魂上升到真实思 国 way out and that looking upon things of the upper world as the going 想的领域，你就知道我对于这个问题的信念了。这也正是你想 up of the soul to the field of true thought,you will have my hopes or 要知道的一至于我们想的对不对，那只有神知道。即使是这 beliefs about it and they are what you desired-though only God 样，我觉得我似乎是清楚了，在深奥的知识领域里最后看见， knows if they are right.Be that as it may,what seems clear to me is 也是极不容易看见的，就是善的理念。当我们看见了它，我们 that in the field of deep knowledge the last thing to be seen,and 一定会得出结论：善真正是万物中一切美和正确事物的原因。 hardly seen,is the idea of the good.When that is seen,our decision 在可见世界里，它产生光并产生发光者。然而在思想领域里， has to be that it is truly the cause.for all things,of all that is beauti- 它本身就是理性和所有真实事物的主要原因。任何一个人，只 ful and right.In the world that is to be seen,it gives birth to light 要他是明智地处理个人事务或公众事务，他必定是看见了善的 and to the lord of light,but in the field of thought it is itself the 理念。 master cause of reason and all that is true;and anyone who is to act wisely in private or public must have seen this. Glaucon:I am with you-as far as I am able. 格：我全心全意同意你的意见！ Socrafes:It is not strange that those who have been so high are not 苏：那些已经达到那么高的境界的人不愿意再去做平凡的事务，他 willing to take up again the everyday business of men.Their souls are 们的灵魂总是向往着回到那更高的地方去，这没有什么可奇怪 ever for turning again to that higher world.Nor again,is it surprising 的。再者，如果一个人从如此神圣的境界回到罪恶的环境，在 if a man,coming back from such godlike visions to the evil condition 他的眼睛还没有再度习惯黑暗之前，就被迫跟人家因事诉诸法 of men,seems a poor and foolish thing in his behavior;if before his 律，比如说，为了正义的影子或映像的问题而争吵，或是跟从 eyes have got used to the dark again he is forced to go to law,for 来没有见过正义本身的人争论他脑子里对于正义的理念。他的 example,and fight about the shadows of justice or the images which 行为看上去未免可笑，可是这也没有什么可奇怪的，是不是？
BOOK VI 第七卷 make them,or argue about those images in the minds of men who have never seen justice itself. Glaucon:That isn't strange at all. 格：那一点儿也不奇怪， 518 Socrafes:Anyone with sense would keep in mind that there are two 苏：任何有头脑的人都很清楚，在两种情况之下眼睛看东西可能模518 ways in which the eyes may be troubled:when they change over from 糊：一是从明亮处来到黑暗中，一是从黑暗中来到明亮处。有 the light to the dark,and from the dark to the light.He'd believe that 头脑的人认为灵魂也是这样，如果一个灵魂看不清某种东西， the same thing takes place with the soul,and he wouldn't be over- 有头脑的人不会马上就笑话它，而是留心看看这灵魂是从明亮 quick to laugh at a soul unable to see something,but would be care- 理 处来到暗中而看不清呢，还是从无知的黑暗中来到日光之下， ful to note if it were coming from a brighter light into the dark or 因为光线太强而看不清？ were going from the deeper dark of little knowledge into daylight and 想 if its eyes were unclear because the light was overstrong. Glaucon:A very just observation. 格：这个说法是正确的。 Socrates:If so,education is not truly what some of its professors say it 苏：如果这个说法正确，教育就不是某些执教者所说的那样了。这 国 is.They say they are able to put knowledge into a soul which hasn't 些执教者说，他们能够把知识放进一个没有知识的灵魂里一 got it-as if they were putting sight into blind eyes. 好像他们能把视觉放进酵掉的眼睛里一样。 Glaucon:They do say so. 格：他们的确是这么说的。 Socrates:But our argument points to this:the natural power to learn 苏：但是，我们对于这个问题的论点是这样的：灵魂生来就有学习 lives in the soul and is like an eye which might not be turned from 的能力一一好像眼睛。如果不把整个身躯转过来，眼睛就不可 the dark to the light without a turning round of the whole body.The 能转离黑暗向着光明。学习知识的工具①必须同整个灵魂一起， instrument of knowledge has to be turned round and with it the whole 从事物的生成转向事物的存在，直到灵魂逐渐能够承受实在的 soul,from the things of becoming to the things of being,till the soul 光，能够观看最明亮的实在。我们说的这个（最明亮的实在）不 is able,by degrees,to support the light of true being and can look at 就是善吗？ the brightest.And this,we say,is the good? Glaucon:We do. 格：正是。 Socrates:Of this very process,then,there might be an art,the art of 苏：这个过程可能有一种技术一能最快、最有效地把灵魂转过来 turning the soul round most quickly,and with the most effect.If 的技术。那不是在灵魂里制造视力的技术，因为灵魂本来就有 would not be an art of producing a power of seeing in the soul,for it 视力一只是看的方向不对。那是一种把灵魂转向正确方向的 has that already-though it has been looking in the wrong direction. 技术。 It would be an art of turning the soul in the right direction. ①指限睛。532
B00KYⅧ 第七卷 Glaucon:That seems probable. 格：好像可能有这种技术。 Socrates:The other qualities of the soul do seem like those of the 苏：灵魂的其他品质和身体的品质好像颇为相似，即使不是一出生 body,for even when they are not present from birth,they may be 就存在，但是可以在教育和锻炼之中形成。然而，理性与思想 formed in it by training and use.But the quality of reason and 的品质却神圣得多，它的力量永远不会离开，可是当它的转向 thought,it seems,is a much more godlike thing whose power never 不同时，它可以戎为有益的和为善的，或成为无益的和为害59 goes away,but as it is turned in one direction or another,becomes 的。你注意到没有，那些被通称为坏人然而却很精明的人，他 519 useful and able to do good,or useless and able only to damage. 们猥琐的灵魂对二自己的利益看得多么敏锐？显然他们能看得 Haven't you noted,in those who are commonly said to be bad but 足够清楚。只是，他们的视力越敏锐，干的事就越坏。 理 sharp men,how quick their little souls are to see what is to their interest?It is clear they can see well enough.Only,the sharper their 相 sight is,the worse are the things they do. 心 Glaucon:Quite true. 格：说的太对了。 Socrafes:If from the earliest days this part of such a soul had been 苏：如果这种灵魂的这一部分从幼年时起就已经摆脱了与生俱来的 国 freed from the leadlike weights fixed to it at birth by the pleasures of 重负一即那些使灵魂眼睛向下的种种官能享受的欲望，我是 taste and such,that now turn the soul's vision downwards;if,I say, 说，如果灵魂已经摆脱重负，转而向着真与善的事物，在同一 the soul had been turned instead towards the things that are true and 个人灵魂里面的那同一种力量就会迅速地看着较高的事物，一 good,the same power in these same men would have been as quick 如它们现在看低处的事物那样。 to see the higher things as it is in seeing the low things it looks for now. Glaucon:Probably. 格：可能是这样的。 Socrates:And here is another thing which is probable,or,more truly,a 苏：还有一种可能，或者，更正确地说，是我们讨论的必然结果： necessary outcome of what we have said;those who are without edu- 那些没有受过教有和没有真知的人，永远不能做这个国家的统 cation and true knowledge will never be able rulers of the state.And 治者。同样，那些没完没了地受教育的人当中，有些人的全部 the same is true of those who never make an end of their education: 行为一无论是个人行为也好，公共行为也好，都没有一个固 the first because they have no one fixed purpose to give direction to 定的方向目标。还有些人，要是没有人强迫他们，他们根本就 all their acts,public and private;the others because they will not act 不想做什么事，却想若他们已经被送到幸福岛上来了，因此这 at all,if they are not forced to,but believe they have been already 种人也不能做国家的统治者。所以，我们这些构思这个国家的 transported to the Happy Isles.So we who are designing this state will 人，必须要强迫这些天赋最优秀的人得到我们说过的最崇高的 have to force these naturally best minds to get what we have said is 知识，让他们向上升，直到他们看见了善，让他们看个够，这 the greatest knowledge of all,to go on up till they see the good and 时我们就不让他们再继续看下去了。 when they have seen enough,we will not let them do as they do now
B00KⅦ 第七卷 Glaucon:What is that? 格：这是为什么？ Socrates:They may not keep to themselves up there,but have to go 苏：他们不能让自己老是留在上面，而必须再次到下面，去到那些 down again among those prisoners and take part in their work and 囚徒中间，参与包们的工作和报酬，无论这些工作和报酬如何。 rewards,whatever these may be. Glaucon:Then are we to wrong them by forcing them into a worse 格：在他们可以过比较好的生活时，我们却强制他们去过一种比较 way of living when a better one is within their power? 糟糕的生活，岂不是对他们不公正吗？ Socrates:Are you keeping in mind,my friend,that this law of ours is 苏：你不记得了，我的朋友，我们的法律不是让这个国家里的任何 一个群体享有特来的幸福，而是让这个国家本身幸福吗？每个 理 not to make any one group in the state specially happy,but the state 520 itself?Everyone is to give to all the others whatever he is able to 人都要尽其所能，把他为社会生产的一切供献给大家。因为国520 produce for the society.For it made these men so,not to please them- 家把他们造就成这样的人，不是为了让他们自己快活，而是为 想 selves but,to unite the commonwealth. 了把全国公民团结成一个整体。 Glaucon:I see.I was overlooking that. 格：我明白。是我疏忽了。 Socrafes:But note,Glaucon,there will be no wrong done to the 苏：不过要注意，格劳孔，在这件事上我们对哲学家也不会是不公 国 philosophers in this.We have just arguments to give them when we 正的。我们强制他们成为监护者时所提出的论点也是公正的。 force them to become guardians.We will say to them,"It is natural 我们会对他们说，“在别的国家里，具有你们这样素质的人不参 that in other states men of your quality do not take part in the com- 加公众工作是很自然的。因为他们是随自己的意愿，而不是靠 mon work.For in these states such men come into being of their own 政府有目的地培养而达到这种素质的。他们自学成才，没有接 sweet will and without the will of the government.Teachers of them 受过国家的培养，因而不必对国家有负债感。然而，是我们让 selves,they have no cause to feel in debt to the state for an education 你们成了你们自己的、也是国家的统治者。你们接受了比其他 they were never given.But you we begot to be rulers of yourselves 任何人都更好、更完善的教育，所以你们要下到洞穴里去和其 and of the state.You have had a better and more complete education 他人在一起，去习惯于在暗中看东西。那时你们看那些影像是 than any of the others;so down you go into the cave with the rest to 什么，那些彩像又是什么东西反映出来的，要比他们看得清楚 get used to seeing in the dark.For then you will see far better than 得多，因为你们已经看见了美、正义与普的真实。”这样，我们 they do what these images are,and what they are of,for you have 的国家将由头脑清醒的人所统治，而不是像现在的那些国家那 seen what the beautiful,the just and the good truly are."So our state 样，被一群懵槽懂懂，为了影子、为了被他们视为至善的权力 will be ruled by minds which are awake,and not as now by men in a 和地位而互相争斗不休的人统治着。凡是统治者对权力地位最 dream fighting with one another over shadows and for the power and 少贪欲的国家，必定是治理得最好和长治久安的国家。被与此 office which in their eyes are the great good.Truly that state is best 相反的人统治着的国家则必定是最环的国家。除了哲学家你还52： and most quietly ruled where the rulers have least desire to be such, 能指得出来有哪一种人更蔑视政治地位吗？ and the state with the opposite sort of rulers is the worst.And will 521 you name any other sort of man than a philosopher who looks down
