现代大学英语 精读3 Diogenes and Alexander 原文.docx

现代大学英语 精读3 Diogenes and Alexander 原文.docx

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DiogenesandAlexander

Lyingonthebareearth,shoeless,bearded,half-naked,helookedlikeabeggaroralunatic（神经病，疯子）.Hewasone,butnottheother.Hehadopenedhiseyeswiththesunatdawn（拂晓），scratched,donehisbusinesslikeadogattheroadside,washedatthepublicfountain,beggedapieceofbreakfastbreadandafewolives,eatenthemsquattingontheground,andwashedthemdownwithafewhandfulsofwaterscoopedfromthespring.（Longagohehadownedaroughwoodencup,buthethrewitawaywhenhesawaboydrinkingoutofhishollowedhands.）Havingnoworktogotoandnofamilytoprovidefor,hewasfree.Asthemarketplacefilledupwithshoppersandmerchantsandslavesandforeigners,hehadstrolledthroughitforanhourortwo.Everybodyknewhim,orknewofhim.Theywouldthrowsharpquestionsathimandgetsharperanswers.Sometimestheythrewbitsoffood,andgotscantthanks;sometimesamischievouspebble,andgotashowerofstonesandabuse（漫骂）.Theywerenotquitesurewhetherhewasmadornot.Heknewtheyweremad,eachinadifferentway;theyamusedhim.Nowhewasbackathishome.

Itwasnotahouse,notevenasquatter'shut.Hethoughteverybodylivedfartooelaborately,expensively,anxiously.Whatgoodisahouse?

Nooneneedsprivacy:

naturalactsarenotshameful;wealldothesamething,andneednothidethem.Nooneneedsbedsandchairsandsuchfurniture:

theanimalslivehealthylivesandsleepontheground.Allwerequire,sincenaturedidnotdressusproperly,isonegarmenttokeepuswarm,andsomeshelterfromrainandwind.Sohehadoneblanket——todresshiminthedaytimeandcoverhimatnight——andhesleptinacask.HisnamewasDiogenes.HewasthefounderofthecreedcalledCynicism;hespentmuchofhislifeintherich,lazy,corruptGreekcityofCorinth,mockingandsatirizingitspeople,andoccasionallyconvertingoneofthem.

Hishomewasnotabarrelmadeofwood:

tooexpensive.Itwasastoragejarmadeofearthenware,nodoubtdiscardedbecauseabreakhadmadeituseless.Hewasnotthefirsttoinhabitsuchathing,Buthewasthefirstwhoeverdidsobychoice,outofprinciple.

Diogeneswasnotamaniac（疯子）.Hewasaphilosopherwhowroteplaysandpoemsandessaysexpounding（解释）hisdoctrine;hetalkedtothosewhocaredtolisten;hehadpupilswhoadmiredhim.Buthetaughtchieflybyexample.Allshouldlivenaturally,hesaid,forwhatisnaturalisnormalandcannotpossiblybeevilorshameful.Livewithoutconventions,whichareartificialandfalse;escapecomplexitiesandextravagances:

onlysocanyouliveafreelife.Therichmanbelieveshepossesseshisbighousewithitsmanyroomsanditselaboratefurniture,hisexpensiveclothes,hishorsesandhisservantsandhisbankaccounts.Hedoesnot.Hedependsonthem,heworriedaboutthem,hespendsmostofhisenergylookingafterthem;thethoughtoflosingthemmakeshimsickwithanxiety.Theyprocessthem,Heistheirslave.Inordertoprocureaquantityoffalse,perishablegoodshehassoldtheonlytrue,lastinggood,hisownindependence.

Therehavebeenmanymenwhogrewtiredofhumansocietywithitscomplications,andwentawaytolivesimply——onasmallfarm,inaquietvillage,inahermit'scave.NotsoDiogenes.Hewasamissionary.Hislife'saimwascleartohim:

itwas"torestampthecurrency〃:

totakethecleanmetalofhumanlife,toerasetheoldfalseconventionalmarkings,andtoimprintitwithitstruevalues.

TheothergreatphilosophersofthefourthcenturyBC,suchasPlatoandAristotle,taughtmainlytheirownprivatepupils.ButforDiogenes,laboratoryandspecimensandlecturehallsandpupilswerealltobefoundinacrowdofordinarypeople.Therefore,hechosetoliveinAthensorCorinth,wheretravelersfromallovertheMediterraneanworldconstantlycameandwent.And,bydesign,hepubliclybehavedinsuchwaysastoshowpeoplewhatreallifewas.

Hethoughtmostpeoplewereonlyhalf-alive,mostmenonlyhalf-men.Atbrightnoondayhewalkedthroughthemarketplacecarryingalightedlampandinspectingthefaceofeveryonehemet.Theyaskedhimwhy.Diogenesanswered,"Iamtryingtofindaman."

Toagentlemanwhoseservantwasputtingonhisshoesforhim,Diogenessaid,"Youwon'tbereallyhappyuntilhewipesyournoseforyou:

thatwillcomeafteryoulosetheuseofyourhands."

Oncetherewasawarscaresoseriousthatitstirredeventhelazy,profit-happyCorinthians.Theybegantodrill,cleantheirweapons,andrebuildtheirneglectedfortifications.Diogenestookhisoldcaskandbegantorollitupanddown,backandforward."Whenyouareallsobusy,"hesaid,"IfeltIoughttodosomething!

"

Andsohelived一likeadog,somesaid,becausehecarednothingforconventionsofsociety,andbecauseheshowedhisteethandbarkedatthosehedisliked.Nowhewaslyinginthesunlight,contentedandhappy,happierthantheShahofPersia.Althoughheknewhewasgoingtohaveanimportantvisitor;hewouldnotmove.

Thelittlesquarebegantofillwithpeople.Pageboys,soldiers,secretaries,officers,diplomats,theyallgraduallyformedacirclecenteredaroundDiogenes.Helookedthemoverasasobermanlooksatacrowdoftotteringdrunks,andshookhishead.Heknewwhotheywere.TheyweretheservantsofAlexander,theconquerorofGreece,theMacedonianking,whowasvisitinghisnewrealm.

Onlytwenty,Alexanderwasfarolderandwiserthanhisyears.LikeallMacedoniansheloveddrinking,buthecouldusuallyhandleit;andtowardwomenhewasnoblyrestrainedandchivalrous.LikeallMacedonianshelovedfighting;hewasamagnificentcommander,buthewasnotmerelyamilitaryautomaton.Hecouldthink.AtthirteenhehadbecomeapupilofthegreatestmindinGreece,Aristotle,whogavehimthebestofGreekculture.HetaughtAlexanderpoetry;theyoungprincesleptwiththeIliadunderhispillowandlongedtoemulateAchilles,whobroughtthemightypowerofAsiatoruin.Hetaughthimphilosophy,inparticulartheshapesandusesofpoliticalpowerandhetaughthimtheprinciplesofscientificresearch,andshippedhundredsofzoologicalspecimensbacktoGreeceforstudy.Indeed,itwasfromAristotlethatAlexanderlearnedtoseekouteverythingstrangewhichmightbeinstructive.

Now,AlexanderwasinCorinthtotakecommandoftheLeagueofGreekStateswhichhisfatherPhilipcreated.Hewaswelcomedandhonoredandflattered.Hewasthemanofthehour,ofthecentury;hewasunanimouslyappointedcommander-in-chiefofanewexpeditionagainstold,rich,corruptAsia.NearlyeveryonecrowdedtoCorinthinordertocongratulatehim,toseekemploymentwithhim.OnlyDiogenes,althoughhelivedinCorinth,didnotvisitthenewmonarch.WiththatgenerositywhichAristotlehadtaughthim,AlexanderdeterminedtocalluponDiogenes.

Withhishandsomeface,hisfieryglance,hisstrongsupplebody,hispurpleandgoldcloak,andhisairofdestiny,hemovedthroughthepartingcrowd,towardtheDog'skennel.Whenakingapproaches,allriseinrespect.Diogenesmerelysatupononeelbow.Whenamonarchentersaplace,allgreethimwithaboworanacclamation.Diogenessaidnothing.

Therewasasilence.Alexanderspokefirst,withakindlygreeting.Lookingatthepoorbrokencask,thesingleraggedgarment,andtheroughfigurelyingontheground,hesaid,"IsthereanythingIcandoforyou,Diogenes?

"

"Yes,"saidtheDog."Standtooneside.You'reblockingthesunlight."

Therewasanamazedsilence.Slowly,Alexanderturnedaway.AtitterbrokeoutfromtheelegantGreeks.TheMacedonianofficers,afterdecidingthatDiogeneswasnotworththetroubleofkicking,werestartingtoguffawandnudgeoneanother.Alexanderwasstillsilent.Tothosenearesthimhesaidquietly,"IfIwerenotAlexander,IshouldbeDiogenes."Theytookitasaparadox.ButAlexandermeantit.HeunderstoodCynicismastheotherscouldnot.HewaswhatDiogenescalledhimselfa"citizenoftheworld."LikeDiogenes,headmiredtheheroicfigureofHercules,wholaboredtohelpmankindwhileallotherstoiledandsweatedonlyforthemselves.HeknewthatofallmenthenaliveintheworldonlyAlexandertheconquerorandDiogenesthebeggarwerefree.