现代大学英语 精读3 Diogenes and Alexander 原文文档格式.docx

现代大学英语 精读3 Diogenes and Alexander 原文文档格式.docx

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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.