English

I .

XII .

Then said I: " With all my heart I agree with Plato; indeed, this is now the second time that these things have been brought back to my mind — first I lost them through the clogging contact of the body; then after through the stress of heavy grief."
Then she continued: " If thou wilt reflect upon thy former admissions, it will not be long before thou dost also recollect that of which erstwhile thou didst confess thyself ignorant."
" What is that?" said I.
" The principles of the world's government," said she.

" I quite agree," said I, " truly all thy reasonings hold admirably together."
Then said she: " What value wouldst thou put upon the boon shouldst thou come to the knowledge of the absolute good?"
" Oh, an infinite," said I, " if only I were so blest as to learn to know God also who is the good."
" Yet this will I make clear to thee on truest grounds of reason, if only our recent conclusions stand fast."
" They will."

" Since now thou hast seen what is the form of the imperfect good, and what the form of the perfect also, methinks I should next show in what manner this perfection of felicity is built up. And here I conceive it proper to inquire, first, whether any excellence, such as thou hast lately defined, can exist in the nature of things, lest we be deceived by an empty fiction of thought to which no true reality answers. But it cannot be denied that such does exist, and is, as it were, the source of all things good.

" This much may well suffice to set forth the form of false happiness; if this is now clear to thine eyes, the next step is to show what true happiness is."
" Indeed," said I, " I see clearly enough that neither is independence to be found in wealth, nor power in sovereignty, nor reverence in dignities, nor fame in glory, nor true joy in pleasures."
" Hast thou discerned also the causes why this is so?"
" I seem to have some inkling, but I should like to learn more at large from thee."

" It is beyond doubt, then, that these paths do not lead to happiness; they cannot guide anyone to the promised goal. Now, I will very briefly show what serious evils are involved in following them. Just consider. Is it thy endeavour to heap up money? Why, thou must wrest it from its present possessor! Art thou minded to put on the splendour of official dignity? Thou must beg from those who have the giving of it; thou who covetest to outview others in honour must lower thyself to the humble posture of petition. Dost thou long for power?

" Then, what shall I say of the pleasures of the body? The lust thereof is full of uneasiness; the sating, of repentance. What sicknesses, what intolerable pains, are they wont to bring on the bodies of those who enjoy them — the fruits of iniquity, as it were! Now, what sweetness the stimulus of pleasure may have I do not know. But that the issues of pleasure are painful everyone may understand who chooses to recall the memory of his own fleshly lusts.

" Again, how misleading, how base, a thing ofttimes is glory! Well does the tragic poet exclaim:
" 'Oh, fond Repute, how many a time and oft Hast thou raised high in pride the base-born churl! "

" Well, then, does sovereignty and the intimacy of kings prove able to confer power? Why, surely does not the happiness of kings endure for ever? And yet antiquity is full of examples, and these days also, of kings whose happiness has turned into calamity. How glorious a power, which is not even found effectual for its own preservation! But if happiness has its source in sovereign power, is not happiness diminished, and misery inflicted in its stead, in so far as that power falls short of completeness?

" Well, but official dignity clothes him to whom it comes with honour and reverence! Have, then, offices of state such power as to plant virtue in the minds of their possessors, and drive out vice? Nay, they are rather wont to signalize iniquity than to chase it away, and hence arises our indignation that honours so often fall to the most iniquitous of men. Accordingly, Catullus calls Nonius an " ulcer-spot, " though " sitting in the curule chair. " Dost not see what infamy high position brings upon the bad?