Delphi Complete Works of Dio Chrysostom

by Dio Chrysostom

  [67] τῷ στρατηγῷ δὲ ἔργον ἐστὶν ἅπαντας μὲν ὡπλίσθαι καλῶς, ἅπαντας δὲ εὐπορεῖν σκέπης, οὐ μόνον δὲ τὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων γαστέρας πληροῦν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς τῶν ἵππων: ἐὰν δὲ μὴ πάντες ἔχωσι τὰ ἐπιτήδεια, πολὺ μᾶλλον ἄχθεται ἢ αὐτὸς νοσῶν: σωτηρίαν γε μὴν τὴν ἐκείνων οὐ περὶ ἐλάττονος ποιεῖται τῆς αὑτοῦ. καὶ γὰρ δὴ νικᾶν μὲν ἀδύνατον ἄνευ σωτηρίας τῶν στρατιωτῶν: ὑπὲρ δὲ τῆς νίκης πολλοὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ ἀποθνήσκειν αἱροῦνται.

  [63] Thus, on board ship the passengers may disregard the sea and not even look at it; yes, not even know “where on earth they are,” as the saying is — and many do sail the sea after this fashion in fair weather, some gambling, some singing, some feasting the livelong day. Then when a storm comes on, they wrap themselves up and await the event, while some few retire and do not rise from their beds until they reach port.

  [68] πάλιν δὲκαθ᾽ ἕκαστον ἡμῶν τὸ μὲν σῶμα, ἅτε ἀνόητον, οὐδὲ αὑτῷ βοηθεῖν [p. 45] ἱκανόν ἐστιν οὐδὲ ὑπὲρ αὑτοῦ φροντίζειν πέφυκεν, ὅ γε τῆς ψυχῆς ἀπολιπούσης οὐδὲ ὀλίγον δύναται διαμένειν, ἀλλὰ παραχρῆμα λύεται καὶ ἀπόλλυται: ἡ ψυχὴ δὲ ὑπὲρ ἐκείνου πάσας μὲν φροντίδας φροντίζει, πάσας δὲ ἐπινοίας σκύλλει καὶ πολλὰ μὲν ἀνιᾶται λυπουμένη.

  [64] But the pilot — he must look out to sea, must scan the sky, must see the land in time; nay, nor should what is in the depths escape him either, else he will unexpectedly strike submerged rocks or hidden reefs.

  [69] καὶ τὸ μὲν σῶμα παρούσης αὐτὸ μόνον αἰσθάνεται τῆς ἀλγηδόνος: ἡ ψυχὴ δὲ πρὶν ἢ γενέσθαι τὴν ἀλγηδόνα ἀνιᾶται, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ μὴ μελλούσης γίγνεσθαι δι᾽ ὀρρωδίαν. θανάτου δὲ σῶμα μὲν οὐδέποτε ᾔσθετο: ψυχὴ δὲ καὶ τούτου συνίησι, καὶ πολλὰ πάσχει ῥυομένη μὲν ἐκ νόσων τὸ σῶμα, ῥυομένη δὲ ἐκ πολέμων, ῥυομένη δὲ ἐκ χειμῶνος, ῥυομένη δὲ ἐκ θαλάσσης. ὁ̣̣̓τω πανταχῇ ἐπιπονώτερον ψυχὴ καὶ ταλαιπωρότερον σώματος, ὅμως δὲ θειότερον καὶ βασιλικώτερον.

  [65] He is the only one who during the night has less chance to sleep than the night-watch; while by day, if he does by any chance snatch a wink of sleep, even this is anxious and fitful, since he shouts out frequently, “Furl the sail,” or “Hard on the tiller,” or gives some other nautical command. And so, even when dozing, he has more thought for the ship than any of the others who are widest awake.

  [70] καὶ μὴν τῶν γε ἀνθρώπων πᾶς ἂν ὁμολογήσειεν ὡς ἰσχυρότερον καὶ ἡγεμονικώτερον ἀνὴρ γυναικός. ἀλλ᾽ ἐκείναις μὲν τὰ πολλὰ τῶν ἔργων κατ᾽ οἰκίαν ἐστί, καὶ ἄπειροι μὲν ὡς τὸ πολὺ χειμώνων διατελοῦσιν, ἄπειροι δὲ πολέμων, ἄπειροι δὲ κινδύνων.

  [66] To take another illustration: On a campaign, the individual soldier sees to weapons and food for himself alone, and besides, does not furnish them himself but expects to find them ready at hand. It is only his own health, only his own safety that he has to think of.

  [71] τοῖς δὲ ἀνδράσι προσήκει μὲν στρατεύεσθαι, προσήκει δὲ ναυτιλίας προσήκει δὲ πλεῖν, ἀνάγκη δὲ ἐν ὑπαίθρῳ τὰ ἔργα διαπονεῖν. ἀλλ᾽ οὐ διὰ τοῦτο μᾶλλον ἄν τις μακαρίσειε τῶν ἀνδρῶν τὰς γυναῖκας.

  [67] But it is the general’s duty to see that all are well equipped, that all are provided with shelter, and to furnish sufficient food not only for the men but for the horses as well; and if all do not have their supplies, he is much more vexed than he would be if ill himself; while the safety of his men he considers just as important as his own. Indeed, victory is impossible if the soldiers be not saved, and to win victory many good men choose even to die.

  [72] ὅσοι δ᾽ αὖ δι᾽ ἀσθένειάν τε καὶ μαλακίαν ἐζήλωσαν τὸν ἐκείνων βίον, ὥσπερ Σαρδανάπαλλος, διαβόητοι μέχρι νῦν εἰσιν ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰσχροῖς.

  [68] Again, the body of each one of us, being devoid of intelligence, is not in a position to help itself, nor by its very nature can it take thought for itself; indeed, when the soul departs, it cannot endure even a short time, but suffers immediate decay and dissolution; whereas the soul feels every care in its behalf, is troubled by every fancy when it is hurt, and is greatly distressed.

  [73] τὸ δὲ μέγιστον, ὁρᾷς τὸν ἥλιον, πόσῳ μὲν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὑπερέχει μακαριότητι θεὸς ὤν: ὅτι δὲ οὐκ ἀναίνεται δι᾽ αἰῶνος ἡμῖν ὑπουργῶν καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἕνεκα σωτηρίας πράττων ἅπαντα.

  [69] Only when the soul is present is the body sensitive to pain; but the soul is distressed before the pain comes; often, too, through foreboding when it is not going to come. As for death, the body never feels it, but the soul understands it and suffers greatly, now rescuing the body from disease, now from war, rescuing it from storms and rescuing it from the sea. So, while from every point of view the soul is more subject to hardship and suffering than the body, yet it is the more divine and regal part.

  [74] τί γὰρ ἂν ἄλλο τις εἴποι τὸν ἥλιον ἐργάζεσθαι δι᾽ αἰῶνος ἢ ὁπόσων ἄνθρωποι δέονται; ποιοῦντα μὲν καὶ διακρίνοντα τὰς ὥρας, αὔξοντα δὲ καὶ τρέφοντα πάντα μὲν τὰ ζῷα, πάντα δὲ τὰ φυτά, χορηγοῦντα δὲ τὸ κάλλιστον καὶ ἥδιστον ὁραμάτων, φῶς, οὗ χωρὶς οὐδὲ τῶν ἄλλων ὄφελος οὐδὲν τῶν καλῶν, [p. 46] οὔτε οὐρανίων οὔτε ἐπιγείων, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τοῦ ζῆν: καὶ ταῦτα οὐδέποτε κάμνει χαριζόμενος.

  [70] Then compare the lots of man and woman. Now everyone would admit that man is stronger than woman and more fitted to lead. Consequently, to her falls the larger share of the household tasks, and, for the most part, she remains unacquainted with storms and wars, unacquainted with dangers in general;

  [75] ἦπού γε δουλείαν δουλεύειν φαίη τις ἂν πάνυ ἰσχυράν. εἰ γὰρ καὶ σμικρὸν ἀμελήσειε καὶ παραβαίη τῆς αὑτοῦ τάξεως, οὐδὲν κωλύει πάντα μὲν οὐρανόν, πᾶσαν δὲ γῆν, πᾶσαν δὲ θάλατταν οἴχεσθαι, πάντα δὲ τοῦτον τὸν εὐειδῆ καὶμακάριον κόσμον τὴν αἰσχίστην καὶ χαλεπωτάτην ἀκοσμίαν φανῆναι.

  [71] while it is the man’s part, on the other hand, to serve in the army, to sail the sea, and to do the hard outdoor work. Yet no one would on that account deem women happier than men.

  [76] νῦν δέ, ὥσπερ ἐν λύρᾳ φθόγγων ἁπτόμενος ἐμμελῶς, οὐδέποτε ἐξίσταται τῆς καθαρᾶς τε καὶ ἄκρας ἁρμονίας, μίαν ἀεὶ καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἀπιὼν ὁδόν.

  [72] Nay, every man whose we
akness and lack of virility have led him to emulate their life, as Sardanapallus did, is to this day branded with the shame of it.

  [77] ἐπεὶ δὲ δεῖται μὲν ἀλέας ἡ γῆ ὥστε γεννῆσαι τὰ φυόμενα καὶ ὥστε αὐξῆσαι καὶ ὥστε ἐπιτελέσαι, δεῖται δὲ τὰζῷα καὶ σωτηρίας ἕνεκα τῶν σωμάτων καὶ ἡδονῆς τῆς κατὰ φύσιν, δεόμεθα δὲ πάντων μάλιστα ἡμεῖς, ἅτε πλείστης χρῄζοντες βοηθείας, θέρος ἐποίησεν ἀεὶ καὶ μᾶλλον, ἐγγυτέρω προσιὼν τῆς ἡμετέρας οἰκήσεως, ἵνα πάντα μὲν φύσῃ, πάντα δὲ θρέψῃ, πάντα δὲ τελειώσῃ, θείαν δὲ καὶ θαυμαστὴν παράσχῃ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις

  [73] But this is the best illustration: You see how greatly the sun, being a god, surpasses man in felicity and yet throughout the ages does not grow weary in ministering to us and doing everything to promote our welfare.

  [78] εὐφροσύνην τε καὶ ἑορτήν. ἐπεὶ δὲ αὖ πάλιν τἄλλα τε καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν χρείᾳ γιγνόμεθα τῆς ἐναντίας κράσεως: δεῖται μὲν γὰρ ὑπὸ τοῦ ψύχους τὰ σώματα συνίστασθαι, δεῖται δὲ πυκνώσεως τὰ φυτά, δεῖται δὲ ὄμβρων ἡ γῆ: πάλιν ἄπεισιν ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν ἀφιστάμενος τὸ μέτριον.

  [74] For what else would one say that the sun accomplishes throughout the ages except what man stands in need of? Does he not cause and mark out the seasons, give growth and nourishment to all living creatures and to all plant life? Does he not lavish upon us the fairest and most delightful of visions, even his light, without which we should have no profit of the other beautiful things, be they in heaven or on earth; nay, not even of life itself? And he never grows weary in showering these blessings upon us.

  [79] οὕτω δὲ πάνυ ἀσφαλῶς καὶ ἀραρότως τηρεῖ τοὺς ὅρους πρὸς τὸ ἡμῖν συμφέρον, ὥστε εἴτε προσιὼν ὀλίγον ἐγγυτέρω γένοιτο, πάντα ἂν συμφλέξειεν, εἴτε ἀπιὼν μικρὸν ὑπερβάλοι, πάντα ἂν ἀποψυγείη τῷ κρύει.

  [75] Verily one might say that he endures a servitude most exacting; for, if he were to be careless but for a moment and leave his appointed track, absolutely nothing would prevent the whole heavens, the whole earth, and the whole sea from going to wrack and ruin, and all this fair and blissful order from ending in the foulest and most dread disorder.

  [80] ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀσθενέστεροι φέρειν ἐσμὲν τὴν μεταβολὴν ἀθρόαν γιγνομένην, κατ᾽ ὀλίγον ταῦτα μηχανᾶται, καὶ τρόπον τινὰ λανθάνει συνεθίζων μὲν ἡμᾶς διὰ τοῦ ἦρος ὑπενεγκεῖντὸ θέρος, προγυμνάζων δὲ διὰ τοῦ μετοπώρου χειμῶνα ἀνέχεσθαι, ἐκ μὲν τοῦ χειμῶνος θάλπων κατ᾽ ὀλίγον, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ θέρους ἀναψύχων, ὥστε ἀλύπως ἀφικνεῖσθαι πρὸς ἑκατέραν τὴν ὑπερβολήν. [p. 47]

  [76] But now, as though touching the strings of the lyre with an artist’s touch, he never swerves from his pure and exquisite harmony, ever moving along his one recurrent track.

  [81] ἐπεὶ δὲ αὖ τὸ φῶς ὁρᾶσθαι μὲν ἥδιστον, πράττειν δὲ ἀδύνατον ὁτιοῦν χωρὶς αὐτοῦ, κοιμώμενοι δὲ πᾶσαν μὲν ἡσυχίαν ἄγομεν, οὐδὲν δὲ χρώμεθα τῷ φωτί, ὅσον μὲν ἱκανὸν ἐγρηγορέναι χρόνον, ἡμέραν ἐποίησεν, ὅσον δὲ κοιμᾶσθαι ἀναγκαῖον, νύκτα ἀπέδειξε, περὶ πᾶσαν ἰὼν γῆν, ἄλλοτε ἄλλους ἀναπαύων τε καὶ ἀνιστάς, ἀφιστάμενος μὲν ἀπὸ τῶν μηκέτι δεομένων φωτός, τοῖς δὲ ἀεὶ δεομένοις ἐπιφαινόμενος. καὶ ταῦτα μηχανώμενος δι᾽ αἰῶνος οὐδέποτε κάμνει.

  [77] And since the earth needs warmth to bring forth her produce, to give it increase, and to bring it to perfection, since animals need it likewise both for the preservation of their bodies and for their natural pleasure, and since we, being so utterly dependent in our helplessness, need it above all others, he brings on summer step by step as he approaches nearer and nearer to our habitation, that he may give growth to everything, nourish everything, perfect everything, and spread a divine and wondrous feast of good cheer before man.

  [82] ὅπου δὲ θεὸς ὁ πάντων κάλλιστος καὶ φανερώτατος οὐχ ὑπερορᾷ τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον ἀνθρώπων ἐπιμελούμενος, ἦπού γε ἄνθρωπον θεοφιλῆ καὶ φρόνιμον χρὴ βαρύνεσθαι τὸ τοιοῦτον, ἀλλὰ μὴ καθ᾽ ὅσον οἶός τέ ἐστι μιμεῖσθαι τὴν ἐκείνου δύναμιν καὶ φιλανθρωπίαν;

  [78] But when, on the other hand, we and all other things come to need the opposite temperature — for our bodies need to be braced up by cold, plants need hardening, and the earth needs rain — he goes away from us again, withdrawing a moderate distance;

  [83] ταῦτα δὴ λογιζόμενος οὐκ ἄχθεται καρτερῶν. κατανοεῖ δὲ τοὺς μὲν πόνους ὑγίειάν τε παρέχοντας καὶ σωτηρίαν ἔτι δὲ δόξαν ἀγαθήν, τὴν δὲ αὖ τρυφὴν ἅπαντα τούτων τἀναντία. ἔτι δὲ οἱ μὲν πόνοι αὑτοὺς ἐλάττους ἀεὶ ποιοῦσι καὶ φέρειν ἐλαφροτέρους, τὰς δὲ ἡδονὰς μείζους καὶ ἀβλαβεστέρας, ὅταν γίγνωνται μετὰ τοὺς πόνους. ἡ δέ γε τρυφὴ τοὺς μὲν πόνους ἀεὶ χαλεπωτέρους ποιεῖ φαίνεσθαι, τὰς δὲ ἡδονὰς ἀπομαραίνει καὶ ἀσθενεῖς ἀποδείκνυσιν.

  [79] and with such perfect nicety of adjustment does he observe his bounds with respect to our advantage that, if in his approach he got a little nearer, he would set everything on fire, and if he went a little too far in his departure, everything would be stiffened with frost.

  [84] ὁ γὰρ ἀεὶ τρυφῶν ἄνθρωπος, μηδέποτε δὲ ἁπτόμενος πόνου μηδενός, τελευτῶν πόνον μὲν οὐκ ἂν οὐδένα ἀνάσχοιτο, ἡδονῆς δὲ οὐδεμιᾶς ἂν αἴσθοιτο, οὐδὲ τῆς σφοδροτάτης. ὥστε ὁ φιλόπονος καὶ ἐγκρατὴς οὐ μόνον βασιλεύειν ἱκανώτερός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἥδιον βιοτεύει πολὺ τῶν ἐναντίων.

  [80] And since a sudden change would be too much for our weakness, he brings all this to pass gradually, and in a way he accustoms us insensibly in the spring to endure the heat of summer and in the late autumn gives preliminary training to support the chill of winter — in the one case taking off the chill of winter little by little, in the other, reducing the heat of summer, so that we reach either extreme without discomfort.

  [85] ἐγρηγόρσεως δὲ καὶ ὕπνου τοῖς μὲν στρατιώταις ἐξ ἴσου μέτεστι, τῶν μὲν φυλαττόντων ἐν μέρει, τῶν δὲ ἀναπαυομένων: ὁ δὲ στρατηγὸς ἀγρυπνότερός ἐστι τῶν ἀεὶ φυλαττόντων.

  [81] And furthermore, since it is so great a pleasure to see the light and impossible to do anything without it, and since, when we are asleep, we do absolutely nothing and make no use of the light, he has made day the time requisite for our waking hours, and turned into night the time ne
cessary for sleep, making a complete revolution around the earth and sending now these men to rest or awakening them, now those: departing from them who no longer need his light and appearing to those who need it again in their turn. And he never grows weary of bringing these things to pass throughout the ages.

  [58] καὶ τοίνυν τὴν μὲν ἀνδρείαν καὶ τὴν ἐγκράτειαν καὶ τὴν φρόνησιν [p. 48] ἀναγκαίας νομίζει καὶ τοῖς ἀμελοῦσι τοῦ δικαίου καὶ βουλομένοις τυραννεῖν, εἰ μὴ τάχιστα ἀπολοῦνται, ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον ἔτι τούτων ὁρᾷ

  [82] But where a god, the fairest and most conspicuous of all, does not neglect his eternal watch over man, can it possibly be right for man, intelligent object of the god’s care, to feel oppressed by similar duties? Should he not, so far as in him lies, imitate the god’s power and goodness?

  [59] δεομένους αὐτούς, ὅσῳ δὲ πλείους μὲν ἔχει τοὺς μισοῦντας, πλείους δὲ τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύοντας, οὐδένα δὲ πιστὸν οὐδὲ κηδόμενον, τοσούτῳ γε μᾶλλον, εἰ σωθήσεταί τινα χρόνον, καὶ ἀγρυπνητέον εἶναι καὶ φροντιστέον,ὡς ἀμυνόμενόν τε μὴ ἡττᾶσθαι τῶν πολεμίων καὶ ἐπιβουλευόμενον μὴ ἀγνοεῖν τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύοντας, καὶ τῶν ἡδονῶν ἀφεκτέον καὶ γαστρὶ καὶ ὕπνῳ καὶ ἀφροδισίοις ἐλάχιστα προσεκτέον, ἤ τῷ φιλουμένῳ μὲν ὑπὸ πάντων, μηδένα δὲ ἔχοντι ἐπιβουλεύοντα.