He agreed again.Now, don’t you think it
disgraceful that a man should be in the same plight as the
silliest of wild creatures? Thus an adulterer enters the women’s
quarters, knowing that by committing adultery he is in danger of
incurring the penalties threatened by the law, and that he may
be trapped, caught and ill-treated. When such misery and
disgrace hang over the adulterer’s head, and there are many
remedies to relieve him of his carnal desire without risk, is it
not sheer lunacy to plunge headlong into
danger?Yes, I think it is.
And considering
that the great majority of essential occupations, warfare,
agriculture and very many others, are carried on in the open
air, don’t you think it gross negligence that so many men are
untrained to withstand cold and heat?He agreed again.Don’t you think then, that one who is going to
rule must adapt himself to bear them lightly?Certainly.
If then we
classify those who control themselves in all these matters as
fit to rule,
shall we not classify those who cannot behave so
as men with no claim to be rulers?He agreed again.Well now, as you know the category to which each
of these species belongs, have you ever considered in which
category you ought to put yourself?
I have; and I do
not for a moment put myself in the category of those who want to
be rulers.Cyropaedia I. vi. 7; vii. ii, 26
f. For considering how hard a matter it is to provide
for one’s own needs, I think it absurd not to be content to do
that, but to shoulder the burden of supplying the wants of the
community as well. That anyone should sacrifice a large part of
his own wishes and make himself accountable as head of the state
for the least failure to carry out all the wishes of the
community is surely the height of folly.
For states claim to treat their
rulers just as I claim to treat my servants. I expect my men to
provide me with necessaries in abundance, but not to touch any
of them; and states hold it to be the business of the ruler to
supply them with all manner of good things, and to abstain from
all of them himself. And so, should anyone want to bring plenty
of trouble on himself and others, I would educate him as you
propose and number him with those fitted to be
rulers
: but myself I classify with those who wish for a
life of the greatest ease and pleasure that can be
had.Here Socrates asked:
Shall we then consider whether the rulers or the
ruled live the pleasanter life?Certainly, replied
Aristippus.To
take first the nations known to us. In Asia the rulers are the
Persians; the Syrians, Lydians and Phrygians are the ruled. In
Europe the
Scythians rule, and the Maeotians are ruled. In Africa the Carthaginians rule,
and the Libyans are ruled. Which of the two classes, think you,
enjoys the pleasanter life? Or take the Greeks, of whom you
yourself are one; do you think that the controlling or the
controlled communities enjoy the pleasanter life?
Nay,
replied Aristippus, for my part I am no
candidate for slavery; but there is, as I hold, a middle path in
which I am fain to walk. That way leads neither through rule nor
slavery, but through liberty, which is the royal road to
happiness.