Kitap 1
646
Ath. Well then, do we suppose that persons who go of themselves to dispensaries to drink medicines are not aware that soon afterwards, and for many days to come, they will find themselves in a bodily condition such as would make life intolerableEvidently, drastic purgatives were commonly prescribed. if it were to last for ever? And we know, do we not, that men who go to the gymnasia for hard training commence by becoming weaker?
646
Clin. All this we know.
646
Ath. We know also that they go there voluntarily for the sake of the subsequent benefit ?
646
Clin. Quite true.
646
Ath. Should one not take the same view of the other institutions also?
646
Clin. Certainly.
646
Ath. Then one must also take the same view of the practice of wine-drinking, if one can rightly class it amongst the others.
646
Clin. Of course one must.
646
Ath. If then this practice should be shown to be quite as beneficial for us as bodily training, certainly at the outset it is superior to it, in so far as it is not, like bodily training, accompanied by pain.
646
Clin. That is true; but I should be surprised if we succeeded in discovering in it any benefit.
646
Ath. That is precisely the point which we must at once try to make plain. Tell me now: can we discern two kinds of fear, of which the one is nearly the opposite of the other?
646
Clin. What kinds do you mean?
646
Ath. These: when we expect evils to occur, we fear them.
646
Clin. Yes.
647
Ath. And often we fear reputation, when we think we shall gain a bad repute for doing or saying something base; and this fear we (like everybody else, I imagine) call shame.
647
Clin. Of course.
647
Ath. These are the two fears I was meaning; and of these the second is opposed to pains and to all other objects of fear, and opposed also to the greatest and most numerous pleasures.i.e. shame, which is fear of disgrace, induces fortitude under pain and the power of resisting vicious pleasures.
647
Clin. Very true.
