12.Of Friendship 论友谊-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《培根随笔集The Essays of Bacon》

12. OfFriendshij IT had been hard for him that spake{ it to have put more truth and untruth together in few words, than in that speech, Whatsoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god②. For it is most true that a natural and secret hatred③ and aversion④ towards society in any man, hath somewhat of the savage{}beast: but it is most untrue that it should have any character at all of the divine nature: except it proceed^*, not out of a pleasure in solitude{}, but out of a love and desire to sequester a man's self for a higher conversation{}: such as is found to have been falsely and feignedly in some of the heathen: as Epimenides the Candian, Numa the Roman, Empedocles the Sicilian, and Apollonius of Tyana; and truly and really in divers{^} of the ancient hermits^{} and holy fathers of the church. But little do men perceive what solitude is, and how far it extendeth. For a crowd is not company; and faces are but a gallery of pictures; and talk but a tinkling cymbal{① where there is no love. The Latin adage{} meeteth with it a little: Magna cvitas, magna solitudo [A great town is a great solitude]; because in a .072· 12.论友ì ①spake [古]speak 的过去 “喜欢孤独的人不是野兽便是神灵。”说这话的 式 ② Whatsoever is delighted 人若要在寥寥数语之中,更能把真理和邪说放在一 in solitude is either a wild 处,那就很难了。因为,若说一个人心里有了一种 beast or a god 喜欢孤独 的人不是野兽便是神灵 天生的,隐秘的,对社会的憎恨嫌弃,则那个人不 语出亚里士多德《政治 学) 免带点野兽的性质,这是极其真实的;然而要说这 ③ hatred /heitrid/n. 憎恶 样的一个人居然有任何神灵的性质,则是极不真实 ④ aversion /a'va:fan/ n. 嫌 的。只有一点可为例外,那就是当这种憎恨社会的 savage /saevidn/a. 野性 的 心理不是出于对孤独的爱好而是出于一种想把自己 proceed /prs'si:d/ v. 着手 退出社会以求更崇高的生活的心理的时候;这样的 进行 solitude /solitju:d/ n. " 人异教徒中有些人曾冒充过,如克瑞蒂人埃薛曼尼 独 ⑧ conversation- 的斯,罗马人努马,西西利人安辟道克利斯和蒂安 intercourse 交往,交流 divers 中古英语,= 那人阿波郎尼亚斯是也;而基督教会中许多的古隐 diverse多样的,各种各样 者和长老则确有如此者。但是一般人并不大明白何 的 hermit /ho:mit/ n. 隐士 为孤独以及孤独的范围。因为在没有“仁爱”的地 方,一群人众并不能算做一个团体,许多的面目也 cymbal /simbal/ n. 铜 adage /aedidy/ n. 古话 仅仅是一列图画;而交谈则不过是丁令作声而 已。这种情形有句拉工成语略能形容之: “一座大 .073· The Essays of Bacon great town friends are scattered; so that there is not that fellowship, for the most part, which is in less neighborhoods. But we may go further, and affirm{}most truly that it is a mere and miserable solitude to want true friends: without which the world is but a wilderness: and even in this sense also of solitude, whosoever in the frame of his nature and affections is unfit for friendship, he taketh it of the beast, and not from humanity②. A principal{} fruit of friendship is the ease and discharge{④ of the fulness and swellingsof the heart^,which passions of all kinds do cause and induce . We know diseases of stoppings and suffocations{} are the most dangerous in the body; and it is not much otherwise in the mind; you may take sarza{} to open the liver, steel to open the spleen, flowers of sulphur for the lungs, castoreum for the brain; but no receipt openeth the heart, but a true friend; to whom you may impart^{} griefs, joys, fears, hopes, suspicions, counsels, and whatsoever lieth upon the heart to oppress it, in a kind of civil shrift^{} or confession. It is a strange thing to observe how high a rate great kings and monarchs do set upon this fruit of friendship whereof we speak: so great, as they purchase it many times at the hazard^{} of their own safety and greatness. For princes, in regard of the distance of their fortune from that of their subjects} and servants,cannot gather this fruit, except (to make themselves capable thereof) they raise some persons to be as it were companions and almost equals to themselves, which many times sorteth to inconvenience. The modern languages give unto such persons the name of favorites, or privates{}; as if it were matter of grace, or conversation. But the Roman name attaineth the tree use and ·074· 培随笔集 城市就是一片大荒野。”因为在一座大城市里朋友 们是散居各处的,所以就其大概而言,不像在小一 ①affirm /a'fom/v. 断言 点的城镇里,有那样的交情。但是我们不妨更进一 步并且很真实地断言说,缺乏真正的朋友乃是最纯 粹最可怜的孤独;没有友谊则斯世不过是一片荒 野;我们还可以用这个意义来论“孤独”说,凡是 ② humanity 天性不配交友的人,其性情可说是来自走兽而不是 /hju(:)'maeniti/ n. 人性 ③ principal /prinsap(a)l,- 来自人类的。 sip-/a.主要的 ④ discharge /dis'tfa:dg/ v. 友谊的主要效用之一就是使人心中的愤抑郁 卸下,放出 之气得以宣泄弛放,这些不平之气是各种情感都可 swelling /swelin/ a 膨胀 的 以引起的。闭塞之症于人的身体最为凶险,这是我 the fulness and swellings of the heart 心中的愤沸 们知道的;在人的精神方面亦复如此;你可以服撒 抑郁之气 尔沙以通肝,服钢以通脾;服疏华以通肺;服海狸 ② induce /in'dju:s/ v. 引诱 招致 胶以通脑;然而除了一个真心的朋友之外没有一样 ⑧ suffocation /sAfo'keifan n.窒息 药剂是可以通心的。对一个真心的朋友,你可以传 sarza = sarsaparilla 中世 达你的忧愁、欢悦、恐惧、希望、疑忌、谏诤,以 纪的一种方剂,用于风湿 等病症 及任何压在你心上的事情,有如一种教堂以外的恬 impart /im'pa:t/ v. 传授, 告知 悔一样。 shrift 中古英语,= 许多伟大的人主帝王对于我们所说的友谊的效 confession 怀悔 用之重视在我们看起来实为可异。他们之重视友 hazard /haezad/ n. 冒险 危险 谊,至于往往不顾自已的安全与尊荣以求之。盖为 人君者,由于他们与臣民之间地位上的距离的缘 subject 臣民 故,是不能享受友谊的,除非他们(为使自己能享 受友谊起见)把某人耀升到他们的伴侣或价辈的地 位,然而这样做的结果往往是有不便的。像这样的 人,现代语叫作“宠臣”或“私人”;好像他们之 private n.私人 所以能到这种地位仅仅是由于主上的恩意或君臣之 间的亲近似的。然而罗马语中的字眼才能算是把这 ·075· The Essays of Bacon cause thereof, naming them participes curarum [partners of cares]; for it is that which tieth the knot. And we see plainly that this hath been done, not by weak and passionate princes only, but by the wisest and most politic that ever reigned; who have oftentimes joined to themselves some of their servants: whom both themselves have called friends, and allowed others likewise to call them in the same manner; using the word which is received between private men. L. Sylla, when he commanded Rome, raised Pompey①(after surnamed the Great) to that height, that Pompey vaunted himself for Sylla's over-match. For when he had carded the consulship② for a friend of his, against the pursuit of Sylla, and that Sylla did a little resent thereat, and began to speak great. Pompey turned upon him again, and in effect bade{③ him be quiet:for that more men adored the sun rising than the sun setting. With Julius Caesar, Decimus Brutus④ had obtained{ that interest, as he set him down in his testament*} for heir in remainder after his nephew. And this was the man that had power with him to draw him forth to his death. For when Caesar would have discharged^{} the senate, in regard of some ill presages^{⑧, and specially a dream of Calpurnia; this man lifted him gently by the arm out of his chair, telling him he hoped he would not dismiss the senate till his wife had dreamt a better dream. And it seemeth his favor was so great, as Antonius, in a letter which is recited verbatim⊙}in one of Cicero's Philippics, calleth him venefica, witch; as if he had enchanted Caesar. Augustus raised Agrippa{ (though of mean birth) to that height, as when he consulted with Maecenas about the marriage of his daughter Julia, Maecenas took the liberty to tell him, that he must either marry his daughter to Agrippa, or take away his life; there ·076· 培随笔集 种人的真正用途及其耀升之由表达出来了;罗马语 把这种人叫作“分忧者”:因为真能使君臣之间结 如斯之友谊者,即此事也。我们又可以看到像这样 的事情并不限于懦弱易感的君主,即从来最有智有 谋的君主,亦往往有与臣下中某人结交,呼之为 友,并使旁人亦以君王之友人称之者;君臣之间所 用的这种称谓就和普通私人之间所用的一样。 Pompey: Pompey the ① 苏拉,当他为罗马的独裁者的时候,把庞贝摧 Great.庞贝,古罗马将军 升到很高的地位,以至庞贝自羽为苏拉所不及。因 和政治领导人,苏拉 (Sylla)的部下 为有一次庞贝为他的一位朋友争执政官之职,与苏 ② consulship /konsolfip/ n 领事的职位 拉所推举之人竞选,竟而获胜。在苏拉对此表示不 满而开始争吵的时候,庞贝简直反唇相向,叫他不 ③ bade /bed/ .. 喻响 要多言:“因为拜朝日的人多过拜夕阳的人。”在 恺撒则有代西玛斯·布鲁塔斯,其影响之巨,竞使 ④ Decimus Brutus 布鲁图 斯(前85?~前42),古罗马 恺撒在遗瞩中立他为次承继人,仅次于恺撒的孙外 的政治家和将军,曾是惜 撒信赖的朋友,但后来图 甥。而这人也就是有能力诱致恺撒于死地的人。因 谋暗杀凯撤 为在恺撒为了一些不祥的预兆,尤其是克尔坡尼亚 obtain /ob'tein/t. 获得 testament 遗嘱 的一场丽梦的缘故而想使参议院先行散会,改期再 discharge /dis 'tfa:dg/ t. 卸下,放出 开的时候,布鲁塔斯拉着他的胳膊,轻轻地把他从 ⑧ presage /presidy/ n. 预 感,预兆 椅子上拉了起来,并告诉他说,他希望恺撒不要叫 参议院散会,等恺撒的夫人做一场好一点的梦之后 再行开会。安乐尼在一封信里这封信在西塞罗的 攻击演说之一中曾经一字不移地引用过)曾呼代西 verbatim /va:'beitim/a 逐字地 玛斯·布鲁塔斯为“妖人”,好像他用邪术迷惑了恺 Agrippa阿格里帕(前63- 撒似的,他的得宠之深可见矣。阿葛瑞帕虽然出身 前12),罗马士兵和政治 微贱,但是奥古斯塔斯却把他升到很高的地位,以 家,为罗马帝国名臣之一 致后来当奥古斯塔斯以他的女儿珍利亚的婚事问麦 西那斯的时候,麦西那斯竟敢说: “他必须把女儿 ·077· The Essays of Bacon was no third way, he had made him so great. With Tiberius Caesar, Sejanus had ascended^{} to that height, as they two were termed and reckoned{② as a pair of friends. Tiberius in a letter to him saith, Hcec pro amicitià nostra non occultavi [These things, as our friendship required, I have not concealed③ from you]; and the whole senate dedicated an altar④to Friendship, as to a goddess, in respect of the great dearness of friendship between them two. The like or more was between Septimius Severus and Plautianus. For he forced his eldest son to marry the daughter of Plautianus; and would often maintain Plautianus in doing affronts to his son: and did write also in a letter to the senate{, by these words: I love the man so well, as I wish he may over-live me. Now if these princes had been as a Trajan or a Marcus Aurelius, a man might have thought that this had proceeded of an abundant goodness of nature; but being men so wise, of such strength and severity{}of mind, and so extreme lovers of themselves, as all these were, it proveth most plainly that they found their own felicity{} (though as great as ever happened to mortal men) but as an half piece{}, except they mought^{} have a friend to make it entire; and yet, which is more, they were princes that had wives, sons, nephews; and yet all these could not supply the comfort of friendship. It is not to be forgotten what Comineus observeth of his first master, Duke Charles the Hardy: namely, that he would communicate his secrets with none: and least off all, those secrets which troubled him most. Whereupon he goeth on and saith that towards his latter time that closeness { did impair and a little perish his understanding. Surely Comineus mought have made the same judgment also, if it had pleased ·078. 培随笔集 嫁给阿葛瑞帕,否则就必须把阿葛瑞帕杀了。再没 有第三条路可走,因为他把阿葛瑞帕已造就得如此 ① ascend /o'send/ v. 上升 ② reckon /rekan/v.评估 之伟大了。”在泰比瑞亚斯一方面,西亚努斯升到 很高的位置,竟至他们二人被称并被认为一双朋 友。泰比瑞亚斯在致西亚努斯的一封信里写道: ③ conceal /kan'si:V/ v. 隐藏 “为了我们的友谊的缘故,我没有把这些事对你隐 瞒。”并且整个的参议院给“友谊”特造了一座祭 ④altar /o:lta/ n. (教堂内 的)圣坛 (就好像“友谊”是一位女神一样)以表扬他们二 人之间的很亲爱的友谊。此类或胜乎此的例子又可 于塞普谛米亚斯·塞委拉斯与普劳梯亚努斯的友谊 中见之。因为塞委拉斯竟强迫他的儿子要普劳梯亚 senate /senit/ n. 参议院 努斯之女为妻;并且往往祖护普劳梯亚努斯种种欺 凌皇子的行为;他并且以这样的言辞下诏于参议 院:“朕爱其人如此之深,愿其能后朕而死也。” abundant /5'bAndont/ 假如这些君王是图拉真或马略斯·奥瑞利亚斯一流 丰富的 的,那么我们可以认为像上述的举动乃是出自十分 scvcrity /si'veriti/ n.严重 良善的心田的;但是这些君王都是很有智谋,精神 ⑧ felicity /fi'lisiti/ n. 快乐 强健而严厉,并且是极端爱已的,然而他们竟然如 an half piece: coin cut in two 此,这就可以证明他们的幸福虽然已达人间之极 mought =migh 峰,但是他们对之,仍不满意,觉得若无朋友使之 圆满,则这种幸福终是残缺不全也。尤有甚者,这 些君主都是有妻有子有甥侄的人,然而这些人竟不 能使他们有朋友之乐。 康明奈亚斯关于他的第一位主上,公爵“勇敢 的”查理,所说的话是不可忘的,就是,他不肯把 他的秘密与任何人共享,尤其不肯把那最使他为难 closeness = secretiveness 的秘密告人。于是康明奈亚斯继续又说道:“到公 隐匿,隐秘 爵的末日将近的时候这种秘而不宣的性情不免稍损 ·079· The Essays of Bacon him, of his second master, Lewis the Eleventh, whose closeness was indeed his tormentor^{①}. The parable②} of Pythagoras{③} is dark, but true; Cor ne edito: Eat not the heart. Certainly, if a man would give it a hard phrase, those that want friends to open themselves unto are cannibals④ of their own hearts. But one thing is most admirable{} (wherewith I will conclude this first fruit of friendship), which is, that this communicating of a man's self to his friend works two contrary effects: for it redoubleth joys, and cutteth griefs in halves. For there is no man that imparteth his joys to his friend, but he joyeth the more; and no man that imparteth his griefs to his friend, but he grieveth the less. So that it is in truth of operation upon a man's mind, of like virtue as the alchemists use to attribute to their stone for man's body; that it worketh all contrary effects, but still to the good and benefit of nature. But yet without praying^{} in aid of alchemists, there is a manifest image of this in the ordinary course of nature. For in bodies, union strengthened and cherisheth any natural action; and on the other side weakeneth and dulleth any violent impression: and even so it is of minds. The second fruit of friendship is healthful and sovereign for the understanding, as the first is for the affections. For friendship maketh indeed a fair day in the affections, from storm and tempests{; but it maketh daylight in the understanding, out of darkness and confusion} of thoughts. Neither is this to be understood only of faithful counsel, which a man receiveth from his friend; but before you come to that, certain it is that whosoever hath his mind fraught with many thoughts, his wits and understanding do clarify and break up, in the .o80. 培随笔集 他的理智。”其实,如果康明奈亚斯乐意的话,他 ① tormentor 对于他的第二位主上,路易十一,也大可下同样的 /to:'menta(r),'to:m-/ n. 使苦痛之人/物 断语,因为路易十一的好隐秘确是他自己的灾星 ② parable =proverb格言, 箴言 毕达哥拉斯的格言是难解而真确的;他说:“不要 ③Pythagoraas毕达哥拉斯 吃你的心。”确实地;说得厉害一点,没有朋友可 公元前六世纪古希腊著 名数学家,唯心主义哲学 以向之倾诉心事的人们可说是吃自己的心的野人。 家 ④ cannibal /kaenibal /n. 食 有一件事却是很值得惊奇的(我把它说了出来就此 人者 结束关于友谊的第一种功效的话语),那就是,一 admirable /sedmarobl/ a 令人钦佩的 个人向朋友宣泄私情的这件事能产生两种相反的结 果,它既能使欢乐倍增,又能使忧愁减半。因为没 有不因为把自已的乐事告诉了朋友而更为欢欣者 也没有因为把自已的忧愁告诉了朋友而不减忧愁 stone = the"philosopher' stone”,“哲人之石”:传说 者。所以就实际的作用而言,友谊之于人心其价 中的一种宝石,可以化铁 值真有如炼金术士常常所说的他们的宝石之子人 为金 pray /prei/c. 祈祷 身一样;这宝石,依术士们的话,是能产生种种 互相反对的效力,然而总是有利于天禀的。然而。 即令不借助于术土,在普通的自然现象中,也可 以看到这种情形很明显的肖像。因为物体相合则 足以助长并滋养任何天然的作用,又可以削弱并 挫折任何暴烈的外来打击也;物体如此,人心亦 是如此。 ⑧ tempest /tempist/ n. 暴 友谊的第二种功用就在于它能滋养并支配理 风雨 智,有如第一种功用之滋养并支配感情一样。因为 confusion /kan'fju:3an n.混乱 友谊在感情方面使人出于烈风暴雨而入于光天化 日,而在理智方面又能使人从黑暗和乱想入于白昼 也。这不仅指一个人从朋友处得来的忠谏而言;即 使在得到这个之前,任何心中思虑过多的人,若能 与旁人通言并讨论,则他的心智与理解力将变为清 ·081·