下载辰思小说免费APP
Since，then，thepleasuresofeachclassandthelifeofeachareindispute，andthequestionisnotwhichlifeismoreorlesshonourable，orbetterorworse，butwhichisthemorepleasantorpainless——howshallweknowwhospeakstruly？
Icannotmyselftell，hesaid。
Well，butwhatoughttobethecriterion？Isanybetterthanexperienceandwisdomandreason？
Therecannotbeabetter，hesaid。
Then，Isaid，reflect。Ofthethreeindividuals，whichhasthegreatestexperienceofallthepleasureswhichweenumerated？Hastheloverofgain，inlearningthenatureofessentialtruth，greaterexperienceofthepleasureofknowledgethanthephilosopherhasofthepleasureofgain？
Thephilosopher，hereplied，hasgreatlytheadvantage；forhehasofnecessityalwaysknownthetasteoftheotherpleasuresfromhischildhoodupwards：buttheloverofgaininallhisexperiencehasnotofnecessitytasted——or，Ishouldrathersay，evenhadhedesired，couldhardlyhavetasted——thesweetnessoflearningandknowingtruth。
Thentheloverofwisdomhasagreatadvantageovertheloverofgain，forhehasadoubleexperience？
Yes，verygreat。
Again，hashegreaterexperienceofthepleasuresofhonour，ortheloverofhonourofthepleasuresofwisdom？
Nay，hesaid，allthreearehonouredinproportionastheyattaintheirobject；fortherichmanandthebravemanandthewisemanalikehavetheircrowdofadmirers，andastheyallreceivehonourtheyallhaveexperienceofthepleasuresofhonour；butthedelightwhichistobefoundintheknowledgeoftruebeingisknowntothephilosopheronly。
Hisexperience，then，willenablehimtojudgebetterthananyone？
Farbetter。
Andheistheonlyonewhohaswisdomaswellasexperience？
Certainly。
Further，theveryfacultywhichistheinstrumentofjudgmentisnotpossessedbythecovetousorambitiousman，butonlybythephilosopher？
Whatfaculty？
Reason，withwhom，asweweresaying，thedecisionoughttorest。
Yes。
Andreasoningispeculiarlyhisinstrument？
Certainly。
Ifwealthandgainwerethecriterion，thenthepraiseorblameoftheloverofgainwouldsurelybethemosttrustworthy？
Assuredly。
Orifhonourorvictoryorcourage，inthatcasethejudgementoftheambitiousorpugnaciouswouldbethetruest？
Clearly。
Butsinceexperienceandwisdomandreasonarethejudges——
Theonlyinferencepossible，hereplied，isthatpleasureswhichareapprovedbytheloverofwisdomandreasonarethetruest。
Andsowearriveattheresult，thatthepleasureoftheintelligentpartofthesoulisthepleasantestofthethree，andthatheofusinwhomthisistherulingprinciplehasthepleasantestlife。
Unquestionably，hesaid，thewisemanspeakswithauthoritywhenheapprovesofhisownlife。
Andwhatdoesthejudgeaffirmtobethelifewhichisnext，andthepleasurewhichisnext？
Clearlythatofthesoldierandloverofhonour；whoisnearertohimselfthanthemoney—maker。
Lastcomestheloverofgain？
Verytrue，hesaid。
Twiceinsuccession，then，hasthejustmanoverthrowntheunjustinthisconflict；andnowcomesthethirdtrial，whichisdedicatedtoOlympianZeusthesaviour：asagewhispersinmyearthatnopleasureexceptthatofthewiseisquitetrueandpure——allothersareashadowonly；andsurelythiswillprovethegreatestandmostdecisiveoffalls？
Yes，thegreatest；butwillyouexplainyourself？
Iwillworkoutthesubjectandyoushallanswermyquestions。
Proceed。
Say，then，isnotpleasureopposedtopain？
True。
Andthereisaneutralstatewhichisneitherpleasurenorpain？
Thereis。
Astatewhichisintermediate，andasortofreposeofthesoulabouteither——thatiswhatyoumean？
Yes。
Yourememberwhatpeoplesaywhentheyaresick？
Whatdotheysay？
Thatafterallnothingispleasanterthanhealth。Butthentheyneverknewthistobethegreatestofpleasuresuntiltheywereill。
Yes，Iknow，hesaid。
Andwhenpersonsaresufferingfromacutepain，youmust。haveheardthemsaythatthereisnothingpleasanterthantogetridoftheirpain？
Ihave。
Andtherearemanyothercasesofsufferinginwhichthemererestandcessationofpain，andnotanypositiveenjoyment，isextolledbythemasthegreatestpleasure？
Yes，hesaid；atthetimetheyarepleasedandwellcontenttobeatrest。
Again，whenpleasureceases，thatsortofrestorcessationwillbepainful？
Doubtless，hesaid。
Thentheintermediatestateofrestwillbepleasureandwillalsobepain？
Soitwouldseem。
Butcanthatwhichisneitherbecomeboth？
Ishouldsaynot。
Andbothpleasureandpainaremotionsofthesoul，aretheynot？
Yes。
Butthatwhichisneitherwasjustnowshowntoberestandnotmotion，andinameanbetweenthem？
Yes。
How，then，canweberightinsupposingthattheabsenceofpainispleasure，orthattheabsenceofpleasureispain？
Impossible。
Thisthenisanappearanceonlyandnotareality；thatistcsay，therestispleasureatthemomentandincomparisonofwhatispainful，andpainfulincomparisonofwhatispleasant；butalltheserepresentations，whentriedbythetestoftruepleasure，arenotrealbutasortofimposition？
Thatistheinference。
Lookattheotherclassofpleasureswhichhavenoantecedentpainsandyouwillnolongersuppose，asyouperhapsmayatpresent，thatpleasureisonlythecessationofpain，orpainofpleasure。
Whatarethey，hesaid，andwhereshallIfindthem？
Therearemanyofthem：takeasanexamplethepleasures，ofsmell，whichareverygreatandhavenoantecedentpains；theycomeinamoment，andwhentheydepartleavenopainbehindthem。
Mosttrue，hesaid。
Letusnot，then，beinducedtobelievethatpurepleasureisthecessationofpain，orpainofpleasure。
No。
Still，themorenumerousandviolentpleasureswhichreachthesoulthroughthebodyaregenerallyofthissort——theyarereliefsofpain。
Thatistrue。
Andtheanticipationsoffuturepleasuresandpainsareofalikenature？
Yes。
ShallIgiveyouanillustrationofthem？
Letmehear。
Youwouldallow，Isaid，thatthereisinnatureanupperandlowerandmiddleregion？
Ishould。
Andifapersonweretogofromthelowertothemiddleregion，wouldhenotimaginethatheisgoingup；andhewhoisstandinginthemiddleandseeswhencehehascome，wouldimaginethatheisalreadyintheupperregion，ifhehasneverseenthetrueupperworld？
Tobes
