for though it is small, it is still a little ass.
"Why then do you say nothing to me?" I can only say this to you,
that he who knows not who he is, and for what purpose he exists, and
what is this world, and with whom he is associated, and what things
are the good and the bad, and the beautiful and the ugly, and who
neither understands discourse nor demonstration, nor what is true
nor what is false, and who is not able to distinguish them, will
neither desire according to nature, nor turn away, nor move upward,
nor intend, nor assent, nor dissent, nor suspend his judgment: to
say all in a few words, he will go about dumb and blind, thinking that
he is somebody, but being nobody. Is this so now for the first time?
Is it not the fact that, ever since the human race existed, all errors
and misfortunes have arisen through this ignorance? Why did
Agamemnon and Achilles quarrel with one another? Was it not through
not knowing what things are profitable and not profitable? Does not
the one say it is profitable to restore Chryseis to her father, and
does not the other say that it is not profitable? does not the one say
that he ought to take the prize of another, and does not the other say
that he ought not? Did they not for these reasons forget both who they
were and for what purpose they had come there? Oh, man, for what
purpose did you come? to gain mistresses or to fight? "To fight." With
whom? the Trojans or the Hellenes? "With the Trojans." Do you then
leave Hector alone and draw your sword against your own king? And do
you, most excellent Sir, neglect the duties of the king, you who are
the people's guardian and have such cares; and are you quarreling
about a little girl with the most warlike of your allies, whom you
ought by every means to take care of and protect? and do you become
worse than a well-behaved priest who treats you these fine
gladiators with all respect? Do you see what kind of things
ignorance of what is profitable does?
"But I also am rich." Are you then richer than Agamemnon? "But I
am also handsome." Are you then more handsome than Achilles? "But I
have also beautiful hair." But had not Achilles more beautiful hair
and gold-colored? and he did not comb it elegantly nor dress it.
"But I am also strong." Can you then lift so great a stone as Hector
or Ajax? "But I am also of noble birth." Are you the son of a
goddess mother? are you the son of a father sprung from Zeus? What
good then do these things do to him, when he sits and weeps for a
girl? "But I am an orator." And was he not? Do you not see how he
handled the most skillful of the Hellenes in oratory, Odysseus and
Phoenix? how he stopped their mouths?
This is all that I have to say to you; and I say even this not
willingly. "Why?" Because you have not roused me. For what must I look
to in order to be roused, as men who are expert in are roused by
generous horses? Must I look to your body? You treat it disgracefully.
To your dress? That is luxurious. To your behavior to your look?
That is the same as nothing. When you would listen to a philosopher,
do not say to him, "You tell me nothing"; but only show yourself
worthy of hearing or fit for hearing; and you will see how you will
move the speaker.