Of Friendship 论友谊(3)

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. 泰比瑞亚斯在致西亚努斯的一封信里写道：“为了我们底友谊的原故，我没有把这些事对你隐瞒”，并且整个的参议院给“友谊”特造了一座祭坛（就好象“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?斯与普劳梯亚努斯底友谊中见之。因为塞委拉斯竟强迫他底儿子娶普劳梯亚努斯之女为妻；并且往往袒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”。假如这些君王是图拉真或马喀斯·奥瑞利亚斯一流的，那末我们可以认为象上述的举动乃是出自十分良善的心田的；但是这些君王都是很有智谋，精神强健而严厉，并且是极端爱己的，然而他们竟然如此，这就可以证明他们底幸福虽然已达人间之极峰，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。犹有甚者，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。   It is not to be forgotten, what Commineus observeth of his first master Duke Charles the Hardy; namely, mat he would communicate his secrets with none; and least of 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.  康明奈亚斯关于他底第一位主上，公爵“勇敢的”查理，所说的话是不可忘的，就是，他不肯把他底秘密与任何人共之，尤其不肯把那最使他为难的秘密告人。于是康明奈亚斯继续又说道：“到公爵底末日将近的时候这种秘而不宣的性情不免稍损他底理智”。   Surely Commineus mought have made the same judgement also, if it had pleased him, of his second master Lewis the Eleventh, whose closeness was indeed his tormentor. 其实，如果康明奈亚斯乐意的话，他对于他底第二位主上，路易十一，也大可下同样的断语，因为路易十一底好隐秘确是他自己底灾星。   The parable of Pythagoras 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 cannibals 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 strengtheneth and cherisheth any natural action; and, on the other side, weakeneth and dulleth any violent impression: and even so is it of minds. 毕达哥拉斯底格言是难解而真确的；他说，“不要吃你底心”。确实地；说得厉害一点，没有朋友可以向之倾诉心事的人们可说是吃自己底心的野人。有一件事却是很值得惊奇的（我把它说了出来就此结束关于友谊底第一种功效的话语），那就是，一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。因为没有人不因为把自己底乐事告诉了朋友而更为欢欣者；也没有人因为把自己底忧愁告诉了朋友而不减忧愁者。所以就实际的作用而言，友谊之于人心其价值真有如炼金术士常常所说的他们底宝石之于人身一样；这宝石，依术士们底话，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，即令不借助于术士，在普通的自然现象中，也可以看到这种情形很明显的肖象。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。   The second fruit of friendship is healthful and sovereign for the understanding as the first is for the affections. For frendship 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 communicating and discoursing with another: he tosseth his thoughts more easily; he marshalled them more orderly; he seeth how they look when they are turned into words; finally, he waxeth wiser than