自私者的聪明，在许多方面都犯下了罪恶。房屋轰塌前一定要逃生，那是老鼠的机智；把小动物从它们挖好了的栖身之处驱逐出来，鸠占鹊巢，那是狐狸的狡猾；边吞食边落泪，那是鳄鱼的阴险。尤其要指出的是，“有己为人”（西塞罗告诉庞培语），往往倒霉。即使耗尽毕生的精力为自己牟利，最终还是要被无常的命运收拾掉；而他们还自忖，以自私者的明智，足以束缚住生命的翅膀呢。
Of Wisdom for a Man’s Self
Francis Bacon
An ant is a wise creature for itself； but it is a shrewd1 thing in an orchard2 or garden。 And certainly men that are great lovers of themselves waste the public。 Divide with reason between self…love and society； and be so true to thyself； as thou be not false to others； specially to thy king and country。 It is a poor centre of a man’s actions； himself。 It is right earth。 For that only stands fast upon his own centre； whereas all things that have affinity with the heavens； move upon the centre of another； which they benefit。 The referring of all to a man’s self is more tolerable3 in a sovereign prince； because themselves are not only themselves； but their good and evil is at the peril of the public fortune。 But it is a desperate evil in a servant to a prince； or a citizen in a republic。 For whatsoever affairs pass such a man’s hands； he crooketh them to his own ends； which must needs to be often eccentric to the ends of his master or state。 Therefore； let princes； or states； choose such servants as have not this mark； except they mean their service should be made but the accessory。 That which maketh the effect more pernicious is that all proportion is lost。 It were disproportion enough for the servant’s good to be preferred before the master’s； but yet it is a greater extreme； when a little good of the servant shall carry things against a great good of the master’s。 And yet that is the case of bad officers； treasurers； ambassadors； generals； and other false and corrupt4 servants； which set a bias upon their bowl； of their own petty ends and envies； to the overthrow of their master’s great and important affairs。 And for the most part； the good such servants receive is after the model of their own fortune； but the hurt they sell for that good is after the model of their master’s fortune。 And certainly it is the nature of extreme self…lovers； as they will set an house on fire； and it were but to roast their eggs； and yet these men many times hold credit with their masters； because their study is but to please them and profit themselves； and for either respect they will abandon the good of their affairs。
Wisdom for a man’s self is； in many branches thereof； a depraved thing。 It is the wisdom of rats； that will be sure to leave a house somewhat before it fall。 It is the wisdom of the fox； that thrusts out the badger； who digged and made room for him。 It is the wisdom of crocodiles5； that shed tears when they would devour。 But that which is specially to be noted is； that those which （as Cicero says of Pompey） are sui amantes； sine rivali； are many times unfortunate。 And whereas they have all their time sacrificed to themselves； they bee in the end themselves sacrifices to the inconstancy of fortune； whose wings they thought by their self…wisdom to have pinioned。
。 最好的txt下载网
赫拉克勒斯的选择（1）
佚名
在赫拉克勒斯的著名选择——选择劳作，不贪图享乐中，他明白了大多数人都不能发现的一种观点。他明白，选择劳作就是选择了美德，也因此选择了幸福。然而，值得注意的是，幸福并不是他的目标，而更是对他辛勤劳作的一种回报。这一点是至关重要的。许多人视追求快乐为终极目标，是因为他们相信，正如这个故事中快乐的化身所说的那样，安逸是一种“为享受生活无所求”的状态。但是，即使你得到了这样的快乐，你也失去了一些基本的东西——只有通过人类的拼搏争取才能获得的精神满足感。我们知道，当赫拉克勒斯走上美德和劳作的道路时，真正的幸福就会来到他身边。
当赫拉克勒斯还是个英俊的小伙子时，他就要自己面对生活了。一天早晨，他出门为继父办事，但是，越走他心里的酸楚就越多。他埋怨起来，因为那些并不比他好的人都安逸而快乐地生活着，而他一无所有，只能天天辛劳而痛苦地生活。
想着这些，他来到了一个交叉路口。他停了下来，不确定应该选择哪条路。
他右面的那条路，崎岖陡峭，沿途也没有漂亮的景色，但他看到这条路直接通向了远方的绿色山脉。
他左面的道路，宽阔平坦，道路两旁绿树成荫，有无数鸟儿在那里歌唱。这条道路在绿色的草地上蜿蜒，草地上开满了无数的花朵，但是这条通向绿色山脉的路远远看不到尽头。
就在他犹豫地站在那里时，他看到每条路上都有一个漂亮的女人向他走来。有鲜花的那条路上的女人最先来到他面前。赫拉克勒斯发现，她就像夏日的天气一样明亮绚丽。
她面颊绯红，眼睛灼灼有光，言辞热情且具有说服力。“哦，高贵的年轻人，”她说，“跟我走吧，别再弯腰劳作，别在小道上跋涉了。我会带你走上一条快乐的道路。那里没有风暴袭扰，没有烦恼扰心。在永恒的音乐与欢笑的陪伴下，你将快乐地生活。要享受生活的快乐，你什么也不缺少——飘香的美酒、柔软的睡椅、华美的衣服或美丽少女爱慕的目光。跟我来吧，生活会像快乐的白日梦一般美好。”
就在这时，另一位美丽的女人也走近他的身旁。她告诉这位少年说：“除了你通过自己的努力应该获得的东西以外，我不能对你承诺什么。我要带你走的路崎岖而又陡峭，需要翻越很多座山，穿过很多峡谷和沼泽。有时，你从小山顶上看到的景色是雄伟而又壮观的。不过，峡谷的谷底幽暗漆黑，从深谷里往上爬更是艰辛。然而，这条路通向无上声名的绿色山峰，在那里，你能看到地平线上更遥远的地方。不经过艰辛的劳作，是不可能看到这些景物的。事实上，若非艰辛的劳作换取的成果，是毫无价值的。如果你想得到鲜花和果实，你必须栽种它们、培育它们；如果你想得到同伴的关爱，你必须关爱他们，为他们受苦；如果你想得到上天的宠爱，你必须让自己有资格享受这种宠爱；如果你想得到不朽的名望，你就不要忽略通往名望的艰难之路。”
尽管这个女人同另一位女人一样美丽，但赫拉克勒斯看到她的面庞纯真而文雅，就像五月里温暖清晨的天空。
“该如何称呼你呢？”他问。
“有些人叫我劳作，”她回答，“还有另一些人叫我美德。”
然后，年轻人又转向第一个女人。“那么，你又叫什么名字？”他问道。
“有些人叫我快乐，”她带着迷人的微笑说，“但我愿意被人称做愉快和幸福。”
赫拉克勒斯说：“美德，我选择你做我的向导！付出劳作和诚实的努力的道路，才是我要走的路。我的内心不再怀有苦楚与不满。”
他把手放到美德的手中，和她一起走上了难以行走的道路，那条路将直通向遥远而又模糊的地平线上的美丽山峰。
赫拉克勒斯的选择（2）
■
在赫拉克勒斯的著名选择——选择劳作，不贪图享乐中，他明白了大多数人都不能发现的一种观点。他明白，选择劳作就是选择了美德，也因此选择了幸福。我们知道，当赫拉克勒斯走上美德和劳作的道路时，真正的幸福就会来到他身边。
The Choice of Hercules
Anonymous
In his famous choice of labor over pleasure； Hercules sees a distinction far too many fail to discern。 He sees that to choose labor is to choose virtue； and thereby happiness。 It is important to note； however； that happiness is not his goal； it is rather a result of his dedication to labor。 It’s a crucial point。 Many people pursue pleasure as an end because they believe； as the personification of pleasure says in this story； that ease is the state in which “you shall not want for anything that makes life joyous。” But even if you attain that kind of pleasure； something fundamental is missing—the satisfaction of the soul that es only through human striving。 We know true happiness will e to Hercules as we see him set off down the road of Virtue and Labor。
When Hercules was a fair…faced youth； and life was all before him； he went out one morning to do an errand for his stepfather。 But as he walked his heart was full of bitter thoughts； and he murmured because others no better than himself were living in ease and pleasure； while for him there was naught but a life of labor and pain。
As he thought upon these things； he came to a place where two roads met； and he stopped； not certain which one to take。
The road on his right was hilly and rough。 There was no beauty in it or about it； but he saw that it led straight toward the blue mountains in the far distance。
The road on his left was broad and smooth； with shade trees on either side； where sang an innumerable choir of birds； and it went winding among green meadows； where bloomed countless flowers。 But it ended in fog and mist long before it reached the wonderful blue mountains in the distance。
While the lad stood in doubt as to these roads； he saw two fair women ing toward him； each on a different road。 The one who came by the flowery way reached him first； and Hercules saw that she was