NOTES, 130041' 1/11. I j. 285
of the word when applied to the state. We can see that peace is to
be preferred to war ; that the Athenians ' provided for their weary
spirits many relaxations from toil ' (Thuc. ii. 38); that 'they could
fix their minds upon the greatness of Athens until they became
filled with the love of her ' (ib. 43) ; that into education an element
of philosophy should enter; that sleep is sweet to weary mortaIs ;
that to the Greek leisure was a necessity of the higher life. But we
fail to perceive how the leisure of a state, the interest of a spectacle,
the tranquillity of wealth is better than some great struggle for
freedom; or how the sons of those who fought at Thermopylae
and Salamis were more fortunate than their fathers. Aristotle
himself seems to acknowledge that greater virtues of some kind
would be required in ' the islands of the blest ' than in the ordinary
life of man. The contemplative end which he imagines is not
suited to the human character and is nearly unmeaning. To us
there appears to be more truth in the sentiment, which has been
repeated in many forms, that 'the search after knowledge is a
greater blessing to man than the attainment of it.'
hi yhp nohhh riu dvayrtaiov iindppv, os c't? qohd[frv.
' The virtues of leisure imply the virtues of business, for business16.2.supplies the means of leisure.'
6 pdu yQ ndXcpos dvayxd[cr 8lKaious rtar ai uoQpovt;v.
Cp. Tennyson's &laud I. vi.-xiii. :-
' Why do they prate of the blessings of peace?...... *..
Peace in her vineyard-yes !-but a company forges the wine.'
Yet there is corruption in war as well as in peace, now as of
old, in furnishing the commissariat of an army, in making appoint-
ments, in conferring distinctions, sometimes followed by a fearful
retribution.
dKtivo1 piv y&p 06 TQ;~ Gra+povul riv %w~v, 73 pi uo$[tiv rahd sois 16. 6.
&iols pCyrma rSv dyaOiv, dXXh r+ y&dar ratsa p;lhAou Bid rivos
' The Lacedaemonians agree with the rest of mankind that the
good life is the end, but they differ in supposing the end to be
obtained by military virtue alone.'
dprrijs.