按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
with his fellow…creatures around him； while he felt himself utterly
separated from any being above his fellow…creatures。 But the sense of
that isolation would affect different minds very differently。 It drove the
Epicurean to consider how he might make a world in which he should live
comfortably； without distracting visions of the past and future； and the
dread of those upper powers who no longer awakened in him any feelings
of sympathy。 It drove Zeno the Stoic to consider whether a man may not
find enough in himself to satisfy him； though what is beyond him be ever
so unfriendly。 。 。 。 We may trace in the productions which are attributed to
Zone a very clear indication of the feeling which was at work in his mind。
He undertook； for instance； among other tasks； to answer Plato's
'Republic。' The truth that a man is a political being； which informs and
pervades that book； was one which must have been particularly harassing
to his mind； and which he felt must be got rid of； before he could hope to
assert his doctrine of a man's solitary dignity。〃
42
… Page 43…
ALEXANDRIA AND HER SCHOOLS
Woe to the nation or the society in which this individualising and
separating process is going on in the human mind！ Whether it take the
form of a religion or of a philosophy； it is at once the sign and the cause of
senility； decay； and death。 If man begins to forget that he is a social
being； a member of a body； and that the only truths which can avail him
anything； the only truths which are worthy objects of his philosophical
search； are those which are equally true for every man； which will equally
avail every man； which he must proclaim； as far as he can； to every man；
from the proudest sage to the meanest outcast； he enters； I believe； into a
lie； and helps forward the dissolution of that society of which he is a
member。 I care little whether what he holds be true or not。 If it be true；
he has made it a lie by appropriating it proudly and selfishly to himself；
and by excluding others from it。 He has darkened his own power of
vision by that act of self…appropriation； so that even if he sees a truth； he
can only see it refractedly； discoloured by the medium of his own private
likes and dislikes； and fulfils that great and truly philosophic law； that he
who loveth not his brother is in darkness； and knoweth not whither he
goeth。 And so it befell those old Greek schools。 It is out of our path to
follow them to Italy； where sturdy old Roman patriots cursed them； and
with good reason； as corrupting the morals of the young。 Our business is
with Alexandria； and there； certainly； they did nothing for the elevation of
humanity。 What culture they may have given； probably helped to make
the Alexandrians； what Caesar calls them； the most ingenious of all
nations： but righteous or valiant men it did not make them。 When； after
the three great reigns of Soter； Philadelphus； and Euergetes； the race of the
Ptolemies began to wear itself out； Alexandria fell morally； as its
sovereigns fell； and during a miserable and shameful decline of a hundred
and eighty years； sophists wrangled； pedants fought over accents and
readings with the true odium gammaticum； and kings plunged deeper and
deeper into the abysses of luxury and incest； laziness and cruelty； till the
flood came； and swept them all away。 Cleopatra； the Helen of Egypt；
betrayed her country to the Roman； and thenceforth the Alexandrians
became slaves in all but name。
And now that Alexandria has become a tributary province； is it to
43
… Page 44…
ALEXANDRIA AND HER SCHOOLS
share the usual lot of enslaved countries and lose all originality and vigour
of thought？ Not so。 From this point； strangely enough； it begins to
have a philosophy of its own。 Hitherto it has been importing Greek
thought into Egypt and Syria； even to the furthest boundaries of Persia；
and the whole East has become Greek： but it has received little in return。
The Indian Gymnosophists； or Brahmins； had little or no effect on Greek
philosophy； except in the case of Pyrrho： the Persian Dualism still less。
The Egyptian symbolic nature…worship had been too gross to be regarded
by the cultivated Alexandrian as anything but a barbaric superstition。
One eastern nation had intermingled closely with the Macedonian race；
and from it Alexandrian thought received a new impulse。
I mentioned in my first lecture the conciliatory policy which the
Ptolemies had pursued toward the Jews。 Soter had not only allowed but
encouraged them to settle in Alexandria and Egypt； granting them the
same political privileges with the Macedonians and other Greeks。 Soon
they built themselves a temple there； in obedience to some supposed
prophecy in their sacred writings； which seems most probably to have
been a wilful interpolation。 Whatsoever value we may attach to the
various myths concerning the translation of their Scriptures into Greek；
there can be no doubt that they were translated in the reign of Soter； and
that the exceedingly valuable Septuagint version is the work of that period。
Moreover； their numbers in Alexandria were very great。 When Amrou
took Constantinople in A。D。 640； there were 40；000 Jews in it； and their
numbers during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods； before their temporary
expulsion by Cyril about 412； were probably greater； and Egypt altogether
is said to have contained 200；000 Jews。 They had schools there； which
were so esteemed by their whole nation throughout the East； that the
Alexandrian Rabbis； the Light of Israel； as they were called； may be fairly
considered as the centre of Jewish thought and learning for several
centuries。
We are accustomed； and not without reason； to think with some
contempt of these old Rabbis。 Rabbinism； Cabbalism； are become by…
words in the mouths of men。 It may be instructive for usit is certainly
necessary for us； if we wish to understand Alexandriato examine a little
44
… Page 45…
ALEXANDRIA AND HER SCHOOLS
how they became so fallen。
Their philosophy took its stand； as you all know； on certain ancient
books of their people； histories； laws； poems； philosophical treatises；
which all have one element peculiar to themselves； namely； the assertion
of a living personal Ruler and Teacher； not merely of the Jewish race； but
of all the nations of the earth。 After the return of their race from Babylon；
their own records give abundant evidence that this strange people became
the most exclusive and sectarian which the world ever saw。 Into the causes
of that exclusiveness I will not now enter； suffice it to say； that it was
pardonable enough in a people asserting Monotheism in the midst of
idolatrous nations； and who knew； from experience even more bitter than
that which taught Plato and Socrates； how directly all those popular
idolatries led to every form of baseness and immorality。 But we may trace
in them； from the date of their return from Babylon； especially from their
settlement in Alexandria； a singular change of opinion。 In proportion as
they began to deny that their unseen personal Ruler had anything to do
with the Gentilesthe nations of the earth； as they called themin
proportion as they considered themselves as His only subjectsor rather；
Him and His guidance as their own private propertyexactly in that
proportion they began to lose all living or practical belief th