of love(论爱情）

e文

THE stage is more beholding to love, than the life of man. For as to the stage, love is ever matter of comedies, and now and then of tragedies; 9 i, w+ ~: H+ F( U2 |+ s" Obut in life it doth much mischief; sometimes like a siren, sometimes like a fury. You may observe, that amongst all the great and worthy persons (whereof the memory remaineth, either ancient or recent) there is not one, # W5 s# V. S) S* o1 ythat hath been transported to the mad degree of love: which shows that great spirits, and great business, do keep out this weak passion. You : T# k/ f* m0 G& S K; Y- g; f% smust except, nevertheless, Marcus Antonius, the half partner of the empire of Rome, and Appius Claudius, the decemvir and lawgiver; whereof the former 7 m8 r* @" \0 c4 f4 Fwas indeed a voluptuous man, and inordinate; but the latter was an austere 8 N! i( j$ L- k O2 H* k, u- _6 H, Gand wise man: and therefore it seems (though rarely) that love can find 1 i# \2 A2 P1 t* m; i) _entrance, not only into an open heart, but also into a heart well fortified, if watch be not well kept. It is a poor saying of Epicurus, Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus; as if man, made for the contemplation of heaven, and all noble objects, should do nothing but kneel be- 4 w, T h, a; R( \fore a little idol, and make himself a subject, though not of the mouth (as beasts are), yet of the eye; which was given him for higher purposes. $ @; T% t/ |1 v3 L * y q6 n0 b% M+ m6 P4 v2 o4 i

It is a strange thing, to note the excess of this passion, and how it braves the nature, and value of things, by this; that the speaking in a ) E* t& U- x& i; f; Gperpetual hyperbole, is comely in nothing but in love. Neither is it merely ; Q7 F/ t" X9 ]# E) Z- Kin the phrase; for whereas it hath been well said, that the arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man's self; , m2 b6 s/ W& h' y- y1 Dcertainly the lover is more. For there was never proud man thought so $ p2 T( U" [$ t, Fabsurdly well of him self, as the lover doth of the person loved; and therefore it was well said, That it is impossible to love, and to be wise. Neither doth this weakness appear to others only, and not to the party loved; but : q2 A; k0 r" v1 v) Cto the loved most of all, except the love be reciproque. For it is a true 7 X, b7 n w, c' W! q' irule, that love is ever rewarded, either with the reciproque, or with an inward and secret contempt.

By how much the more, men ought to beware of this passion, which loseth . q2 L% z+ K& ]$ Bnot only other things, but itself! As for the other losses, the poet's relation doth well figure them: that he that preferred Helena, quitted . ], L! L6 w7 D' {/ B( s: u6 rthe gifts of Juno and Pallas.

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For whosoever esteemeth too much of amorous affection, quitteth both riches and wisdom. This passion hath his floods, in very times of weakness; which 4 }0 p8 E1 ~; v3 B% b, @% y; [are great prosperity, and great adversity; though this latter hath been $ C6 A- h2 t8 t% O3 E: t! Rless observed: both which times kindle love, and make it more fervent, * F8 }0 y& I: ^2 K! {1 {and therefore show it to be the child of folly. They do best, who if they $ `. f& [) _8 N# R) v7 y- F$ H( Jcannot but admit love, yet make it keep quarters; and sever it wholly from ! D. x1 D0 @" p' M6 P+ rtheir serious affairs, and actions, of life; for if it check once with % ]: k- P8 a$ r- y! t( L [, ebusiness, it troubleth men's fortunes, and maketh men, that they can noways 0 r5 s/ Y5 S+ Mbe true to their own ends. I know not how, but martial men are given to 2 {0 C& w E, Klove: I think, it is but as they are given to wine; for perils commonly ask to be paid in pleasures. There is in man's nature, a secret inclination and motion, towards love of others, which if it be not spent upon some one or a few, doth naturally spread itself towards many, and maketh men * e! |& g3 ]6 Z, M2 u. A4 y/ D- O/ ubecome humane and charitable; as it is seen sometime in friars.

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Nuptial love maketh mankind; friendly love perfecteth it; but wanton love corrupteth, and embaseth it.

舞台上的爱情比生活中的爱情要美好得多。因为在舞台上，爱情只是喜剧和悲剧的素材。而在人生中，爱情却常常招来不幸。它有时像那位诱惑人的魔女，有时又像那位复仇的女神。你可以看到，一切真正伟大的人物（无论是古人、今人，只要是其英名永铭于人类记忆中的），“没有一个是因爱情而发狂的人：因为伟大的事业抑制了这种软弱的感憎。只有罗马的安东尼和克劳底亚是例外。前者本性就好色荒淫，然而后者却是严肃多谋的人。所以爱情不仅会占领开旷坦阔的胸怀，有时也能闯入壁垒森严的心灵－－假如守御不严的话。 / d* b% [. S& d( d( M 埃皮克拉斯曾说过一句笑话：“人生不过是一座大戏台。”似乎本应努力追求高尚事业的人类，却只应像玩偶奴隶般地逢场作戏似的。虽然爱情的奴隶并不同于那班只顾吃喝的禽兽，但毕竟也只是眼目色相的奴隶－－而上帝赐人以眼睛本来是更高尚的用途的。

过度的爱情追求，必然会降低人本身的价值。例如，只有在爱情中，才永远需要那种浮夸诌媚的词令。而在其他场合，同样的词令只能招人耻笑。古人有一句名言：“最大的奉承，人总是留给自己的”。－－只有对情人的奉承要算例外。因为甚至最骄傲的人，也甘愿在情人面前自轻自贱。所以古人说得好：“就是神在爱情中也难保持聪明。”情人的这种弱点不仅在外人眼中是明显的，就是在被追求者的眼中也会很明显——除非她（他）也在追求他（她）。所以，爱情的代价就是如此，不能得到回爱，就会得到一种深藏于心的轻蔑，这是一条永真的定律。

由此可见，人们应当十分警惕这种感情。因为它不但会使人丧失其他，而且可以使人丧失自己本身。至于其他方面的损失，古诗人早已告诉我们，那追求海伦的人，是放弃了财富和智慧的。

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* y6 S. C' @+ P3 K7 }1 a4 L$ }当人心最软弱的时候，爱情最容易入侵，那就是当人得意春风，忘乎所以和处境窘困孤独凄零的时候，虽然后者未必能得到爱情。人在这样的时候最急于跳入爱情的火焰中，由此可见，“爱情”实在是“愚蠢”的儿子。但有一些人，即使心中有了爱，仍能约束它，使它不妨碍重大的事业。因为爱情一旦干扰情绪，就会阻碍人坚定地奔向既定的目标。 6 y" z( I6 o" B) e* |& ` 我不懂是什么缘故，使许多军人更容易陷入爱情，也许这正像他们嗜爱饮酒一样，是因为危险的生活更需要欢乐的补偿。人心中可能普遍具有一种博爱的倾向，若不集中于某个专一的对象身上：就必然会施之于更广泛的大众，使他成为仁善的人，例如像有的僧侣那样。 4 V* R! x B9 L% r4 P* ?$ e. l" B

夫妻的爱，使人类繁衍。朋友的爱，给人以帮助。但那种荒淫纵欲的爱，却只会使人堕落毁灭啊！ # |0 Z* i+ J( W+ [. L. O" {. }+ C