HIERO: ON THE CONDITION OF ROYALTY. A CONVERSATION BETWEEN HIERO AND SIMONIDES. I. THE poet Simonides being come to reside at the court of Hiero king of Syracuse, one day as they were conversing at their leisure," Will you, Hiero," said Simonides, "inform me of some particulars, which, it is reasonable to suppose, you must know much better than I can do?" "What particulars then do you imagine," said Hiero, "I can possibly know better than so learned and wise a man as you are generally acknowledged to be?" "Why,” replied Simonides, " I have known you, when you were yet a private man, and now see you advanced to royalty. It is probable, therefore, that you, who have experienced both these states, should know better than I can do, wherein the life of a king differs from that of a private man, in regard to the pleasures or inconveniences attendant on each state." "Well then," said Hiero, "but as you are now in a private station, ought not you first to recall to my remembrance the pleasures and inconveniences of a private life? By which means, I shall be better enabled to show you the difference of the two states in question." To this Simonides thus replied: "I think then, Hiero, I have observed, that men in private life possess all the genuine feelings of nature. They receive pleasure and pain from the proper objects of their several senses; from visible objects by their eyes; of sounds by their ears; of scents by their nostrils; of food by the palate; and other sensual enjoyments, the source of which every one knows. “It appears to me likewise," added he, "that we receive agreeable or painful sensations from heat and cold, from things hard and soft, heavy and light, in the whole and in every part of the body. But to perceive pleasure or pain from what is good or evil (in a moral sense), belongs, I think, to the mind alone : yet in some sense, to the mind and body in conjunction. 1 "I find by experience also, that we receive pleasure from sleep; but, from what source, and from what kind of sleep, and when this pleasure arises, I own myself at a loss to explain. Neither is this at all surprising, as we certainly have less distinct perceptions when asleep, than when we are awake." To this Hiero answered: "I confess Simonides, I know not any sensations of pleasure or pain that a king can receive, besides those which you have mentioned. And consequently I do not see, hitherto, in what the life of a king differs from that of a private person." "Yet even in these particulars," answered Simonides, "there is a very material difference. And, in each of these, kings experience infinitely more pleasure and less pain than private persons." 1 The meaning here is not very obvious. "Ah!" cried Hiero, "this is by no means the case but be assured, that in all these respects, kings taste much less pleasure, and feel much more chagrin, than those individuals who are placed in the middle ranks of life." "What you say," replied Simonides, "is altogether incredible. For, if it were so, why should such numbers, and those who are esteemed for their sense and wisdom, be so ambitious of royalty? And why do all mankind envy kings?" "Because," said Hiero, "they form their opinions without having experienced both these conditions of life. But I will endeavour to convince you of the truth of what I assert, and will proceed in the same order which you have suggested, and begin with the pleasures of sight for it was thence, I think, that you commenced this discourse. : II. "In the first place, then, if we reason from the objects of sight, I am convinced that kings have the least share of pleasure in that respect. any trifling exhibition of this kind, expect to be dismissed at once with a greater reward than they could hope for from any other man after s whole life's attendance." III. "Well then," said Simonides, "granting that you are in a worse condition, with regard to the objects of sight, yet you have greatly the advantage from the sense of hearing; as you are incessantly entertained with the most delightful of all music, that of your own praises. For all those who approach you, applaud every thing you say and every thing you do. on the contrary, you are never exposed to what is most painful, the hearing yourself censured or reproached. For no one will venture to rebuke a king to his face." And, "Alas!" answered Hiero, "what pleasure do you imagine a king can receive from those who do not speak ill of him, when he is con vinced that, although they are silent, they think every thing that is bad of him? Or what delight can they afford, who applaud him when he has so much reason to suspect their praises of adulation?" Why, really," replied Simonides, "I must so far entirely agree with you, that those praises must be most agreeable, which are bestowed on us by men who are entirely free and independent.' kind." "Every country has its curiosities; which deserve to be visited and viewed by strangers. Now men in private stations can come or go to any part of the world without ceremony; and into whatever cities they please, for the sake of the public spectacles; and into those general assemblies of all Greece, where are collected IV. "However," added Simonides, "with together, whatever is thought worthy of the regard to the sense of taste, you surely cannot attention and curiosity of mankind. convince any one but that you enjoy the plea"As for kings," they can rarely amuse them-sures of the table more than the rest of manselves with spectacles of any kind. For neither would it be safe for them to go, where they would not be superior to any force which could be exerted against them; nor are their affairs usually so firmly established at home, that they could securely trust the administration of them to others, and go out of their kingdoms. They could not do it without the danger of being deprived of their sovereignty; and, at the same time, of being unable to avenge themselves on those who had injured them. "Yet you will tell me, perhaps, that spectacles of this kind may be presented to kings, though they remain at home. But I assure you, Simonides, this is the case only with regard to a very few and even for those, such as they are, kings must generally pay extremely dear. As they who have obliged a king with : 1 The Olympic games. See the Appendix. 2 The word kings must here mean tyrants. "I know," said Hiero, "that most men imagine we must necessarily receive more pleasure in eating and drinking; because they would do the same, from the variety with which our tables are served, than from what they usually meet with at their own. For whatever is rare, and excels what we are accustomed to, affords a greater pleasure. For which reason all men expect with joy the approach of a feast, except kings; for their tables being constantly provided to the full, can have no sort of addition on any festival occasions. In this respect then, in the first place, by being deprived of hope, kings are less happy than private men. |