Palinode · 251c–251d
1于是,当灵魂凝望那少年之美,有微粒自他那边迎面流来——正因这"流来",它才被叫作"渴慕"——灵魂承接住这渴慕之流,得了浇灌、得了温热,痛楚便止息,转为欢欣;
GRὅταν μὲν οὖν βλέπουσα πρὸς τὸ τοῦ παιδὸς κάλλος, ἐκεῖθεν μέρη ἐπιόντα καὶ ῥέοντ᾽—ἃ δὴ διὰ ταῦτα ἵμερος καλεῖται—δεχομένη τὸν ἵμερον ἄρδηταί τε καὶ θερμαίνηται, λωφᾷ τε τῆς ὀδύνης καὶ γέγηθεν·
ENThen when it gazes upon the beauty of the boy and receives the particles which flow thence to it (for which reason they are called yearning), it is moistened and warmed, ceases from its pain and is filled with joy;
柏拉图在此给"渴慕"造了个词源:那些自所爱者身上流来的微粒,希腊文是 μέρη ἰόντα(merē iónta,"行来的部分")。把这两个词捏在一起 — ἵ-μερ-ος — 就成了 ἵμερος(渴慕)。渴慕者,即"流入之物"也。
Fowler 在此处自加脚注坦言:"The play on the words μέρη and ἵμερος cannot be rendered accurately in English." — 这正是"直接从希腊文读"才看得见、经英文必失的东西。中文同样无法谐音再造,只能如上点破。
2可一旦分离、干涸,羽翼奋力顶出的那些通道口,便一并枯干、闭合,把正在抽芽的羽翼封堵在里头;
GRὅταν δὲ χωρὶς γένηται καὶ αὐχμήσῃ, τὰ τῶν διεξόδων στόματα ᾗ τὸ πτερὸν ὁρμᾷ, συναυαινόμενα μύσαντα ἀποκλῄει τὴν βλάστην τοῦ πτεροῦ,
ENbut when it is alone and grows dry, the mouths of the passages in which the feathers begin to grow become dry and close up, shutting in the sprouting feathers,
3那被连同渴慕一起封在里面的羽芽,像搏动的脉管一样跳突着,各自顶刺着自己所在的那个通道口,
GRἡ δ᾽ ἐντὸς μετὰ τοῦ ἱμέρου ἀποκεκλῃμένη, πηδῶσα οἷον τὰ σφύζοντα, τῇ διεξόδῳ ἐγχρίει ἑκάστη τῇ καθ᾽ αὑτήν,
ENand the sprouts within, shut in with the yearning, throb like pulsing arteries, and each sprout pricks the passage in which it is,
4于是整个灵魂周遭被螫刺,像遭牛虻驱赶般狂躁、疼痛;然而一旦又忆起那美者,它便重新欢欣。
GRὥστε πᾶσα κεντουμένη κύκλῳ ἡ ψυχὴ οἰστρᾷ καὶ ὀδυνᾶται, μνήμην δ᾽ αὖ ἔχουσα τοῦ καλοῦ γέγηθεν.
ENso that the whole soul, stung in every part, rages with pain; and then again, remembering the beautiful one, it rejoices.