15.廣納賢人
廣納賢人。手握強權(quán)的人有一項特權(quán),即網(wǎng)羅足智多謀之才,以擺脫無知的恐懼,助其解決難題。極少數(shù)偉人明白如何充分利用這些謀士,這比提戈涅斯(1)的粗野趣味要遠(yuǎn)勝一籌,他喜歡讓被俘的君王做自己的奴仆。這是人生中最好且最新奇的馭人之術(shù)——從稟賦來說,他們可做我們的主人,卻成為我們的仆人,為我所用。知無涯,而生有涯:沒有知識的生活就不是真正的生活。若夠聰明,你可學(xué)有所成而不費吹灰之力——只需博采眾長,便可成為集大成者。之后,當(dāng)你代表大家在議事廳發(fā)言時,你之前請教過多少智者,就等于有多少智者在借你的口說話,于是,你便可借他人之力獲大智之名。這些賢達(dá)人士提煉最好的書籍,提供智慧的精華。如果不能讓圣賢為你服務(wù),也要與之為友。
15.Keep ministering spirits
Keep ministering spirits. It is a privilege of the mighty to surround themselves with the champions of intellect; these extricate them from every fear of ignorance, these worry out for them the moot points of every difficulty. It is a rare greatness to make use of the wise, and far exceeds the barbarous taste of Tigranes, who had a fancy for captive monarchs as his servants. It is a novel kind of supremacy, the best that life can offer, to have as servants by skill those who by nature are our masters. It is a great thing to know, little to live: no real life without knowledge. There is remarkable cleverness in studying without study, in getting much by means of many, and through them all to become wise. Afterwards you speak in the council chamber on behalf of many, and as many sages speak through your mouth as were consulted beforehand: you thus obtain the fame of an oracle by others' toil. Such ministering spirits distil the best books and serve up the quintessence of wisdom. But he that cannot have sages in service should have them for his friends.
(1) 指公元前1世紀(jì)的亞美尼亞君王,出行時喜用被俘君王做隨從。