TheChoiceofHercules
佚名/Anonymous
Inhisfamouschoiceoflaboroverpleasure,Herculesseesadistinctionfartoomanyfailtodiscern.Heseesthattochooselaboristochoosevirtue,andtherebyhappiness.Itisimportanttonote,however,thathappinessisnothisgoal;itisratheraresultofhisdedicationtolabor.It』sacrucialpoint.Manypeoplepursuepleasureasanendbecausetheybelieve,asthepersonificationofpleasuresaysinthisstory,thateaseisthestateinwhich「youshallnotwantforanythingthatmakeslifejoyous」.Butevenifyouattainthatkindofpleasure,somethingfundamentalismissing—thesatisfactionofthesoulthatcomesonlythroughhumanstriving.WeknowtruehappinesswillcometoHerculesasweseehimsetoffdowntheroadofVirtueandLabor.
WhenHerculeswasafair-facedyouth,andlifewasallbeforehim,hewentoutonemorningtodoanerrandforhisstepfather.Butashewalkedhisheartwasfullofbitterthoughts;andhemurmuredbecauseothersnobetterthanhimselfwerelivingineaseandpleasure,whileforhimtherewasnaughtbutalifeoflaborandpain.
Ashethoughtuponthesethings,hecametoaplacewheretworoadsmet;andhestopped,notcertainwhichonetotake.
Theroadonhisrightwashillyandrough.Therewasnobeautyinitoraboutit,buthesawthatitledstraighttowardthegreenmountainsinthefardistance.
Theroadonhisleftwasbroadandsmooth,withshadetreesoneitherside,wheresanganinnumerablechoirofbirds;anditwentwindingamonggreenmeadows,wherebloomedcountlessflowers.Butitendedinfogandmistlongbeforeitreachedthewonderfulgreenmountainsinthedistance.
Whiletheladstoodindoubtastotheseroads,hesawtwofairwomencomingtowardhim,eachonadifferentroad.Theonewhocamebytheflowerywayreachedhimfirst,andHerculessawthatshewasasbeautifulasasummerday.
Hercheekswerered,hereyessparkled;shespokewarm,persuasivewords.「Onobleyouth,」shesaid,「benolongerboweddownwithlaborandsoretrials,butcomeandfollowme.Iwillleadyouintopleasantpaths,wheretherearenostormstodisturbandnotroublestoannoy.Youshallliveinease,withoneunendingroundofmusicandmirth;andyoushallnotwantforanythingthatmakeslifejoyous—sparklingwine,orsoftcouches,orrichrobes,orthelovingeyesofbeautifulmaidens.Comewithme,andlifeshallbetoyouadaydreamofgladness.」