| 281 | 281 | 281．赢得聪明人的喜爱
一个真正卓尔不群的人的一声平淡的"是的"，比一群乌合之众的掌声更珍贵。为什么要为缺少见识的人的称赞而沾沾自喜呢？聪明的人富于悟性，所以他们的赞扬带来经久不衰的满足。远见卓识的安提戈努斯①以推崇芝诺而扬名，柏拉图也认为亚里士多德抵得上他整所学校里的学生。有些人只想填饱肚子，毫不介意吃的是粗劣的饲料。即使独裁者也需要有人为他们立传，他们害怕如椽之笔有过于害怕肖像画家的画笔。
①提戈努斯（Antigomus Gonatas），马其顿国王，非常推崇斯多噶学派的创始人芝诺。 | 281 Find Favour with Men of Sense.
The tepid Yes of a remarkable man is worth more than all the applause of the vulgar: you cannot make a meal off the smoke of chaff. The wise speak with understanding and their praise gives permanent satisfaction. The sage Antigonus reduced the theatre of his fame to Zeus alone, and Plato called Aristotle his whole school. Some strive to fill their stomach albeit only with the breath of the mob. Even monarchs have need of authors, and fear their pens more than ugly women the painter’s pencil. |