Chapter 2 First

Pagoda's father; the appalling biography of the giant Gokonda A work of optimism The Excavator of the Essence Algo Fribas Old Works to readers Readers, you read this book, Please remove all prejudice first, When you read, don't get angry and angry, There is neither evil nor poison in the book. Well, aside from some jokes, There's nothing perfect here, Seeing that sorrow dries you up, I really can't find any other material in my heart; Instead of writing about crying, it is better to write about laughing, Because only humans laugh. Famous drinkers, and you, noble sores—for my book is not addressed to others, but to you—, Archibiades in Plato's Dialogues In an article called "Symposium", he once praised his teacher Socrates, the undisputed king of philosophy, and besides many words, he also said that his teacher was like "Syrenus" ④ .The so-called "Silenas" originally referred to a small box in the past, just like the small medicine boxes we see in pharmacies now. Some weird and funny images are painted on the box, such as the female head harpy. Monsters, half-man half-goat gods, geese with feathers in their nostrils, rabbits with horns on their heads, ducks on saddles, flying goats, driving deer, etc., are random pictures that make people laugh (just Like Silenus, teacher of Bagus ⑤).But inside the box were stored precious medicines like balsam, ambergris, pongomer, musk, civet, precious stones and other precious things.Alcibiades says Socrates is like that, because from the outside, that is, from the appearance alone, you really think he is not worth a penny.He was indeed born too ugly, with a ridiculous image, pointed nose, bull's eyes, face of a madman, straightforward actions, vulgar clothes, no property, no woman to love him, no official, he was laughing and laughing all day long, with whom He clinks glasses, tells endless jokes, refuses to show his profound knowledge, but when you open the locket, you will find in it a sublime and inestimable medicine, that is to say: superhuman understanding, Miraculous character, indomitable courage, incomparable integrity, calm ① This is a word from Aristotle, see Aristotle's "Biology" (De partibus anima-lium) Volume III, Chapter 10: "Animals Only humans can laugh."

① Alcibiades: The son of Clinias, born in Athens in 454 BC, a student of Socrates. ② Plato (427-347 BC): Ancient Greek philosopher of transcendentalism, founder of conceptual dialectics, and his "Dialogue Collection" is one of the earliest works of Western literary theory. ③ Socrates (427-399 BC): Great idealist philosopher of ancient Greece. ④ "Sirenas": This word comes from Greek, which means mocker, mocker, and one who makes people laugh. ⑤ Bagus: The god of wine in Greek mythology. ⑥ Silenas: the god of the Philikians, the adoptive father of Bagus, in Greek mythology, it is said that Silenas is bald, with horns, nostrils facing the sky, short stature, big belly, sometimes riding a donkey, sometimes holding a staff, holding a Wine glass, always smiling.

His self-cultivation, absolute calmness, and contempt for everything that people dream of, work hard, work hard, travel across the ocean to pursue, and even wage war for it is unbelievable. In your opinion, what is the purpose of my opening remarks?Let me tell you, my good students, and some lunatics who have spare time, you have read the strange titles of some books I wrote, such as: "Gao Kang Da", "Panga Guai", "The Drunkard", "The Dignity of the Crotch", "Green Beans Soaked in Oil cumcommento", etc., etc., you will have no difficulty in concluding that the books are nothing more than jokes, playful words, and nonsense , because just looking at the cover (I mean the title of the book), if you don't study it in depth, it will be generally regarded as mocking and laughing.However, it is not appropriate to judge other people's works so easily.Because don’t you guys say that not all monks wear cassocks, just like some people wearing cassocks don’t even have the contents of monks, and it’s also like people wearing Spanish cloaks, but they don’t have the slightest courage in Spain same demeanor.Therefore, you need to open the book and carefully weigh the contents of the book, then you will see that the value of the medicines stored inside is completely different from what you see on the box; The things shown have nothing in common.

Even if you read something interesting on the surface, something that fits the title of the book, don't stop as if you heard the mermaid's singing, but start from the words that you think can only make people happy. Here, a deeper meaning is realized. Haven't you ever uncorked wine bottles?it is good!Please recall your own expressions at that time.Have you ever seen a dog touch a bone with marrow in it?Plato said well in "lib.ijdeRep."① that dogs are the most philosophical animals in the world.If you have seen it, you must have noticed how reverently it peered at that bone, how attentively it was held, how passionately it was bitten, how cautiously it was bitten, how tenderly it was bitten open, and how swiftly Suck it.What made the dog do this?It is so cautious, what is it hoped for?What benefit does it want?At worst, it's just a little bone marrow.But this little thing, indeed, is far more exquisite than many other foods, for the marrow is naturally a most excellent nourishment, as Gallen ② in "iij Facu. natural., et xj De usu Parti" ③ said.

According to this example, you should show the spirit of proficiency in search and courage to explore, and carefully identify the taste, feel, and evaluate these works with rich content; then, after careful reading and repeated thinking, open the bones and suck The nourishing marrow within—this is what I mean by Pythagorean symbolism—I can be sure you will be wiser and braver after reading it; for you will feel a unique flavor and profound truths.Whether it is about religion, or political situation and economic life, my book will show you extremely profound sacred philosophy and amazing mysteries.

In all honesty, you believe that when Homer ⑤ wrote and wrote the Odyssey, he thought of the later Plutarch ①, Heraclitus? ① Latin: "with notes." ② Mermaid: A banshee in the water in Greek mythology, with a woman on her upper body and a fish below her waist, she is used to lure and kill passers-by with her beautiful singing. ① Latin: "The Second Book of the Republic." ② Galen (131-01): A famous Greek anatomist. ③ Latin: "The third volume of "Natural Functions" and the eleventh volume of "The Functions of the Parts of the Human Body." ④ Pythagoras (571-497 BC): Ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician.His followers (Pythagoreans) absolutized the concept of numbers and regarded the relationship between numbers as the essence of things, so Pythagorean symbolism was produced on the basis of idealism.

⑤ Homer (c. 9th century BC): Ancient Greek poet, author of epics and the Odyssey. ① Plutarch (approximately 46-20): Greek biographer and ethicist, author of "Biography of Great Men of Greece and Rome" and so on. ② Heraclitus Pondigus: Ancient Greek materialist philosopher in the fourth century BC, student of Plato. Did Si ④ and others write fables based on his works?Would it have occurred to him that Politian had plagiarized from the works of these men again?If you believe it, there will be no resemblance between your opinion and mine, for I think that Homer never thought of it any more than Ovid6 never thought of the sacraments in the Gospels. ⑦ Same, although there is a Luban monk who is full of food and has nothing to do ⑧ When he meets someone who is as confused as him (as the saying goes: a blind cat meets a dead mouse), he has tried his best to express the opposite opinion.

If you don't believe that either, why don't you do the same with my delightful new biography?You know, I didn't think of any of this when I was writing, in exactly the same way that you, who happen to drink like me, didn't think of any of this.Because, writing such a large book, I have never wasted or used the time other than to satisfy my appetite. In other words, I only used the time for drinking and eating.The time of drinking and eating is the most suitable time to write such advanced academic articles.Homer, the model of linguists, and Aenius, the father of Latin poets, as evidenced by Horace, are good at using this time, although there is a rough saying that Aenius's poems taste better than oil. taste.

A villain said the same thing about my book, and it deserves it!Compared with the smell of oil, the taste of wine is more lovely, more attractive, more seductive, more superb, and more exquisite. I don't know how many times!I am therefore as honored to be told that I have wasted more wine than oil, as Demosthenes was proud to be said to have wasted more oil than wine.As for me, I feel honored and honored whenever I'm called a good joker and a good company, and that title alone makes me welcome wherever optimists are present.A difficult man once reproached Demosthener that his speeches smelled like the dirty, smelly apron of an oil-seller.For my words and deeds, you have to explain in the most perfect way, please cherish the cheese-shaped brains that provide you with these happy jokes, and do your best to make me laugh often.

Now, be merry, my dear ones, read on merrily, and may you be at ease in body and mind, and light in your loins!But listen up, donkeys (or you'll be so rotten that you can't walk!), don't forget to drink to me, and I promise to pay you back right away. ③ Eustatius: Greek philologist in the twelfth century, author of "Commentary on the Iliad and the Odyssey" etc. ④ Fernutus: Stoic philosopher in the first century. ⑤ Pollitian: An Italian poet in the fifteenth century who used ancient myths to create fables and interpret Homer's epics. ⑥ Ovid (43 B.C.-18 B.C.): Ancient Roman poet, author of other works.

⑦ There are seven sacraments, namely: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Confession (repentance), final anointing, divine order, and marriage. ⑧ Luban: A silly monk in the legend, one said it refers to the British Benedictine monk Thomas Valles, who published a commentary on Ovid's works in 1509. ⑨ Horace (before 65-before 8): Ancient Roman poet, author of "Odes", "Satire Poems" and "Poetry Art" and other works. ① Aenius (240-170 BC): The ancient Roman poet, here are the 6th to 8th lines of Chapter 19 of the first volume of Horace's "Letters". ② Demostena (before 385-before 322): a great orator in ancient Greece, who was humiliated because of his speech, practiced hard and died until he succeeded.Here it refers to working hard at night under the lamp.