《智慧书·第二辑·五一至一百》第25则
Choose an Heroic Ideal; but rather to emulate than to imitate. There are exemplars of greatness, living texts of honour. Let every one have before his mind the chief of his calling not so much to follow him as to spur himself on. Alexander wept not on account of Achilles dead and buried, but over himself, because his fame had not yet spread throughout the world. Nothing arouses ambition so much in the heart as the trumpet-clang of another's fame. The same thing that sharpens envy, nourishes a generous spirit.
注释摘要
这一则处理的是一对极易混淆的关系：效仿与竞比。葛拉西安把标题和正文连成一句——“选择一个英雄式的典范；但关键是要竞比，而不是模仿”——等于一开篇就把两者切开。“模仿”是亦步亦趋，照着典范的样子复制自己的言行；“竞比”则是把典范当作一个标高，以此来激发自己跳出既有的局限，走出自己的路。他用的西班牙文很可能围绕 emular 与 imitar 的对照展开，在文…