L’éthique du stoïcien Hiéroclès
|Hiéroclès, sur la famille et l’économie domestique
Stobée, Eclog. IV, 84, 20, p. 660,15-664, 18 et 84, 23, p. 671, 3–673, 18
Abstract
This paper examines Hierocles’ view of the family, and his image of concentric circles representing varying degrees of human relationships, from the self to all humanity. A tension is noted between Hierocles’ advice to put oneself in the position of others and his more practical suggestion that brothers be kind to one another. Further, the model of concentric circles seems at once descriptive and prescriptive: brothers occupy an inner circle, but they nevertheless have to be reminded of this bond; hence, Hierocles feels the need to make veiled appeals to utility. The analogy between parts of the body and interpersonal solidarity is also shown to be problematic, as is the location of mind at the center of the circles. Finally, it is noted that Hierocles’ circles are curiously neutral with respect to gender, and mothers and fathers end up being assigned different roles in the family.
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Excerpt
L’extrait sur les devoirs à l’égard des membres de la famille et celui sur l’analogie des cercles1 traitent, l’un des relations entre frères et sœurs en particulier et l’autre, des relations entre les différents membres de la famille en général : selon Stobée, ce dernier extrait est tiré d’un traité, ou d’une partie d’un traité, sur la manière de se comporter envers les membres de sa famille. La juxtaposition de ces deux textes s’est révélée particulièrement heureuse, puisqu’elle m’a permis de déceler une légère faille, ou du moins ce qui me semble être une faille, dans le raisonnement de Hièroclès. Il commence le passage sur les frères et sœurs avec cette observation :
Πρώτη μὲν οὖν ὑποθήκη μάλα σαφὴς ἐπιεικῶς τε εὔπορος, πρὸς δὲ καὶ κοινή. κατὰ παντὸς μὲν γὰρ εἰπεῖν προσώπου ὑγιὴς ὁ λόγος, ὡς σαφὴς ἡ ὁτουοῦν χρῆσις ἔκ [τε] τοῦ ἑαυτὸν μὲν ἐκεῖνον, ἐκεῖνον δὲ ἑαυτὸν ὑποθέσθαι. καὶ γὰρ οἰκέτῃ χρῷτ᾽ ἄν τις καλῶς, ἐνθυμηθεὶς πῶς ἂν ἠξίωσεν ἐκεῖνον αὐτῷ προσφέρεσθαι, εἴπερ ἐκεῖνος μὲν ἦν...
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