罗马精神还是罗马实践?——论波利比乌斯历史理性的觉醒

Roman Spirit or Roman Practice?On the Emergence of Polybius’ Historical Rationality

柯林武德曾以“罗马精神”总括波利比乌斯的“命运观”,认为波利比乌斯深受希腊哲学中实质主义的影响。由于其论述不够完整,为后世理解何谓“罗马精神”带来一定困扰。一方面,波利比乌斯在叙述“桥上的贺雷修斯”一事时,确实表现出了“反历史”的倾向,他根据当时罗马人的爱国热情,将传说判定为真实的历史事件。另一方面,波利比乌斯在记述罗马海军的崛起时,提供了相互矛盾的说辞。通过深入分析这组矛盾,不难发现波利比乌斯分别意识到了罗马崛起过程中理性和非理性的因素,体现出历史理性的觉醒。因此,波利比乌斯对罗马崛起动因的认识绝非建立在“罗马精神”之上。相反,他观察到罗马人实践中的理性和非理性因素,在两种力量的交织下,罗马崛起的必然趋势浮出水面,从而形成了他对“罗马命运”的一般认识。

To summarize Polybius’ s “idea of fortune”, Collingwood used the term “Roman Spirit”, and believed that Polybius was deeply influenced by the substantialism in Greek philosophy. Because of the ambiguity of Collingwood’s exposition, it confused later scholars. On the one hand, Polybius did show an anti-historical tendency in his narration of “Horatius on the Bridge”, judging the legend as a true historical event according to the patriotic enthusiasm of the Romans of that time. On the other hand, Polybius offered conflicting accounts of the rise of the Roman navy, and through the in-depth analysis of these contradictions, it shows that Polybius realized the rational and irrational factors in the rise of Rome, reflecting the emergence of his historical rationality. Therefore, Polybius’ understanding of the reasons for the rise of Rome was by no means based on the “spirit of Rome”. On the contrary, he had observed rational and irrational elements in Roman practice. Under the intertwining of the two forces, the inevitable trend of Rome’s rise surfaced, thus forming his general understanding of the “Roman Fortune”.