第6部分(第1/7 页)

consciousness　of　one's　own　being。　Two　things　must　be　distinguished　in　consciousness；　first；　the

fact　that　I　know；　secondly；　what　I　know。　In　self　consciousness　these　are　merged　in　one；　for

Spirit　knows　itself。　It　involves　an　appreciation　of　its　own　nature；　as　also　an　energy　enabling　it　to

realise　itself；　to　make　itself　actually　that　which　it　is　potentially。　According　to　this　abstract　definition

it　may　be　said　of　Universal　History；　that　it　is　the　exhibition　of　Spirit　in　the　process　of　working　out

the　knowledge　of　that　which　it　is　potentially。　And　as　the　germ　bears　in　itself　the　whole　nature　of　the

tree；　and　the　taste　and　form　of　its　fruits；　so　do　the　first　traces　of　Spirit　virtually　contain　the　whole　of

that　History。　The　Orientals　have　not　attained　the　knowledge　that　Spirit　—　Man　as　such　—　is　free；

and　because　they　do　not　know　this　they　are　not　free。　They　only　know　that　one　is　free。　But　on　this

very　account；　the　freedom　of　that　one　is　only　caprice；　ferocity　—　brutal　recklessness　or　passion；　or

a　mildness　and　tameness　of　the　desires；　which　is　itself　only　an　accident　of　Nature　—　mere　caprice

like　the　former。　—　That　one　is　therefore　only　a　Despot；　not　a　free　man。　The　consciousness　of

Freedom　first　arose　among　the　Greeks；　and　therefore　they　were　free；　but　they；　and　the　Romans

likewise；　knew　only　that　some　are　free；　—　not　man　as　such。　Even　Plato　and　Aristotle　did　not　know

this。　The　Greeks；　therefore；　had　slaves；　and　their　whole　life　and　the　maintenance　of　their　splendid

liberty；　was　implicated　with　the　institution　of　slavery：　a　fact　moreover；　which　made　that　liberty　on

the　one　hand　only　an　accidental；　transient　and　limited　growth；　on　the　other　hand；　constituted　i