Găsesc pe net (http://www.cimec.ro/Teatre/revista/1982/1982_mar.htm) revista Teatru şi, printre articole, dau de câteva rânduri ale lui Dragoş Pâslaru referitoare la felul cum - la începutul anilor optzeci - şi-a construit tăcerile personajului Alioşa Karamazov pentru spectacolul lui Dan Micu (muzica: Vasile Şirli) de la Teatrul Nottara, după Dostoievski. Şi de data asta, citindu-i mărturisirea, mi s-a făcut dor să-l reîntâlnesc în ciuda – mereu simt nevoia să afirm asta – atitudinii sale neînduplecate faţă de cei ce nu sunt, n-au fost şi, probabil, nu vor fi niciodată ortodocşi. De atâtea ori mă gândesc la neputinţa mea de a împărţi astfel oamenii, încât se întâmplă să-mi spun că poate îmi lipseşte mie puterea de înţelegere a necesităţii unei astfel de judecăţi. Whatever, faptul că mă gândesc la el cu drag îmi este de mare ajutor. Cronica cârcotaşilor s-a întors pe ecran pentru un nou sezon. Nimic nou în asta (dincolo de formatul mereu mai atractiv al emisiunii): aceleaşi personaje antipatice desprinse din media sau din lumea sportului şi politicii autohtone (şi nu numai) sunt - pe drept - ridiculizate. Plus, e drept, două „bebeluşe” noi, alături de cele „consacrate” deja. Zbânţuiala acestor fete lor mi-a aminit de fragmentul din 3 Ezra pe care l-am citit (în engleză) la oră luni, împreună cu elevii mei de-a XII-a. Se vorbeşte acolo, în acea carte „apocrifă” (sau „deuterocanonică”) despre un concurs la care participanţii trebuie să pledeze pentru ceea ce ei cred că este cel mai puternic lucru din lume. Pe primele două locuri se clasează vinul (O ye men, how exceeding strong is wine! it causeth all men to err that drink it. It maketh the mind of the king and of the fatherless child to be all one; of the bondman and of the freeman, of the poor man and of the rich. It turneth also every thought into jollity and mirth, so that a man remembereth neither sorrow nor debt. And it maketh every heart rich, so that a man remembereth neither king nor governor; and it maketh to speak all things by talents. And when they are in their cups, they forget their love both to friends and brethren, and a little after draw out swords. But when they are from the wine, they remember not what they have done.) şi regele sau, mă rog, guvernatorul (But yet the king is more mighty: for he is lord of all these things, and hath dominion over them; and whatsoever he commandeth them they do. If he bid them make war the one against the other, they do it: if he send them out against the enemies, they go, and break down mountains walls and towers. They slay and are slain, and transgress not the king's commandment: if they get the victory, they bring all to the king, as well the spoil, as all things else. Likewise for those that are no soldiers, and have not to do with wars, but use husbundry, when they have reaped again that which they had sown, they bring it to the king, and compel one another to pay tribute unto the king. And yet he is but one man: if he command to kill, they kill; if he command to spare, they spare; If he command to smite, they smite; if he command to make desolate, they make desolate; if he command to build, they build; If he command to cut down, they cut down; if he command to plant, they plant. So all his people and his armies obey him: furthermore he lieth down, he eateth and drinketh, and taketh his rest. And these keep watch round about him, neither may any one depart, and do his own business, neither disobey they him in any thing. O ye men, how should not the king be mightiest, when in such sort he is obeyed?). Pe poziţia a treia: femeile (O ye men, it is not the great king, nor the multitude of men, neither is it wine, that excelleth; who is it then that ruleth them, or hath the lordship over them? are they not women? Women have borne the king and all the people that bear rule by sea and land. Even of them came they: and they nourished them up that planted the vineyards, from whence the wine cometh. These also make garments for men; these bring glory unto men; and without women cannot men be. Yea, and if men have gathered together gold and silver, or any other goodly thing, do they not love a woman which is comely in favour and beauty? And letting all those things go, do they not gape, and even with open mouth fix their eyes fast on her; and have not all men more desire unto her than unto silver or gold, or any goodly thing whatsoever? A man leaveth his own father that brought him up, and his own country, and cleaveth unto his wife. He sticketh not to spend his life with his wife. and remembereth neither father, nor mother, nor country. By this also ye must know that women have dominion over you: do ye not labour and toil, and give and bring all to the woman? Yea, a man taketh his sword, and goeth his way to rob and to steal, to sail upon the sea and upon rivers; And looketh upon a lion, and goeth in the darkness; and when he hath stolen, spoiled, and robbed, he bringeth it to his love. Wherefore a man loveth his wife better than father or mother. Yea, many there be that have run out of their wits for women, and become servants for their sakes. Many also have perished, have erred, and sinned, for women. And now do ye not believe me? is not the king great in his power? do not all regions fear to touch him? Yet did I see him and Apame the king's concubine, the daughter of the admirable Bartacus, sitting at the right hand of the king, And taking the crown from the king's head, and setting it upon her own head; she also struck the king with her left hand. And yet for all this the king gaped and gazed upon her with open mouth: if she laughed upon him, he laughed also: but if she took any displeasure at him, the king was fain to flatter, that she might be reconciled to him again. O ye men, how can it be but women should be strong, seeing they do thus?). În fine, ultima pledoarie este pentru adevăr: O ye men, are not women strong? great is the earth, high is the heaven, swift is the sun in his course, for he compasseth the heavens round about, and fetcheth his course again to his own place in one day. Is he not great that maketh these things? therefore great is the truth, and stronger than all things. All the earth crieth upon the truth, and the heaven blesseth it: all works shake and tremble at it, and with it is no unrighteous thing. Wine is wicked, the king is wicked, women are wicked, all the children of men are wicked, and such are all their wicked works; and there is no truth in them; in their unrighteousness also they shall perish. As for the truth, it endureth, and is alwaYs strong; it liveth and conquereth for evermore. With her there is no accepting of persons or rewards; but she doeth the things that are just, and refraineth from all unjust and wicked things; and all men do well like of her works. Neither in her judgment is any unrighteousness; and she is the strength, kingdom, power, and majesty, of all ages. Blessed be the God of truth.
...Din ce în ce mai greu e să îţi pui problema adevărului, în lumea mult prea grăbită în care trăim. Practic, nici binele şi răul nu mai interesează în vremurile actuale, mult mai preocupate să distingă „vechiul” de „nou”. Iar „noul” – singurul lucru care pare să mai conteze - este regăsit exclusiv – cum altfel? – în ritmurile actuale: confort occidental, mass media, internet etc.. Totuşi, chestiunea adevărului este pe cât de spinoasă, pe atât de fascinantă şi bate la scor orice altă preocupare. Din dorinţa de limpezire, de lămurire căutăm (adesea pe căi întortocheate, adesea stingheri de această „slăbiciune de caracter”) la primenirea sufletului nostru -ştim că doar aşa om putea îmblânzi cumva fiara din noi numită conştiinţă. Deşi ea, fiara, is sleeping like a log, mesajul (vechi de peste două mii de ani) cărţii 3 Ezra este cât se poate de actual. Chiar şi în era (post)modernă, a tuturor posibilităţilor, când acceptăm că „toate sunt bune” (însă fără a ne păsa de faptul că „nu toate ne sunt de folos”) tânjim după firescul pierdut al credinţei (vezi Stalker).