上句见：Day129
The Story of Philosophy的第130句：第1章Plato第2节II. Socrates第7段第4句：

No topics could have been more vital than these to the young Athenians of that generation. The Sophists had destroyed the faith these youths ha once had in the gods and goddesses of Olympus, and in the moral code that had taken its sanction so largely from the fear men had for these ubiquitous and innumerable deities; apparently there was no reason now why a man should not do as he pleased, so long as he remained within the law. A disintegrating individualism had weakened the Athenian character, and left the city a prey at last to the sternly-nurtured Spartans. And as for the state, what could have been more ridiculous than this mobbed, passion-ridden democracy, this government by a debating-society, this precipitate selection and dismissal and execution of generals, this unchoice choice of simple farmers and tradesmen, in alphabetical rotation, as members of the Supreme Court of the land? How could a new and natural morality be developed in Athens, and how could the state be saved?
浙江大学译本：至于国家形式，没有什么制度比一个为盲众所操纵、为冲动所指挥的民主更滑稽的了，没有什么比让一群争论不休的人组成政府更可笑的了，没有什么比匆忙选举、革职或处死将领更荒唐的了，也没有什么比不加筛选、仅按字母排列顺序选取头脑简单的农民和商人作为最高法院成员更可笑的了！

解析

这句剖析了雅典被斯巴达打败城邦层面的原因。它用了反问的语气来指出雅典城邦形式的不合理。
1、And as for the state, what could have been more ridiculous than
国家形式：荒谬
what could have been more ridiculous than：“有什么比……更荒谬的吗”，换句话讲，“没有比这种国家更滑稽的了”。它用了反问来加强整个观点的态度。
What could have been more terrifying than facing a wild beast alone in the dark? 还有什么比在黑暗中独自面对野兽更恐怖的事呢？

2、this mobbed, passion-ridden democracy,
荒谬1:数量众多且充满激情的民主。暗指这种民主太分散、效率不高且不够理性。
mob：当名词时，主要表示暴民；当动词时，to come together in (a place) with many other people聚众，拥挤
By the mid-1980s spring-breakers mobbed the place.到20世纪80年代中期，春假的人挤满了这个地方。
ridden： filled with or containing something unpleasant or unwanted充满……（经常是些不开心的或不乐意的事）
She returned home, worry-ridden after a long and exhausting day at work.经过一天长且累的工作，她忧心忡忡地回到了家。

3、this government by a debating-society,
荒谬2:一个辩论协会式的政府。暗指政府过于依赖辩论而缺乏实际行动能力以及一定的目标导向。
debating-society,：whose members meet for debating.
Here at Yale, which is home to the country's oldest collegiate debate society, students across the political spectrum can engage in spirited, yet civil discussions. 耶鲁拥有美国历史最悠久的大学辩论文化，持有任何政治立场的学生都可以加入到，激烈而文明的讨论中。

4、this precipitate section and dismissal and execution of generals,
荒谬3:仓促决定将军的任免。暗指这种对军事领导人过多干预行为大大削弱了雅典军事行动的能力。
precipitate：adj. formal : happening very quickly or too quickly without enough thought or planning仓促的，
He was not prone to rashness and precipitate action; and in the bitter hatred between him and Spitz he betrayed no impatience, shunned all offensive acts.他没有鲁莽的倾向, 也不轻举妄动。虽然他和斯匹次彼此都恨不得扒了对方的皮, 但他的急躁心情却丝毫也没有露出, 免得把对方惹怒, 徒增麻烦。《野性的呼唤》
execution：the act of killing someone especially as punishment for a crime处决
Others thought that show trials or mass executions would be the better response.其他人认为走过场的审判或者大规模处决是更好的回应。

5、this unchoice choice of simple farmers and tradesmen, in alphabetical rotation, as members of the Supreme Court of the land?
荒谬4:国家最高法院的成员都是些差不多没经过选择的选择，只凭字母顺序轮流担任的普通农民以及商人。暗指很多没有能力的人都参与最重要事情的决策。
simple： not special or unusual : ordinary普通
What he captured on canvas was simple, fleeting moments.被他捕捉在画布上的是转瞬即逝的平凡画面。

至于这个城邦，还有什么比这个被人数众多、充满激情的民主更荒唐的呢？还有什么比这个由辩论社团组成的政府更滑稽的呢？还有什么比这个仓促地选举、罢免和处决将军更可笑的呢？还有什么比这个不加筛选、仅凭字母顺序地选择普通农民和商人作为国家最高法院成员更离谱的吗？