the city of the sun-第7章

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how　long　they　live。


Capt。　　Their　food　consists　of　flesh；　butter；　honey；　cheese；
garden　herbs；　and　vegetables　of　various　kinds。　　They　were
unwilling　at　first　to　slay　animals；　because　it　seemed　cruel；　but
thinking　afterward　that　is　was　also　cruel　to　destroy　herbs　which
have　a　share　of　sensitive　feeling；　they　saw　that　they　would
perish　from　hunger　unless　they　did　an　unjustifiable　action　for
the　sake　of　justifiable　ones；　and　so　now　they　all　eat　meat。
Nevertheless；　they　do　not　kill　willingly　useful　animals；　such　as
oxen　and　horses。　　They　observe　the　difference　between　useful
and　harmful　foods；　and　for　this　they　employ　the　science　of　med…
icine。　　They　always　change　their　food。　　First　they　eat　flesh；
then　fish；　then　afterward　they　go　back　to　flesh；　and　nature　is
never　incommoded　or　weakened。　　The　old　people　use　the　more
digestible　kind　of　food；　and　take　three　meals　a　day；　eating　only
a　little。　　But　the　general　community　eat　twice；　and　the　boys
four　times；　that　they　may　satisfy　nature。　　The　length　of　their
lives　is　generally　100　years；　but　often　they　reach　200。

　　　As　regards　drinking；　they　are　extremely　moderate。　　Wine
is　never　given　to　young　people　until　they　are　ten　years　old；　un…
less　the　state　of　their　health　demands　it。　　After　their　tenth　year
they　take　it　diluted　with　water；　and　so　do　the　women；　but　the
old　men　of　fifty　and　upward　use　little　or　no　water。　　They　eat
the　most　healthy　things；　according　to　the　time　of　the　year。

　　　They　think　nothing　harmful　which　is　brought　forth　by　God；
except　when　there　has　been　abuse　by　taking　too　much。　　And
therefore　in　the　summer　they　feed　on　fruits；　because　they　are
moist　and　juicy　and　cool；　and　counteract　the　heat　and　dryness。
In　the　winter　they　feed　on　dry　articles；　and　in　the　autumn　they
eat　grapes；　since　they　are　given　by　God　to　remove　melancholy
and　sadness；　and　they　also　make　use　of　scents　to　a　great　degree。
In　the　morning；　when　they　have　all　risen　they　comb　their　hair
and　wash　their　faces　and　hands　with　cold　water。　　Then　they
chew　thyme　or　rock…parsley　or　fennel；　or　rub　their　hands　with
these　plants。　　The　old　men　make　incense；　and　with　their　faces
to　the　east　repeat　the　short　prayer　which　Jesus　Christ　taught
us。　　After　this　they　go　to　wait　upon　the　old　men；　some　go
to　the　dance；　and　others　to　the　duties　of　the　State。　　Later　on
they　meet　at　the　early　lectures；　then　in　the　temple；　then　for
bodily　exercise。　　Then　for　a　little　while　they　sit　down　to　rest；
and　at　length　they　go　to　dinner。

　　　Among　them　there　is　never　gout　in　the　hands　or　feet；　nor　ca…
tarrh；　nor　sciatica；　nor　grievous　colics；　nor　flatulency；　nor　hard
breathing。　　For　these　diseases　are　caused　by　indigestion　and
flatulency；　and　by　frugality　and　exercise　they　remove　every
humor　and　spasm。　　Therefore　it　is　unseemly　in　the　extreme
to　be　seen　vomiting　or　spitting；　since　they　say　that　this　is　a　sign
either　of　little　exercise；　or　of　ignoble　sloth；　or　of　drunkenness；
or　gluttony。　　They　suffer　rather　from　swellings　or　from　the
dry　spasm；　which　they　relieve　with　plenty　of　good　and　juicy
food。　　They　heal　fevers　with　pleasant　baths　and　with　milk…
food；　and　with　a　pleasant　habitation　in　the　country　and　by　grad…
ual　exercise。　　Unclean　diseases　cannot　be　prevalent　with　them
because　they　often　clean　their　bodies　by　bathing　in　wine；　and
soothe　them　with　aromatic　oil；　and　by　the　sweat　of　exercise　they
diffuse　the　poisonous　vapor　which　corrupts　the　blood　and　the
marrow。　　They　do　suffer　a　little　from　consumption；　because
they　cannot　perspire　at　the　breast；　but　they　never　have　asthma；
for　the　humid　nature　of　which　a　heavy　man　is　required。　　They
cure　hot　fevers　with　cold　potations　of　water；　but　slight　ones
with　sweet　smells；　with　cheese…bread　or　sleep；　with　music　or
dancing。　　Tertiary　fevers　are　cured　by　bleeding；　by　rhubarb
or　by　a　similar　drawing　remedy；　or　by　water　soaked　in　the　roots
of　plants；　with　purgative　and　sharp…tasting　qualities。　　But　it
is　rarely　that　they　take　purgative　medicines。　　Fevers　occurring
every　fourth　day　are　cured　easily　by　suddenly　startling　the　un…
prepared　patients；　and　by　means　of　herbs　producing　effects　op…
posite　to　the　humors　of　this　fever。　　All　these　secrets　they　told
me　in　opposition　to　their　own　wishes。　　They　take　more　diligent
pains　to　cure　the　lasting　fevers；　which　they　fear　more；　and　they
strive　to　counteract　these　by　the　observation　of　stars　and　of
plants；　and　by　prayers　to　God。　　Fevers　recurring　every　fifth；
sixth；　eighth　or　more　days；　you　never　find　whenever　heavy
humors　are　wanting。

　　　They　use　baths；　and　moreover　they　have　warm　ones　accord…
ing　to　the　Roman　custom；　and　they　make　use　also　of　olive　oil。
They　have　found　out；　too；　a　great　many　secret　cures　for　the
preservation　of　cleanliness　and　health。　　And　in　other　ways　they
labor　to　cure　the　epilepsy；　with　which　they　are　often　troubled。


G。M。　　A　sign　this　disease　is　of　wonderful　cleverness；　for
from　it　Hercules；　Scotus；　Socrates；　Callimachus；　and　Mahomet
have　suffered。


Capt。　　They　cure　by　means　of　prayers　to　heaven；　by
strengthening　the　head；　by　acids；　by　planned　gymnastics；　and
with　fat　cheese…bread　sprinkled　with　the　flour　of　wheaten　corn。
They　are　very　skilled　in　making　dishes；　and　in　them　they　put
spice；　honey；　butter；　and　many　highly　strengthening　spices；
and　they　temper　their　richness　with　acids；　so　that　they　never
vomit。　　They　do　not　drink　ice…cold　drinks　nor　artificial　hot
drinks；　as　the　Chinese　do；　for　they　are　not　without　aid　against
the　humors　of　the　body；　on　account　of　the　help　they　get　from
the　natural　heat　of　the　water；　but　they　strengthen　it　with
crushed　garlic；　with　vinegar；　with　wild　thyme；　with　mint；　and
with　basil；　in　the　summer　or　in　time　of　special　heaviness。　　They
know　also　a　secret　for　renovating　life　after　about　the　seventieth
year；　and　for　ridding　it　of　affliction；　and　this　they　do　by　a　pleas…
ing　and　indeed　wonderful　art。


G。M。　　Thus　far　you　have　said　nothing　concerning　their　sci…
ences　and　magistrates。


Capt。　　Undoubtedly　I　have　　But　since　you　are　so　curious
I　will　add　more。　　Both　when　it　is　new　moon　and　full　moon　they
call　a　council　after　a　sacrifice。　　To　this　all　from　twenty　years
upward　are　admitted；　and　each　one　is　asked　separately　to　say
what　is　wanting　in　the　State；　and　which　of　the　magistrates　have
discharged　their　duties　rightly　and　which　wrongly。　　Then
after　eight　days　all　the　magistrates　assemble；　to　wit；　Hoh　first；
and　with　him　Power；　Wisdom；　and　Love。　　Each　one　of　the
three　last　has　three　magistrates　under　him；　making　in　all　thir…
teen；　and　they　consider　the　affairs　of　the　arts　pertaining　to　each
one　of　them：　Power；　of　war；　Wisdom；　of　the　sciences；　Love；
of　food；　clothing；　education；　and　breeding。　　The　masters　of　all
the　bands；　who　are　captains　of　tens；　of　fifties；　of　hundreds；　also
assemble；　the　women　first　and　then　the　men。　　They　argue　about
those　things　which　are　for　the　welfare　of　the　State；　and　they
choose　the　magistrates　from　among　those　who　have　already
been　named　in　the　great　Council。　　In　this　manner　they　assemble
daily；　Hoh　and　his　three　princes；　and　they　correct；　confirm；　and
execute　the　matters　passing　to　them；　as　decisions　in　the　elec…
tions；　other　necessary　questions　they　provide　of　themselves。
They　do　not　use　lots　unless　when　they　are　altogether　doubtful
how　to　decide。　　The　eight　magistrates　under　Hoh；　Power；
Wisdom；　and　Love　are　changed　according　to　the　wish　of　the
people；　but　the　first　four　are　never　changed；　unless　they；　tak…
ing　counsel　with　themselves；　give　up　the　dignity　of　one　to　an…
other；　whom　among　them　they　know　to　be　wiser；　more　re…
nowned；　and　more　nearly　perfect。　　And　then　they　are　obedient
and　honorable；　since　they　yield　willingly　to　the　wiser　man　and
are　taught　by　him。　　This；　however；　rarely　happens。　　The　prin…
cipals　of　the　sciences；　except　Metaphysic；　who　is　Hoh　himself；
and　is；　as　it　were；　the　architect　of　all　science；　having　rule　over
all；　are　attached　to　Wisdom。　　Hoh　is　ashamed　to　be　ignorant
of　any　possible　thing。　　Under　Wisdom　therefore　are　Grammar；
Logic；　Physics；　Medicine；　Astrology；　Astronomy；　Geometry；
Cosmography；　Music；　Perspective；　Arithmetic；　Poetry；　Rhet…
oric；　Painting；　Sculpture。　　Under　the　triumvir　Love　are　Breed…
ing；　Agriculture；　Education；　Medicine；　Clothing；　Pasturage；
Coining。


G。M。　　What　about　their　judges？


Capt。　　This　is　the　point　I　was　just　thinking　of　explaining。
Everyone　is　judged　by　the　first　master　of　his　trade；　and　thus
all　the　head　artificers　are　judges。　　They　punish　with　exile；　with
flogging；　with　blame；　with　deprivation　of　the　common　table；
with　exclusion　from　the　church　and　from　the　company　of
women。　　When　there　is　a　case　in　which　great　injury　has　been
done；　it　is　punished　with　death；　and　they　repay　an　eye　with　an
eye；　a　nose　for　a　nose；　a　tooth　for　a　tooth；　and　so　on；　according
to　the　law　of　retaliation。　　If　the　offence　is　wilful　the　Council
decides。　　When　there　is　strife　and　it　takes　place　undesignedly；
the　sentence　is　mitigated；　nevertheless；　not　by　the　judge　but　by
the　triumvirate；　from　whom　even　it　may　be　referred　to　Hoh；　not
on　account　of　justice　but　of　mercy；　for　Hoh　is　able　to　pardon。
They　have　no　prisons；　except　one　tower　for　shutting　up　rebel…
lious　enemies；　and　there　is　no　written　statement　of　a　case；　which
we　commonly　call　a　lawsuit。　　But　the　accusation　and　witnesses
are　produced　in　the　presence　of　the　judge　and　Power；　the　ac…
cused　person　makes　his　defence；　and　he　is　immediately　acquit…
ted　or　condemned　by　the　judge；　and　if　he　appeals　to　the　trium…
virate；　on　the　following　day　he　is　acquitted　or　condemned。　　On
the　third　day　he　is　dismissed　through　the　mercy　and　clemency
of　Hoh；　or　receives　the　inviolable　rigor　of　his　sentence。　　An
accused　person　is　reconciled　to　his　accuser　and　to　his　witnesses；
as　it　were；　with　the　medicine　of　his　complaint；　that　is；　with　em…
bracing　and　kissing。

　　　No　one　is　killed　or　stoned　unless　by　the　hands　of　the　people；
the　accuser　and　the　witnesses　beginning　first。　　For　they　have
no　executioners　and　lictors；　lest　the　State　should　sink　into　ruin。
The　choice　of　death　is　given　to　the　rest　of　the　people；　who　en…
close　the　lifeless　remains　in　little　bags　and　burn　them　by　the
application　of　fire；　while　exhorters　are　present　for　the　purpose
of　advising　concerning　a　good　death。　　Nevertheless；　the　whole
nation　laments　and　beseeches　God　that　his　anger　may　be　ap…
peased；　being　in　grief　that　it　should；　as　it　were；　have　to　cut　off
a　rotten　member　of　the　State。　　Certain　officers　talk　to　and　con…
vince　the　accused　man　by　means　of　arguments　until　he　him…
self　acquiesces　in　the　sentence　of　death　passed　upon　him；　or　else
he　does　not　die。　　But　if　a　crime　has　been　committed　against
the　liberty　of　the　republic；　or　against　God；　or　against　the　su…
preme　magistrates；　there　is　immediate　censure　without　pity。
These　only　are　punished　with　death。　　He　who　is　about　to
die　is　compelled　to　state　in　the　presence　of　the　people　and　with
religious　scrupulousness　the　reasons　for　which　he　does　not　de…
serve　death；　and　also　the　sins　of　the　others　who　ought　to　die
instead　of　him；　and　further　the　mistakes　of　the　magistrates。
If；　moreover；　it　should　seem　right　to　the　person　thus　asserting；
he　must　say　why　the　accused　ones　are　deserving　of　less　punish…
ment　than