the essays of montaigne, v2-第1章

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The　Essays　of　Montaigne；　V2

by　Michel　de　Montaigne

Translated　by　Charles　Cotton

Edited　by　William　Carew　Hazilitt


1877




ESSAYS　OF　MONTAIGNE

BOOK　THE　FIRST

CONTENTS　OF　VOLUME　2。

I。　　　　　　　　That　Men　by　Various　Ways　Arrive　at　the　Same　End。
II。　　　　　　　Of　Sorrow。
III。　　　　　　That　our　affections　carry　themselves　beyond　us　。
IV。　　　　　　　That　the　soul　discharges　her　passions　upon　false　objects；　where
　　　　　　　　　　the　true　are　wanting。
V。　　　　　　　　Whether　the　governor　of　a　place　besieged　ought　himself　to　go
　　　　　　　　　　out　to　parley。
VI。　　　　　　　That　the　hour　of　parley　is　dangerous。
VII。　　　　　　That　the　intention　is　judge　of　our　actions。
VIII。　　　　　Of　idleness。
IX。　　　　　　　Of　liars。
X。　　　　　　　　Of　quick　or　slow　speech。
XI。　　　　　　　Of　prognostications。
XII。　　　　　　Of　constancy。



CHAPTER　I

THAT　MEN　BY　VARIOUS　WAYS　ARRIVE　AT　THE　SAME　END。

The　most　usual　way　of　appeasing　the　indignation　of　such　as　we　have　any
way　offended；　when　we　see　them　in　possession　of　the　power　of　revenge；
and　find　that　we　absolutely　lie　at　their　mercy；　is　by　submission；　to　move
them　to　commiseration　and　pity；　and　yet　bravery；　constancy；　and
resolution；　however　quite　contrary　means；　have　sometimes　served　to
produce　the　same　effect。　＇Florio's　version　begins　thus：　〃The　most
vsuall　waie　to　appease　those　minds　wee　have　offended；　when　revenge　lies
in　their　hands；　and　that　we　stand　at　their　mercie；　is　by　submission　to
move　them　to　commiseration　and　pity：　Neuertheless；　courage；　constancie；
and　resolution　（means　altogether　opposite）　have　sometimes　wrought　the
same　effect。　

Edward；　Prince　of　Wales　（the　same　who　so
long　governed　our　Guienne；　a　personage　whose　condition　and　fortune　have
in　them　a　great　deal　of　the　most　notable　and　most　considerable　parts　of
grandeur）；　having　been　highly　incensed　by　the　Limousins；　and　taking　their
city　by　assault；　was　not；　either　by　the　cries　of　the　people；　or　the
prayers　and　tears　of　the　women　and　children；　abandoned　to　slaughter　and
prostrate　at　his　feet　for　mercy；　to　be　stayed　from　prosecuting　his
revenge；　till；　penetrating　further　into　the　town；　he　at　last　took　notice
of　three　French　gentlemen；　＇These　were　Jean　de　Villemure；　Hugh　de　la
Roche；　and　Roger　de　Beaufort。Froissart；　i。　c。　289。＇　who　with　
incredible　bravery　alone　sustained　the　power
of　his　victorious　army。　　Then　it　was　that　consideration　and　respect　unto
so　remarkable　a　valour　first　stopped　the　torrent　of　his　fury；　and　that
his　clemency；　beginning　with　these　three　cavaliers；　was　afterwards
extended　to　all　the　remaining　inhabitants　of　the　city。

Scanderbeg；　Prince　of　Epirus；　pursuing　one　of　his　soldiers　with　purpose
to　kill　him；　the　soldier；　having　in　vain　tried　by　all　the　ways　of
humility　and　supplication　to　appease　him；　resolved；　as　his　last　refuge；
to　face　about　and　await　him　sword　in　hand：　which　behaviour　of　his　gave　a
sudden　stop　to　his　captain's　fury；　who；　for　seeing　him　assume　so　notable
a　resolution；　received　him　into　grace；　an　example；　however；　that　might
suffer　another　interpretation　with　such　as　have　not　read　of　the
prodigious　force　and　valour　of　that　prince。

The　Emperor　Conrad　III。　having　besieged　Guelph；　Duke　of　Bavaria；＇In
1140；　in　Weinsberg；　Upper　Bavaria。＇　would　not　be　prevailed　upon；　what
mean　and　unmanly　satisfactions　soever　were　tendered　to　him；　to　condescend
to　milder　conditions　than　that　the　ladies　and　gentlewomen　only　who　were
in　the　town　with　the　duke　might　go　out　without　violation　of　their　honour；
on　foot；　and　with　so　much　only　as　they　could　carry　about　them。　　Whereupon
they；　out　of　magnanimity　of　heart；　presently　contrived　to　carry　out；　upon
their　shoulders；　their　husbands　and　children；　and　the　duke　himself；
a　sight　at　which　the　emperor　was　so　pleased；　that；　ravished　with　the
generosity　of　the　action；　he　wept　for　joy；　and　immediately　extinguishing
in　his　heart　the　mortal　and　capital　hatred　he　had　conceived　against　this
duke；　he　from　that　time　forward　treated　him　and　his　with　all　humanity。
The　one　and　the　other　of　these　two　ways　would　with　great　facility　work
upon　my　nature；　for　I　have　a　marvellous　propensity　to　mercy　and　mildness；
and　to　such　a　degree　that　I　fancy　of　the　two　I　should　sooner　surrender　my
anger　to　compassion　than　to　esteem。　　And　yet　pity　is　reputed　a　vice
amongst　the　Stoics；　who　will　that　we　succour　the　afflicted；　but　not　that
we　should　be　so　affected　with　their　sufferings　as　to　suffer　with　them。
I　conceived　these　examples　not　ill　suited　to　the　question　in　hand；　and
the　rather　because　therein　we　observe　these　great　souls　assaulted　and
tried　by　these　two　several　ways；　to　resist　the　one　without　relenting；　and
to　be　shook　and　subjected　by　the　other。　　It　may　be　true　that　to　suffer　a
man's　heart　to　be　totally　subdued　by　compassion　may　be　imputed　to
facility；　effeminacy；　and　over…tenderness；　whence　it　comes　to　pass　that
the　weaker　natures；　as　of　women；　children；　and　the　common　sort　of　people；
are　the　most　subject　to　it　but　after　having　resisted　and　disdained　the
power　of　groans　and　tears；　to　yield　to　the　sole　reverence　of　the　sacred
image　of　Valour；　this　can　be　no　other　than　the　effect　of　a　strong　and
inflexible　soul　enamoured　of　and　honouring　masculine　and　obstinate
courage。　　Nevertheless；　astonishment　and　admiration　may；　in　less　generous
minds；　beget　a　like　effect：　witness　the　people　of　Thebes；　who；　having　put
two　of　their　generals　upon　trial　for　their　lives　for　having　continued　in
arms　beyond　the　precise　term　of　their　commission；　very　hardly　pardoned
Pelopidas；　who；　bowing　under　the　weight　of　so　dangerous　an　accusation；
made　no　manner　of　defence　for　himself；　nor　produced　other　arguments　than
prayers　and　supplications；　whereas；　on　the　contrary；　Epaminondas；　falling
to　recount　magniloquently　the　exploits　he　had　performed　in　their　service；
and；　after　a　haughty　and　arrogant　manner　reproaching　them　with
ingratitude　and　injustice；　they　had　not　the　heart　to　proceed　any　further
in　his　trial；　but　broke　up　the　court　and　departed；　the　whole　assembly
highly　commending　the　high　courage　of　this　personage。　＇Plutarch；　How
far　a　Man　may　praise　Himself；　c。　5。＇

Dionysius　the　elder；　after　having；　by　a　tedious　siege　and　through
exceeding　great　difficulties；　taken　the　city　of　Reggio；　and　in　it　the
governor　Phyton；　a　very　gallant　man；　who　had　made　so　obstinate　a　defence；
was　resolved　to　make　him　a　tragical　example　of　his　revenge：　in　order
whereunto　he　first　told　him；　〃That　he　had　the　day　before　caused　his　son
and　all　his　kindred　to　be　drowned。〃　　To　which　Phyton　returned　no　other
answer　but　this：　〃That　they　were　then　by　one　day　happier　than　he。〃　　After
which；　causing　him　to　be　stripped；　and　delivering　him　into　the　hands　of
the　tormentors；　he　was　by　them　not　only　dragged　through　the　streets　of
the　town；　and　most　ignominiously　and　cruelly　whipped；　but　moreover
vilified　with　most　bitter　and　contumelious　language：　yet　still　he
maintained　his　courage　entire　all　the　way；　with　a　strong　voice　and
undaunted　countenance　proclaiming　the　honourable　and　glorious　cause　of
his　death；　namely；　for　that　he　would　not　deliver　up　his　country　into　the
hands　of　a　tyrant；　at　the　same　time　denouncing　against　him　a　speedy
chastisement　from　the　offended　gods。　　At　which　Dionysius；　reading　in　his
soldiers'　looks；　that　instead　of　being　incensed　at　the　haughty　language
of　this　conquered　enemy；　to　the　contempt　of　their　captain　and　his
triumph；　they　were　not　only　struck　with　admiration　of　so　rare　a　virtue；
but　moreover　inclined　to　mutiny；　and　were　even　ready　to　rescue　the
prisoner　out　of　the　hangman's　hands；　he　caused　the　torturing　to　cease；
and　afterwards　privately　caused　him　to　be　thrown　into　the　sea。　＇Diod。
Sic。；　xiv。　29。＇

Man　（in　good　earnest）　is　a　marvellous　vain；　fickle；　and　unstable　subject；
and　on　whom　it　is　very　hard　to　form　any　certain　and　uniform　judgment。
For　Pompey　could　pardon　the　whole　city　of　the　Mamertines；　though
furiously　incensed　against　it；　upon　the　single　account　of　the　virtue　and
magnanimity　of　one　citizen；　Zeno；＇Plutarch　calls　him　Stheno；　and　also
Sthemnus　and　Sthenis＇　who　took　the　fault　of　the　public　wholly　upon
himself；　neither　entreated　other　favour；　but　alone　to　undergo　the
punishment　for　all：　and　yet　Sylla's　host；　having　in　the　city　of　Perugia
＇Plutarch　says　Preneste；　a　town　of　Latium。＇　manifested　the　same
virtue；　obtained　nothing　by　it；　either　for　himself　or　his　fellow…
citizens。

And；　directly　contrary　to　my　first　examples；　the　bravest　of　all　men；　and
who　was　reputed　so　gracious　to　all　those　he　overcame；　Alexander；　having；
after　many　great　difficulties；　forced　the　city　of　Gaza；　and；　entering；
found　Betis；　who　commanded　there；　and　of　whose　valour　in　the　time　of　this
siege　he　had　most　marvellous　manifest　proof；　alone；　forsaken　by　all　his
soldiers；　his　armour　hacked　and　hewed　to　pieces；　covered　all　over　with
blood　and　wounds；　and　yet　still　fighting　in　the　crowd　of　a　number　of
Macedonians；　who　were　laying　on　him　on　all　sides；　he　said　to　him；　nettled
at　so　dear…bought　a　victory　（for；　in　addition　to　the　other　damage；　he　had
two　wounds　newly　received　in　his　own　person）；　〃Thou　shalt　not　die；　Betis；
as　thou　dost　intend；　be　sure　thou　shall　suffer　all　the　torments　that　can
be　inflicted　on　a　captive。〃　　To　which　menace　the　other　returning　no　other
answer；　but　only　a　fierce　and　disdainful　look；　〃What；〃　says　Alexander；
observing　his　haughty　and　obstinate　silence；　〃is　he　too　stiff　to　bend　a
knee！　　Is　he　too　proud　to　utter　one　suppliant　word！　　Truly；　I　will
conquer　this　silence；　and　if　I　cannot　force　a　word　from　his　mouth；　I
will；　at　least；　extract　a　groan　from　his　heart。〃　　And　thereupon
converting　his　anger　into　fury；　presently　commanded　his　heels　to　be　bored
through；　causing　him；　alive；　to　be　dragged；　mangled；　and　dismembered　at　a
cart's　tail。＇Quintus　Curtius；　iv。　6。　　This　act　of　cruelty　has　been
doubted；　notwithstanding　the　statement　of　Curtius。＇　Was　it　that　the
height　of　courage　was　so　natural　and　familiar　to　this　conqueror；　that
because　he　could　not　admire；　he　respected　it　the　less？　　Or　was　it　that　he
conceived　valour　to　be　a　virtue　so　peculiar　to　himself；　that　his　pride
could　not；　without　envy；　endure　it　in　another？　　Or　was　it　that　the
natural　impetuosity　of　his　fury　was　incapable　of　opposition？　　Certainly；
had　it　been　capable　of　moderation；　it　is　to　be　believed　that　in　the　sack
and　desolation　of　Thebes；　to　see　so　many　valiant　men；　lost　and　totally
destitute　of　any　further　defence；　cruelly　massacred　before　his　eyes；
would　have　appeased　it：　where　there　were　above　six　thousand　put　to　the
sword；　of　whom　not　one　was　seen　to　fly；　or　heard　to　cry　out　for　quarter；
but；　on　the　contrary；　every　one　running　here　and　there　to　seek　out　and　to
provoke　the　victorious　enemy　to　help　them　to　an　honourable　end。　　Not　one
was　seen　who；　however　weakened　with　wounds；　did　not　in　his　last　gasp　yet
endeavour　to　revenge　himself；　and　with　all　the　arms　of　a　brave　despair；
to　sweeten　his　own　death　in　the　death　of　an　enemy。　　Yet　did　their　valour
create　no　pity；　and　the　length　of　one　day　was　not　enough　to　satiate　the
thirst　of　the　conqueror's　revenge；　but　the　slaughter　continued　to　the
last　drop　of　blood　that　was　capable　of　being　shed；　and　stopped　not　till
it　met　with　none　but　unarmed　persons；　old　men；　women；　and　children；　of
them　to　carry　awa