the essays of montaigne, v2-第5章

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Macedon；　to　gain　time　wherein　to　reinforce　his　army；　set　on　foot　some
overtures　of　accommodation；　with　which　the　king　being　lulled　asleep；
concluded　a　truce　for　some　days；　by　this　means　giving　his　enemy
opportunity　and　leisure　to　recruit　his　forces；　which　was　afterwards　the
occasion　of　the　king's　final　ruin。　　Yet　the　elder　senators；　mindful　of
their　forefathers'　manners；　condemned　this　proceeding　as　degenerating
from　their　ancient　practice；　which；　they　said；　was　to　fight　by　valour；
and　not　by　artifice；　surprises；　and　night…encounters；　neither　by
pretended　flight　nor　unexpected　rallies　to　overcome　their　enemies；　never
making　war　till　having　first　proclaimed　it；　and　very　often　assigned　both
the　hour　and　place　of　battle。　　Out　of　this　generous　principle　it　was　that
they　delivered　up　to　Pyrrhus　his　treacherous　physician；　and　to　the
Etrurians　their　disloyal　schoolmaster。　　This　was；　indeed；　a　procedure
truly　Roman；　and　nothing　allied　to　the　Grecian　subtlety；　nor　to　the　Punic
cunning；　where　it　was　reputed　a　victory　of　less　glory　to　overcome　by
force　than　by　fraud。　　Deceit　may　serve　for　a　need；　but　he　only　confesses
himself　overcome　who　knows　he　is　neither　subdued　by　policy　nor
misadventure；　but　by　dint　of　valour；　man　to　man；　in　a　fair　and　just　war。
It　very　well　appears；　by　the　discourse　of　these　good　old　senators；　that
this　fine　sentence　was　not　yet　received　amongst　them。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Dolus；　an　virtus；　quis　in　hoste　requirat？〃

　　　　　＇〃What　matters　whether　by　valour　or　by　strategem　we　overcome　the
　　　　　enemy？〃Aeneid；　ii。　390＇

The　Achaians；　says　Polybius；　abhorred　all　manner　of　double…dealing　in
war；　not　reputing　it　a　victory　unless　where　the　courage　of　the　enemy　was
fairly　subdued：

〃Eam　vir　sanctus　et　sapiens　sciet　veram　esse　victoriam；　quae；　salva　fide
et　integra　dignitate；　parabitur。〃　＇〃An　honest　and　prudent　man　will
acknowledge　that　only　to　be　a　true　victory　which　shall　be　obtained　saving
his　own　good　faith　and　dignity。〃Florus；　i。　　12。＇　Says　another：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Vosne　velit；　an　me；　regnare　hera；　quidve　ferat；
　　　　　　　　　　fors　virtute　experiamur。〃

　　　　　＇〃Whether　you　or　I　shall　rule；　or　what　shall　happen；　let　us
　　　　　determine　by　valour。〃Cicero；　De　Offic。；　i。　12＇

In　the　kingdom　of　Ternate；　amongst　those　nations　which　we　so　broadly　call
barbarians；　they　have　a　custom　never　to　commence　war；　till　it　be　first
proclaimed；　adding　withal　an　ample　declaration　of　what　means　they　have　to
do　it　with；　with　what　and　how　many　men；　what　ammunitions；　and　what；　both
offensive　and　defensive；　arms；　but　also；　that　being　done；　if　their
enemies　do　not　yield　and　come　to　an　agreement；　they　conceive　it　lawful　to
employ　without　reproach　in　their　wars　any　means　which　may　help　them　to
conquer。

The　ancient　Florentines　were　so　far　from　seeking　to　obtain　any　advantage
over　their　enemies　by　surprise；　that　they　always　gave　them　a　month's
warning　before　they　drew　their　army　into　the　field；　by　the　continual
tolling　of　a　bell　they　called　Martinella。　＇After　St。　Martin。＇

For　what　concerns　ourselves；　who　are　not　so　scrupulous　in　this　affair；
and　who　attribute　the　honour　of　the　war　to　him　who　has　the　profit　of　it；
and　who　after　Lysander　say；　〃Where　the　lion's　skin　is　too　short；　we　must
eke　it　out　with　a　bit　from　that　of　a　fox〃；　the　most　usual　occasions　of
surprise　are　derived　from　this　practice；　and　we　hold　that　there　are　no
moments　wherein　a　chief　ought　to　be　more　circumspect；　and　to　have　his　eye
so　much　at　watch；　as　those　of　parleys　and　treaties　of　accommodation；　and
it　is；　therefore；　become　a　general　rule　amongst　the　martial　men　of　these
latter　times；　that　a　governor　of　a　place　never　ought；　in　a　time　of　siege；
to　go　out　to　parley。　　It　was　for　this　that　in　our　fathers'　days　the
Seigneurs　de　Montmord　and　de　l'Assigni；　defending　Mousson　against　the
Count　of　Nassau；　were　so　highly　censured。　　But　yet；　as　to　this；　it　would
be　excusable　in　that　governor　who；　going　out；　should；　notwithstanding；
do　it　in　such　manner　that　the　safety　and　advantage　should　be　on　his　side；
as　Count　Guido　di　Rangone　did　at　Reggio　（if　we　are　to　believe　Du　Bellay；
for　Guicciardini　says　it　was　he　himself）　when　the　Seigneur　de　l'Escut
approached　to　parley；　who　stepped　so　little　away　from　his　fort；　that　a
disorder　happening　in　the　interim　of　parley；　not　only　Monsieur　de　l'Escut
and　his　party　who　were　advanced　with　him；　found　themselves　by　much　the
weaker；　insomuch　that　Alessandro　Trivulcio　was　there　slain；　but　he
himself　follow　the　Count；　and；　relying　upon　his　honour；　to　secure　himself
from　the　danger　of　the　shot　within　the　walls　of　the　town。

Eumenes；　being　shut　up　in　the　city　of　Nora　by　Antigonus；　and　by　him
importuned　to　come　out　to　speak　with　him；　as　he　sent　him　word　it　was　fit
he　should　to　a　greater　man　than　himself；　and　one　who　had　now　an　advantage
over　him；　returned　this　noble　answer。　　〃Tell　him；〃　said　he；　〃that　I　shall
never　think　any　man　greater　than　myself　whilst　I　have　my　sword　in　my
hand；〃　and　would　not　consent　to　come　out　to　him　till　first；　according　to
his　own　demand；　Antigonus　had　delivered　him　his　own　nephew　Ptolomeus　in
hostage。

And　yet　some　have　done　very　well　in　going　out　in　person　to　parley；　on　the
word　of　the　assailant：　witness　Henry　de　Vaux；　a　cavalier　of　Champagne；
who　being　besieged　by　the　English　in　the　Castle　of　Commercy；　and
Bartholomew　de　Brunes；　who　commanded　at　the　Leaguer；　having　so　sapped　the
greatest　part　of　the　castle　without；　that　nothing　remained　but　setting
fire　to　the　props　to　bury　the　besieged　under　the　ruins；　he　requested　the
said　Henry　to　come　out　to　speak　with　him　for　his　own　good；　which　he　did
with　three　more　in　company；　and；　his　ruin　being　made　apparent　to　him；　he
conceived　himself　singularly　obliged　to　his　enemy；　to　whose　discretion　he
and　his　garrison　surrendered　themselves；　and　fire　being　presently　applied
to　the　mine；　the　props　no　sooner　began　to　fail；　but　the　castle　was
immediately　blown　up　from　its　foundations；　no　one　stone　being　left　upon
another。

I　could；　and　do；　with　great　facility；　rely　upon　the　faith　of　another；　but
I　should　very　unwillingly　do　it　in　such　a　case；　as　it　should　thereby　be
judged　that　it　was　rather　an　effect　of　my　despair　and　want　of　courage
than　voluntarily　and　out　of　confidence　and　security　in　the　faith　of　him
with　whom　I　had　to　do。




CHAPTER　VI

THAT　THE　HOUR　OF　PARLEY　DANGEROUS

I　saw；　notwithstanding；　lately　at　Mussidan；　a　place　not　far　from　my
house；　that　those　who　were　driven　out　thence　by　our　army；　and　others　of
their　party；　highly　complained　of　treachery；　for　that　during　a　treaty　of
accommodation；　and　in　the　very　interim　that　their　deputies　were　treating；
they　were　surprised　and　cut　to　pieces：　a　thing　that；　peradventure；　in
another　age；　might　have　had　some　colour　of　foul　play；　but；　as　I　have　just
said；　the　practice　of　arms　in　these　days　is　quite　another　thing；　and
there　is　now　no　confidence　in　an　enemy　excusable　till　the　treaty　is
finally　sealed；　and　even　then　the　conqueror　has　enough　to　do　to　keep　his
word：　so　hazardous　a　thing　it　is　to　entrust　the　observation　of　the　faith
a　man　has　engaged　to　a　town　that　surrenders　upon　easy　and　favourable
conditions；　to　the　licence　of　a　victorious　army；　and　to　give　the　soldier
free　entrance　into　it　in　the　heat　of　blood。

Lucius　AEmilius　Regillus；　the　Roman　praetor；　having　lost　his　time　in
attempting　to　take　the　city　of　Phocaea　by　force；　by　reason　of　the
singular　valour　wherewith　the　inhabitants　defended　themselves；
conditioned；　at　last；　to　receive　them　as　friends　to　the　people　of　Rome；
and　to　enter　the　town；　as　into　a　confederate　city；　without　any　manner　of
hostility；　of　which　he　gave　them　all　assurance；　but　having；　for　the
greater　pomp；　brought　his　whole　army　in　with　him；　it　was　no　more　in　his
power；　with　all　the　endeavour　he　could　use；　to　restrain　his　people：　so
that；　avarice　and　revenge　trampling　under　foot　both　his　authority　and　all
military　discipline；　he　there　saw　a　considerable　part　of　the　city　sacked
and　ruined　before　his　face。

Cleomenes　was　wont　to　say；　〃that　what　mischief　soever　a　man　could　do　his
enemy　in　time　of　war　was　above　justice；　and　nothing　accountable　to　it　in
the　sight　of　gods　and　men。〃　　And　so；　having　concluded　a　truce　with　those
of　Argos　for　seven　days；　the　third　night　after　he　fell　upon　them　when
they　were　all　buried　in　sleep；　and　put　them　to　the　sword；　alleging　that
there　had　no　nights　been　mentioned　in　the　truce；　but　the　gods　punished
this　subtle　perfidy。

In　a　time　of　parley　also；　and　while　the　citizens　were　relying　upon　their
safety　warrant；　the　city　of　Casilinum　was　taken　by　surprise；　and　that
even　in　the　age　of　the　justest　captains　and　the　most　perfect　Roman
military　discipline；　for　it　is　not　said　that　it　is　not　lawful　for　us；　in
time　and　place；　to　make　advantage　of　our　enemies'　want　of　understanding；
as　well　as　their　want　of　courage。

And；　doubtless；　war　has　naturally　many　privileges　that　appear　reasonable
even　to　the　prejudice　of　reason。　　And　therefore　here　the　rule　fails；
〃Neminem　id　agere　ut　ex　alte　rius　praedetur　inscitia。〃＇〃No　one　should
preys　upon　another's　folly。〃Cicero；　De　0ffic。；　iii。　　17。＇　But　I　am
astonished　at　the　great　liberty　allowed　by　Xenophon　in　such　cases；　and
that　both　by　precept　and　by　the　example　of　several　exploits　of　his
complete　emperor；　an　author　of　very　great　authority；　I　confess；　in　those
affairs；　as　being　in　his　own　person　both　a　great　captain　and　a
philosopher　of　the　first　form　of　Socrates'　disciples；　and　yet　I　cannot
consent　to　such　a　measure　of　licence　as　he　dispenses　in　all　things　and
places。

Monsieur　d'Aubigny；　besieging　Capua；　and　after　having　directed　a　furious
battery　against　it；　Signor　Fabricio　Colonna；　governor　of　the　town；　having
from　a　bastion　begun　to　parley；　and　his　soldiers　in　the　meantime　being　a
little　more　remiss　in　their　guard；　our　people　entered　the　place　at
unawares；　and　put　them　all　to　the　sword。　　And　of　later　memory；　at　Yvoy；
Signor　Juliano　Romero　having　played　that　part　of　a　novice　to　go　out　to
parley　with　the　Constable；　at　his　return　found　his　place　taken。　　But；
that　we　might　not　scape　scot…free；　the　Marquess　of　Pescara　having　laid
siege　to　Genoa；　where　Duke　Ottaviano　Fregosa　commanded　under　our
protection；　and　the　articles　betwixt　them　being　so　far　advanced　that　it
was　looked　upon　as　a　done　thing；　and　upon　the　point　to　be　concluded；　the
Spaniards　in　the　meantime　having　slipped　in；　made　use　of　this　treachery
as　an　absolute　victory。　　And　since；　at　Ligny；　in　Barrois；　where　the　Count
de　Brienne　commanded；　the　emperor　having　in　his　own　person　beleaguered
that　place；　and　Bertheville；　the　said　Count's　lieutenant；　going　out　to
parley；　whilst　he　was　capitulating　the　town　was　taken。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Fu　il　vincer　sempremai　laudabil　cosa；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Vincasi　o　per　fortuna；　o　per　ingegno；〃

　　　　　＇〃Victory　is　ever　worthy　of　praise；　whether　obtained　by　valour　or
　　　　　wisdom。〃Ariosto；　xv。　　I。＇

But　the　philosopher　Chrysippus　was　of　another　opinion；　wherein　I　also
concur；　for　he　was　used　to　say　that　those　who　run　a　race　ought　to　employ
all　the　force　they　have　in　what　they　are　about；　and　to　run　as　fast　as
they　can；　but　that　it　is　by　no　means　fair　in　them　to　lay　any　hand　upon
their　adversary　to　stop　him；　nor　to　set　a　leg　before　him　to　throw　him