the essays of montaigne, v10-第14章

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inordinate　appetites　and　imperfections　of　our　condition　introduce　to
disturb　her。

I　am　come　thus　far　at　my　ease；　but　here　it　comes　into　my　head　that　the
soul　of　Socrates；　the　most　perfect　that　ever　came　to　my　knowledge；　should
by　this　rule　be　of　very　little　recommendation；　for　I　cannot　conceive　in
that　person　any　the　least　motion　of　a　vicious　inclination：　I　cannot
imagine　there　could　be　any　difficulty　or　constraint　in　the　course　of　his
virtue：　I　know　his　reason　to　be　so　powerful　and　sovereign　over　him　that
she　would　never　have　suffered　a　vicious　appetite　so　much　as　to　spring　in
him。　　To　a　virtue　so　elevated　as　his；　I　have　nothing　to　oppose。　　Methinks
I　see　him　march；　with　a　victorious　and　triumphant　pace；　in　pomp　and　at
his　ease；　without　opposition　or　disturbance。　　If　virtue　cannot　shine
bright；　but　by　the　conflict　of　contrary　appetites；　shall　we　then　say　that
she　cannot　subsist　without　the　assistance　of　vice；　and　that　it　is　from
her　that　she　derives　her　reputation　and　honour？　　What　then；　also；　would
become　of　that　brave　and　generous　Epicurean　pleasure；　which　makes　account
that　it　nourishes　virtue　tenderly　in　her　lap；　and　there　makes　it　play　and
wanton；　giving　it　for　toys　to　play　withal；　shame；　fevers；　poverty；　death；
and　torments？　　If　I　presuppose　that　a　perfect　virtue　manifests　itself　in
contending；　in　patient　enduring　of　pain；　and　undergoing　the　uttermost
extremity　of　the　gout；　without　being　moved　in　her　seat；　if　I　give　her
troubles　and　difficulty　for　her　necessary　objects：　what　will　become　of　a
virtue　elevated　to　such　a　degree；　as　not　only　to　despise　pain；　but；
moreover；　to　rejoice　in　it；　and　to　be　tickled　with　the　throes　of　a　sharp
colic；　such　as　the　Epicureans　have　established；　and　of　which　many　of
them；　by　their　actions；　have　given　most　manifest　proofs？　　As　have　several
others；　who　I　find　to　have　surpassed　in　effects　even　the　very　rules　of
their　discipline。　　Witness　the　younger　Cato：　When　I　see　him　die；　and
tearing　out　his　own　bowels；　I　am　not　satisfied　simply　to　believe　that　he
had　then　his　soul　totally　exempt　from　all　trouble　and　horror：　I　cannot
think　that　he　only　maintained　himself　in　the　steadiness　that　the　Stoical
rules　prescribed　him；　temperate；　without　emotion；　and　imperturbed。　　There
was；　methinks；　something　in　the　virtue　of　this　man　too　sprightly　and
fresh　to　stop　there；　I　believe　that；　without　doubt；　he　felt　a　pleasure
and　delight　in　so　noble　an　action；　and　was　more　pleased　in　it　than　in　any
other　of　his　life：

　　　　　〃Sic　abiit　a　vita；　ut　causam　moriendi　nactum　se　esse　gauderet。〃

　　　　　＇〃He　quitted　life　rejoicing　that　a　reason　for　dying　had　arisen。〃
　　　　　Cicero；　Tusc。　Quaes。；　i。　30。＇

I　believe　it　so　thoroughly　that　I　question　whether　he　would　have　been
content　to　have　been　deprived　of　the　occasion　of　so　brave　an　exploit；　and
if　the　goodness　that　made　him　embrace　the　public　concern　more　than　his
own；　withheld　me　not；　I　should　easily　fall　into　an　opinion　that　he
thought　himself　obliged　to　fortune　for　having　put　his　virtue　upon　so
brave　a　trial；　and　for　having　favoured　that　theif＇Caesar＇in　treading
underfoot　the　ancient　liberty　of　his　country。　　Methinks　I　read　in　this
action　I　know　not　what　exaltation　in　his　soul；　and　an　extraordinary　and
manly　emotion　of　pleasure；　when　he　looked　upon　the　generosity　and　height
of　his　enterprise：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Deliberate　morte　ferocior；〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃The　more　courageous　from　the　deliberation　to　die。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Horace；　Od。；　i。　37；　29。＇

not　stimulated　with　any　hope　of　glory；　as　the　popular　and　effeminate
judgments　of　some　have　concluded　（for　that　consideration　was　too　mean　and
low　to　possess　so　generous；　so　haughty；　and　so　determined　a　heart　as
his）；　but　for　the　very　beauty　of　the　thing　in　itself；　which　he　who　had
the　handling　of　the　springs　discerned　more　clearly　and　in　its　perfection
than　we　are　able　to　do。　　Philosophy　has　obliged　me　in　determining　that　so
brave　an　action　had　been　indecently　placed　in　any　other　life　than　that　of
Cato；　and　that　it　only　appertained　to　his　to　end　so；　notwithstanding；　and
according　to　reason；　he　commanded　his　son　and　the　senators　who
accompanied　him　to　take　another　course　in　their　affairs：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Catoni；　quum　incredibilem　natura　tribuisset　gravitatem；
　　　　　　　　　　eamque　ipse　perpetue　constantia　roboravisset；　semperque
　　　　　　　　　　in　proposito　consilio　permansisset；　moriendum　potius；
　　　　　　　　　　quam　tyranni　vultus　aspiciendus；　erat。〃

　　　　　＇〃Cato；　whom　nature　had　given　incredible　dignity；　which　he　had
　　　　　fortified　by　perpetual　constancy；　ever　remaining　of　his
　　　　　predetermined　opinion；　preferred　to　die　rather　than　to　look
　　　　　on　the　countenance　of　a　tyrant。〃Cicero；　De　Ofc。；　i。　31。＇

Every　death　ought　to　hold　proportion　with　the　life　before　it；　we　do　not
become　others　for　dying。　　I　always　interpret　the　death　by　the　life
preceding；　and　if　any　one　tell　me　of　a　death　strong　and　constant　in
appearance；　annexed　to　a　feeble　life；　I　conclude　it　produced　by　some
feeble　cause；　and　suitable　to　the　life　before。　　The　easiness　then　of　his
death　and　the　facility　of　dying　he　had　acquired　by　the　vigour　of　his
soul；　shall　we　say　that　it　ought　to　abate　anything　of　the　lustre　of　his
virtue？　　And　who；　that　has　his　brain　never　so　little　tinctured　with　the
true　philosophy；　can　be　content　to　imagine　Socrates　only　free　from　fear
and　passion　in　the　accident　of　his　prison；　fetters；　and　condemnation？
and　that　will　not　discover　in　him　not　only　firmness　and　constancy　（which
was　his　ordinary　condition）；　but；　moreover；　I　know　not　what　new
satisfaction；　and　a　frolic　cheerfulness　in　his　last　words　and　actions？
In　the　start　he　gave　with　the　pleasure　of　scratching　his　leg　when　his
irons　were　taken　off；　does　he　not　discover　an　equal　serenity　and　joy　in
his　soul　for　being　freed　from　past　inconveniences；　and　at　the　same　time
to　enter　into　the　knowledge　of　the　things　to　come？　　Cato　shall　pardon　me；
if　he　please；　his　death　indeed　is　more　tragical　and　more　lingering；　but
yet　this　is；　I　know　not　how；　methinks；　finer。　　Aristippus；　to　one　that
was　lamenting　this　death：　〃The　gods　grant　me　such　an　one；〃　said　he。
A　man　discerns　in　the　soul　of　these　two　great　men　and　their　imitators
（for　I　very　much　doubt　whether　there　were　ever　their　equals）　so　perfect　a
habitude　to　virtue；　that　it　was　turned　to　a　complexion。　　It　is　no　longer
a　laborious　virtue；　nor　the　precepts　of　reason；　to　maintain　which　the
soul　is　so　racked；　but　the　very　essence　of　their　soul；　its　natural　and
ordinary　habit；　they　have　rendered　it　such　by　a　long　practice　of
philosophical　precepts　having　lit　upon　a　rich　and　fine　nature；　the
vicious　passions　that　spring　in　us　can　find　no　entrance　into　them；　the
force　and　vigour　of　their　soul　stifle　and　extinguish　irregular　desires；
so　soon　as　they　begin　to　move。

Now；　that　it　is　not　more　noble；　by　a　high　and　divine　resolution；　to
hinder　the　birth　of　temptations；　and　to　be　so　formed　to　virtue；　that　the
very　seeds　of　vice　are　rooted　out；　than　to　hinder　by　main　force　their
progress；　and；　having　suffered　ourselves　to　be　surprised　with　the　first
motions　of　the　passions；　to　arm　ourselves　and　to　stand　firm　to　oppose
their　progress；　and　overcome　them；　and　that　this　second　effect　is　not
also　much　more　generous　than　to　be　simply　endowed　with　a　facile　and
affable　nature；　of　itself　disaffected　to　debauchery　and　vice；　I　do　not
think　can　be　doubted；　for　this　third　and　last　sort　of　virtue　seems　to
render　a　man　innocent；　but　not　virtuous；　free　from　doing　ill；　but　not　apt
enough　to　do　well：　considering　also；　that　this　condition　is　so　near
neighbour　to　imperfection　and　cowardice；　that　I　know　not　very　well　how　to
separate　the　confines　and　distinguish　them：　the　very　names　of　goodness
and　innocence　are；　for　this　reason；　in　some　sort　grown　into　contempt。
I　very　well　know　that　several　virtues；　as　chastity；　sobriety；　and
temperance；　may　come　to　a　man　through　personal　defects。　　Constancy　in
danger；　if　it　must　be　so　called；　the　contempt　of　death；　and　patience　in
misfortunes；　may　ofttimes　be　found　in　men　for　want　of　well　judging　of
such　accidents；　and　not　apprehending　them　for　such　as　they　are。　　Want　of
apprehension　and　stupidity　sometimes　counterfeit　virtuous　effects　as　I
have　often　seen