the essays of montaigne, v13-第7章

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left　is　in　concern；　and　that　the　only　hope　he　has　left　is　in　the　defence
of　that　city；　otherwise　he　ought　to　keep　himself　always　at　liberty；　that
he　may　have　the　means　to　provide；　in　general；　for　all　parts　of　his
government。

To　return　to　Caesar。　　He　grew；　in　time；　more　slow　and　more　considerate；
as　his　friend　Oppius　witnesses：　conceiving　that　he　ought　not　lightly　to
hazard　the　glory　of　so　many　victories；　which　one　blow　of　fortune　might
deprive　him　of。　　'Tis　what　the　Italians　say；　when　they　would　reproach　the
rashness　and　foolhardiness　of　young　people；　calling　them　Bisognosi
d'onore；　〃necessitous　of　honour；〃　and　that　being　in　so　great　a　want　and
dearth　of　reputation；　they　have　reason　to　seek　it　at　what　price　soever；
which　they　ought　not　to　do　who　have　acquired　enough　already。　　There　may
reasonably　be　some　moderation；　some　satiety；　in　this　thirst　and　appetite
of　glory；　as　well　as　in　other　things：　and　there　are　enough　people　who
practise　it。

He　was　far　remote　from　the　religious　scruples　of　the　ancient　Romans；　who
would　never　prevail　in　their　wars　but　by　dint　of　pure　and　simple　valour；
and　yet　he　was　more　conscientious　than　we　should　be　in　these　days；　and
did　not　approve　all　sorts　of　means　to　obtain　a　victory。　　In　the　war
against　Ariovistus；　whilst　he　was　parleying　with　him；　there　happened　some
commotion　between　the　horsemen；　which　was　occasioned　by　the　fault　of
Ariovistus'　light　horse；　wherein；　though　Caesar　saw　he　had　a　very　great
advantage　of　the　enemy；　he　would　make　no　use　on't；　lest　he　should　have
been　reproached　with　a　treacherous　proceeding。

He　was　always　wont　to　wear　rich　garments；　and　of　a　shining　colour　in
battle；　that　he　might　be　the　more　remarkable　and　better　observed。

He　always　carried　a　stricter　and　tighter　hand　over　his　soldiers　when　near
an　enemy。　　When　the　ancient　Greeks　would　accuse　any　one　of　extreme
insufficiency；　they　would　say；　in　common　proverb；　that　he　could　neither
read　nor　swim；　he　was　of　the　same　opinion；　that　swimming　was　of　great　use
in　war；　and　himself　found　it　so；　for　when　he　had　to　use　diligence；　he
commonly　swam　over　the　rivers　in　his　way；　for　he　loved　to　march　on　foot；
as　also　did　Alexander　the　Great。　　Being　in　Egypt　forced；　to　save　himself；
to　go　into　a　little　boat；　and　so　many　people　leaping　in　with　him　that　it
was　in　danger　of　sinking；　he　chose　rather　to　commit　himself　to　the　sea；
and　swam　to　his　fleet；　which　lay　two　hundred　paces　off；　holding　in　his
left　hand　his　tablets；　and　drawing　his　coatarmour　in　his　teeth；　that　it
might　not　fall　into　the　enemy's　hand；　and　at　this　time　he　was　of　a　pretty
advanced　age。

Never　had　any　general　so　much　credit　with　his　soldiers：　in　the　beginning
of　the　civil　wars；　his　centurions　offered　him　to　find　every　one　a　man…at…
arms　at　his　own　charge；　and　the　foot　soldiers　to　serve　him　at　their　own
expense；　those　who　were　most　at　their　ease；　moreover；　undertaking　to
defray　the　more　necessitous。　　The　late　Admiral　Chastillon

　　　　　＇Gaspard　de　Coligny；　assassinated　　in　the　St。　Bartholomew
　　　　　massacre；　24th　August　1572。＇

showed　us　the　like　example　in　our　civil　wars；　for　the　French　of　his　army
provided　money　out　of　their　own　purses　to　pay　the　foreigners　that　were
with　him。　　There　are　but　rarely　found　examples　of　so　ardent　and　so　ready
an　affection　amongst　the　soldiers　of　elder　times；　who　kept　themselves
strictly　to　their　rules　of　war：　passion　has　a　more　absolute　command　over
us　than　reason；　and　yet　it　happened　in　the　war　against　Hannibal；　that　by
the　example　of　the　people　of　Rome　in　the　city；　the　soldiers　and　captains
refused　their　pay　in　the　army；　and　in　Marcellus'　camp　those　were　branded
with　the　name　of　Mercenaries　who　would　receive　any。　　Having　got　the　worst
of　it　near　Dyrrachium；　his　soldiers　came　and　offered　themselves　to　be
chastised　and　punished；　so　that　there　was　more　need　to　comfort　than
reprove　them。　　One　single　cohort　of　his　withstood　four　of　Pompey's
legions　above　four　hours　together；　till　they　were　almost　all　killed　with
arrows；　so　that　there　were　a　hundred　and　thirty　thousand　shafts　found　in
the　trenches。　　A　soldier　called　Scaeva；　who　commanded　at　one　of　the
avenues；　invincibly　maintained　his　ground；　having　lost　an　eye；　with　one
shoulder　and　one　thigh　shot　through；　and　his　shield　hit　in　two　hundred
and　thirty　places。　It　happened　that　many　of　his　soldiers　being　taken
prisoners；　rather　chose　to　die　than　promise　to　join　the　contrary　side。
Granius　Petronius　was　taken　by　Scipio　in　Africa：　Scipio　having　put　the
rest　to　death；　sent　him　word　that　he　gave　him　his　life；　for　he　was　a　man
of　quality　and　quaestor；　to　whom　Petronius　sent　answer　back；　that
Caesar's　soldiers　were　wont　to　give　others　their　life；　and　not　to　receive
it；　and　immediately　with　his　own　hand　killed　himself。

Of　their　fidelity　there　are　infinite　examples　amongst　them；　that　which
was　done　by　those　who　were　besieged　in　Salona；　a　city　that　stood　for
Caesar　against　Pompey；　is　not；　for　the　rarity　of　an　accident　that　there
happened；　to　be　forgotten。　　Marcus　Octavius　kept　them　close　besieged；
they　within　being　reduced　to　the　extremest　necessity　of　all　things；　so
that　to　supply　the　want　of　men；　most　of　them　being　either　slain　or
wounded；　they　had　manumitted　all　their　slaves；　and　had　been　constrained
to　cut　off　all　the　women's　hair　to　make　ropes　for　their　war　engines；
besides　a　wonderful　dearth　of　victuals；　and　yet　continuing　resolute　never
to　yield。　　After　having　drawn　the　siege　to　a　great　length；　by　which
Octavius　was　grown　more　negligent　and　less　attentive　to　his　enterprise；
they　made　choice　of　one　day　about　noon；　and　having　first　placed　the　women
and　children　upon　the　walls　to　make　a　show；　sallied　upon　the　besiegers
with　such　fury；　that　having　routed　the　first；　second；　and　third　body；　and
afterwards　the　fourth；　and　the　rest；　and　beaten　them　all　out　of　their
trenches；　they　pursued　them　even　to　their　ships；　and　Octavius　himself　was
fain　to　fly　to　Dyrrachium；　where　Pompey　lay。　　I　do　not　at　present
remember　that　I　have　met　with　any　other　example　where　the　besieged　ever
gave　the　besieger　a　total　defeat　and　won　the　field；　nor　that　a　sortie
ever　achieved　the　result　of　a　pure　and　entire　victory。




CHAPTER　XXXV

OF　THREE　GOOD　WOMEN

They　are　not　by　the　dozen；　as　every　one　knows；　and　especially　in　the
duties　of　marriage；　for　that　is　a　bargain　full　of　so　many　nice
circumstances　that　'tis　hard　a　woman's　will　should　long　endure　such　a
restraint；　men；　though　their　condition　be　something　better　under　that
tie；　have　yet　enough　to　do。　　The　true　touch　and　test　of　a　happy　marriage
have　respect　to　the　time　of　the　companionship；　if　it　has　been　constantly
gentle；　loyal；　and　agreeable。　　In　our　age；　women　commonly　reserve　the
publication　of　their　good　offices；　and　their　vehement　affection　towards
their　husbands；　until　they　have　lost　them；　or　at　least；　till　then　defer
the　testimonies　of　their　good　will；　a　too　slow　testimony　and
unseasonable。　By　it　they　rather　manifest　that　they　never　loved　them　till
dead：　their　life　is　nothing　but　trouble；　their　death　full　of　love　and
courtesy。　　As　fathers　conceal　their　affection　from　their　children；　women；
likewise；　conceal　theirs　from　their　husbands；　to　maintain　a　modest
respect。　　This　mystery　is　not　for　my　palate；　'tis　to　much　purpose　that
they　scratch　themselves　and　tear　their　hair。　　I　whisper　in　a　waiting…
woman's　or　secretary's　ear：　〃　How　were　they；　how　did　they　live　together？〃
I　always　have　that　good　saying　m　my　head：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Jactantius　moerent；　quae　minus　dolent。〃

　　　　　＇〃They　make　the　most　ado　who　are　least　concerned。〃　（Or：）
　　　　　〃They　mourn　the　more　ostentatiously；　the　less　they　grieve。〃
　　　　　Tacitus；　Annal。；　ii。　77；　writing　of　Germanicus。＇

Their　whimpering　is　offensive　to　the　living　and　vain　to　the　dead。　　We
should　willingly　give　them　leave　to　laugh　after　we　are　dead；　provided
they　will　smile　upon　us　whilst　we　are　alive。　　Is　it　not　enough　to　make　a
man　revive　in　pure　spite；　that　she；　who　spat　in　my　face　whilst　I　was　in
being；　shall　come　to　kiss　my　feet　when　I　am　no　more？　　If　there　be　any
honour　in　lamenting　a　husband；　it　only　appertains　to　those　who　smiled
upon　them　whilst　they　had　them；　let　those　who　wept　during　their　lives
laugh　at　their