the essays of montaigne, v2-第6章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
After this manner brute beasts direct their fury to fall upon the stone
or weapon that has hurt them； and with their teeth a even execute revenge
upon themselves for the injury they have received from another：
〃Pannonis haud aliter； post ictum saevior ursa；
Cui jaculum parva Lybis amentavit habena；
Se rotat in vulnus； telumque irata receptum
Impetit； et secum fugientem circuit hastam。〃
＇So the she…bear； fiercer after the blow from the Lybian's thong…
hurled dart； turns round upon the wound； and attacking the received
spear； twists it； as she flies。〃Lucan； vi。 220。＇
What causes of the misadventures that befall us do we not invent？ what
is it that we do not lay the fault to； right or wrong； that we may have
something to quarrel with？ It is not those beautiful tresses you tear；
nor is it the white bosom that in your anger you so unmercifully beat；
that with an unlucky bullet have slain your beloved brother； quarrel with
something else。 Livy； speaking of the Roman army in Spain； says that for
the loss of the two brothers； their great captains：
〃Flere omnes repente； et offensare capita。〃
＇〃All at once wept and tore their hair。〃…Livy； xxv。 37。＇
'Tis a common practice。 And the philosopher Bion said pleasantly of the
king； who by handsful pulled his hair off his head for sorrow； 〃Does this
man think that baldness is a remedy for grief？〃 ＇Cicero； Tusc。 Quest。；
iii。 26。＇ Who has not seen peevish gamesters chew and swallow the
cards； and swallow the dice； in revenge for the loss of their money？
Xerxes whipped the sea； and wrote a challenge to Mount Athos； Cyrus
employed a whole army several days at work； to revenge himself of the
river Gyndas； for the fright it had put him into in passing over it； and
Caligula demolished a very beautiful palace for the pleasure his mother
had once enjoyed there。
＇Pleasureunless 'plaisir' were originally 'deplaisir'must be
understood here ironically； for the house was one in which she had
been imprisoned。Seneca； De Ira。 iii。 22＇
I remember there was a story current； when I was a boy； that one of our
neighbouring kings ＇Probably Alfonso XI。 of Castile＇ having received
a blow from the hand of God； swore he would be revenged； and in order to
it； made proclamation that for ten years to come no one should pray to
Him； or so much as mention Him throughout his dominions； or； so far as
his authority went； believe in Him； by which they meant to paint not so
much the folly as the vainglory of the nation of which this tale was
told。 They are vices that always go together； but in truth such actions
as these have in them still more of presumption than want of wit。
Augustus Caesar； having been tossed with a tempest at sea； fell to
defying Neptune； and in the pomp of the Circensian games； to be revenged；
deposed his statue from the place it had amongst the other deities。
Wherein he was still less excusable than the former； and less than he was
afterwards when； having lost a battle under Quintilius Varus in Germany；
in rage and despair he went running his head against the wall； crying
out； 〃O Varus！ give me back my legions！〃 for these exceed all folly；
forasmuch as impiety is joined therewith； invading God Himself； or at
least Fortune； as if she had ears that were subject to our batteries；
like the Thracians； who when it thunders or lightens； fall to shooting
against heaven with Titanian vengeance； as if by flights of arrows they
intended to bring God to reason。 Though the ancient poet in Plutarch
tells us
〃Point ne se faut couroucer aux affaires；
Il ne leur chault de toutes nos choleres。〃
＇〃We must not trouble the gods with our affairs； they take no heed
of our angers and disputes。〃Plutarch。＇
But we can never enough decry the disorderly sallies of our minds。
CHAPTER V
WHETHER THE GOVERNOR OF A PLACE BESIEGED OUGHT HIMSELF
TO GO OUT TO PARLEY
Quintus Marcius； the Roman legate in the war against Perseus； King of
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
