the essays of montaigne, v16-第7章

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much　to　be　coveted　soever。　　Greatness　has；　in　general；　this　manifest
advantage；　that　it　can　lower　itself　when　it　pleases；　and　has；　very　near；
the　choice　of　both　the　one　and　the　other　condition；　for　a　man　does　not
fall　from　all　heights；　there　are　several　from　which　one　may　descend
without　falling　down。　　It　does；　indeed；　appear　to　me　that　we　value　it　at
too　high　a　rate；　and　also　overvalue　the　resolution　of　those　whom　we　have
either　seen　or　heard　have　contemned　it；　or　displaced　themselves　of　their
own　accord：　its　essence　is　not　so　evidently　commodious　that　a　man　may
not；　with　out　a　miracle；　refuse　it。　　I　find　it　a　very　hard　thing　to
undergo　misfortunes；　but　to　be　content　with　a　moderate　measure　of
fortune；　and　to　avoid　greatness；　I　think　a　very　easy　matter。　　'Tis；
methinks；　a　virtue　to　which　I；　who　am　no　conjuror；　could　without　any
great　endeavour　arrive。　　What；　then；　is　to　be　expected　from　them　that
would　yet　put　into　consideration　the　glory　attending　this　refusal；
wherein　there　may　lurk　worse　ambition　than　even　in　the　desire　itself；
and　fruition　of　greatness？　　Forasmuch　as　ambition　never　comports　itself
better；　according　to　itself；　than　when　it　proceeds　by　obscure　and
unfrequented　ways。

I　incite　my　courage　to　patience；　but　I　rein　it　as　much　as　I　can　towards
desire。　　I　have　as　much　to　wish　for　as　another；　and　allow　my　wishes　as
much　liberty　and　indiscretion；　but　yet　it　never　befell　me　to　wish　for
either　empire　or　royalty；　or　the　eminency　of　those　high　and　commanding
fortunes：　I　do　not　aim　that　way；　I　love　myself　too　well。　　When　I　think　to
grow　greater；　'tis　but　very　moderately；　and　by　a　compelled　and　timorous
advancement；　such　as　is　proper　for　me　in　resolution；　in　prudence；　in
health；　in　beauty；　and　even　in　riches　too；　but　this　supreme　reputation；
this　mighty　authority；　oppress　my　imagination；　and；　quite　contrary　to
that　other；＇Julius　Caesar。＇　I　should；　peradventure；　rather　choose　to
be　the　second　or　third　in　Perigord　than　the　first　at　Paris　at　least；
without　lying；　rather　the　third　at　Paris　than　the　first。　　I　would　neither
dispute　with　a　porter；　a　miserable　unknown；　nor　make　crowds　open　in
adoration　as　I　pass。　　I　am　trained　up　to　a　moderate　condition；　as　well　by
my　choice　as　fortune；　and　have　made　it　appear；　in　the　whole　conduct　of　my
life　and　enterprises；　that　I　have　rather　avoided　than　otherwise　the
climbing　above　the　degree　of　fortune　wherein　God　has　placed　me　by　my
birth；　all　natural　constitution　is　equally　just　and　easy。　　My　soul　is
such　a　poltroon；　that　I　measure　not　good　fortune　by　the　height；　but　by
the　facility。

But　if　my　heart　be　not　great　enough；　'tis　open　enough　to　make　amends；　at
any　one's　request；　freely　to　lay　open　its　weakness。　　Should　any　one　put
me　upon　comparing　the　life　of　L。　Thorius　Balbus；　a　brave　man；　handsome；
learned；　healthful；　understanding；　and　abounding　in　all　sorts　of
conveniences　and　pleasures；　leading　a　quiet　life；　and　all　his　own；　his
mind　well　prepared　against　death；　superstition；　pain；　and　other
incumbrances　of　human　necessity；　dying；　at　last；　in　battle；　with　his
sword　in　his　hand；　for　the　defence　of　his　country；　on　the　one　part；　and
on　the　other　part；　the　life　of　M。　Regulus；　so　great　and　high　as　is　known
to　every　one；　and　his　end　admirable；　the　one　without　name　and　without
dignity；　the　other　exemplary　and　glorious　to　a　wonder。　　I　should
doubtless　say；　as　Cicero　did；　could　I　speak　as　well　as　he。

　　　　　＇Cicero；　De　Finibus；　ii。　20；　gives　the　preference　to　Regulus；　and
　　　　　proclaims　him　the　happier　man。＇

But　if　I　was　to　compare　them　with　my　own；　I　should　then　also　say　that　the
first　is　as　much　according　to　my　capacity；　and　from　desire；　which　I
conform　to　my　capacity；　as　the　second　is　far　beyond　it；　that　I　could　not
approach　the　last　but　with　veneration；　the　other　I　could　readily　attain
by　use。

Let　us　return　to　our　temporal　greatness；　from　which　we　are　digressed。　　I
disrelish　all　dominion；　whether　active　or　passive。　　Otanes；　one　of　the
seven　who　had　right　to　pretend　to　the　kingdom　of　Persia；　did　as　I　should
willingly　have　done；　which　was；　that　he　gave　up　to　his　competitors　his
right　of　being　promoted　to　it；　either　by　election　or　by　lot；　provided
that　he　and　his　might　live　in　the　empire　out　of　all　authority　and
subjection；　those　of　the　ancient　laws　excepted；　and　might　enjoy　all
liberty　that　was　not　prejudicial　to　these；　being　as　impatient　of
commanding　as　of　being　commanded。

The　most　painful　and　difficult　employment　in　the　world；　in　my　opinion；　is
worthily　to　discharge　the　office　of　a　king。　　I　excuse　more　of　their
mistakes　than　men　commonly　do；　in　consideration　of　the　intolerable　weight
of　their　function；　which　astounds　me。　　'Tis　hard　to　keep　measure　in　so
immeasurable　a　power；　yet　so　it　is　that　it　is；　even　to　those　who　are　not
of　the　best　nature；　a　singular　incitement　to　virtue　to　be　seated　in　a
place　where　you　cannot　do　the　least　good　that　shall　not　be　put　upon
record；　and　where　the　least　benefit　redounds　to　so　many　men；　and　where
your　talent　of　administration；　like　that　of　preachers；　principally
addresses　itself　to　the　people；　no　very　exact　judge；　easy　to　deceive；　and
easily　content。　　There　are　few　things　wherein　we　can　give　a　sincere
judgment；　by　reason　that　there　are　few　wherein　we　have　not；　in　some　sort；
a　private　interest。　　Superiority　and　inferiority；　dominion　and　subjection
are　bound　to　a　natural　envy　and　contest；　and　must　of　necessity
perpetually　intrench　upon　one　another。　　I　believe　neither　the　one　nor　the
other　touching　the　rights　of　the　other　party；　let　reason　therefore；　which
is　inflexible　and　without　passion；　determine　when　we　can　avail　ourselves
of　it。　　'Tis　not　above　a　month　ago　that　I　read　over；　two　Scottish　authors
contending　upon　this　subject；　of　whom　he　who　stands　for　the　people　makes
the　king　to　be　in　a　worse　condition　than　a　carter；　he　who　writes　for
monarchy　places　him　some　degrees　above　God　in　power　and　sovereignty。

Now；　the　incommodity　of　greatness　that　I　have　taken　to　remark　in　this
place；　upon　some　occasion　that　has　lately　put　it　into　my　head；　is　this：
there　is　not；　peradventure；　anything　more　pleasant　in　the　commerce　of
many　than　the　trials　that　we　make　against　one　another；　out　of　emulation
of　honour　and　worth；　whether　in　the　exercises　of　the　body　or　in　those　of
the　mind；　wherein　sovereign　greatness　can　have　no　true　part。　　And；　in
earnest；　I　have　often　thought　that　by　force　of　respect　itself　men　use
princes　disdainfully　and　injuriously　in　that　particular；　for　the　thing　I
was　infinitely　offended　at　in　my　childhood；　that　they　who　exercised　with
me　forbore　to　do　their　best　because　they　found　me　unworthy　of　their
utmost　endeavour；　is　what　we　see　happen　to　them　daily；　every　one　finding
himself　unworthy　to　contend　with　them。　　If　we　discover　that　they　have　the
least　desire　to　get　the　better　of　us；　there　is　no　one　who　will　not　make
it　his　business　to　give　it　them；　and　who　will　not　rather　betray　his　own
glory　than　offend　theirs；　and　will　therein　employ　so　much　force　only　as
is　necessary　to　save　their　honour。　　What　share　have　they；　then；　in　the
engagement；　where　every　one　is　on　their　side？　　Methinks　I　see　those
paladins　of　ancient　times　presenting　themselves　to　jousts　and　battle　with
enchanted　arms　and　bodies。　　Brisson；

　　　　　＇Plutarch；　On　Satisfaction　or　Tranquillity　of　the　Mind。　　But　in　his
　　　　　essay；　How　a　Man　may　Distinguish　a　Flatterer　from　a　Friend；　he　calls
　　　　　him　Chriso。＇

running　against　Alexander；　purposely　missed　his　blow；　and　made　a　fault　in
his　career；　Alexander　chid　him　for　it；　but　he　ought　to　have　had　him
whipped。　　Upon　this　consideration　Carneades　said；　that　〃the　sons　of
princes　learned　nothing　right　but　to　manage　horses；　by　reason　that；　in
all　their　other　exercises；　every　one　bends　and　yields　to　them；　but　a
horse；　that　is　neither　a　flatterer　nor　a　courtier；　throws　the　son　of　a
king　with　no　more　ceremony　than　he　would　throw　that　of　a　porter。〃

Homer　was　fain　to　consent　that　Venus；　so　sweet　and　delicate　a　goddess　as
she　was；　should　be　wounded　at　the　battle　of　Troy；　thereby　to　ascribe
courage　and　boldness　to　her　qualities　that　cannot　possibly　be　in　those
who　are　exempt　from　danger。　　The　gods　are　made　to　be　angry；　to　fear；　to
run　away；　t