the essays of montaigne, v6-第11章
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gasp； they never cease to brave and defy them both in word and gesture。
In plain truth； these men are very savage in comparison of us； of
necessity； they must either be absolutely so or else we are savages； for
there is a vast difference betwixt their manners and ours。
The men there have several wives； and so much the greater number； by how
much they have the greater reputation for valour。 And it is one very
remarkable feature in their marriages； that the same jealousy our wives
have to hinder and divert us from the friendship and familiarity of other
women； those employ to promote their husbands' desires； and to procure
them many spouses； for being above all things solicitous of their
husbands' honour； 'tis their chiefest care to seek out； and to bring in
the most companions they can； forasmuch as it is a testimony of the
husband's virtue。 Most of our ladies will cry out； that 'tis monstrous；
whereas in truth it is not so； but a truly matrimonial virtue； and of the
highest form。 In the Bible； Sarah； with Leah and Rachel； the two wives
of Jacob； gave the most beautiful of their handmaids to their husbands；
Livia preferred the passions of Augustus to her own interest；
＇Suetonius； Life of Augustus； c。 71。＇ and the wife of King Deiotarus；
Stratonice； did not only give up a fair young maid that served her to her
husband's embraces； but moreover carefully brought up the children he had
by her； and assisted them in the succession to their father's crown。
And that it may not be supposed； that all this is done by a simple and
servile obligation to their common practice； or by any authoritative
impression of their ancient custom； without judgment or reasoning； and
from having a soul so stupid that it cannot contrive what else to do； I
must here give you some touches of their sufficiency in point of
understanding。 Besides what I repeated to you before； which was one of
their songs of war； I have another； a love…song； that begins thus：
〃Stay； adder； stay； that by thy pattern my sister may draw the
fashion and work of a rich ribbon； that I may present to my beloved；
by which means thy beauty and the excellent order of thy scales
shall for ever be preferred before all other serpents。〃
Wherein the first couplet； 〃Stay； adder；〃 &c。； makes the burden of the
song。 Now I have conversed enough with poetry to judge thus much that
not only there is nothing barbarous in this invention； but； moreover；
that it is perfectly Anacreontic。 To which it may be added； that their
language is soft； of a pleasing accent； and something bordering upon the
Greek termination。
Three of these people； not foreseeing how dear their knowledge of the
corruptions of this part of the world will one day cost their happiness
and repose； and that the effect of this commerce will be their ruin； as I
presuppose it is in a very fair way （miserable men to suffer themselves
to be deluded with desire of novelty and to have left the serenity of
their own heaven to come so far to gaze at ours！）； were at Rouen at the
time that the late King Charles IX。 was there。 The king himself talked
to them a good while； and they were made to see our fashions； our pomp；
and the form of a great city。 After which； some one asked their opinion；
and would know of them； what of all the things they had seen； they found
most to be admired？ To which they made answer； three things； of which I
have forgotten the third； and am troubled at it； but two I yet remember。
They said； that in the first place they thought it very strange that so
many tall men； wearing beards； strong； and well armed； who were about the
king （'tis like they meant the Swiss of the guard）； should submit to obey
a child； and that they did not rather choose out one amongst themselves
to command。 Secondly （they have a way of speaking in their language to
call men the half of one another）； that they had observed that there were
amongst us men full and crammed with all manner of commodities； whilst；
in the meantime； their halves were begging at their doors； lean and half…
starved with hunger and poverty； and they thought it strange that these
necessitous halves were able to suffer so great an inequality and
injustice； and that they did not take the others by the throats； or set
fire to their houses。
I talked to one of them a great while together； but I had so ill an
interpreter； and one who was so perplexed by his own ignorance to
apprehend my meaning； that I could get nothing out of him of any moment：
Asking him what advantage he reaped from the superiority he had amongst
his own people （for he was a captain； and our mariners called him king）；
he told me； to march at the head of them to war。 Demanding of him
further how many men he had to follow him； he showed me a space of
ground； to signify as many as could march in such a compass； which might
be four or five thousand men； and putting the question to him whether or
no his authority expired with the war； he told me this remained： that
when he went to visit the villages of his dependence； they planed him
paths through the thick of their woods； by which he might pass at his
ease。 All this does not sound very ill； and the last was not at all
amiss； for they wear no breeches。
CHAPTER XXXI
THAT A MAN IS SOBERLY TO JUDGE OF THE DIVINE ORDINANCES
The true field and subject of imposture are things unknown； forasmuch as；
in the first place； their very strangeness lends them credit； and
moreover； by not being subjected to our ordinary reasons； they deprive us
of the means to question and dispute them： For which reason； says Plato；
＇In Critias。＇ it is much more easy to satisfy the hearers； when
speaking of the nature of the gods than of the nature of men； because the
ignorance of the auditory affords a fair and large career and all manner
of liberty in the handling of abstruse things。 Thence it comes to pass；
that nothing is so firmly believed； as what we least know； nor any people
so confident； as those who entertain us with fables； such as your
alchemists； judicial astrologers； fortune…tellers； and physicians；
〃Id genus omne。〃
＇〃All that sort of people。〃Horace； Sat。； i。 2； 2。＇
To which I would willingly； if I durst； join a pack of people that take
upon them to interpret and control the designs of God Himself； pretending
to find out the cause of every accident； and to pry into the secrets of
the divine will； there to discover the incomprehensible motive； of His
works； and although the variety； and the continual discordance of events；
throw them from corner to corner； and toss them from east to west； yet do
they still persist in their vain inquisition； and with the same pencil to
paint black and white。
In a nation of the Indies； there is this commendable custom； that when
anything befalls them amiss in any encounter or battle； they publicly ask
pardon of the sun； who is their god； as having committed an unjust
action； always imputing their good or evil fortune to the divine justice；
and to that submitting their own judgment and reason。 'Tis enough for a
Christian to believe that all things come from God； to receive them with
acknowledgment of His divine and inscrutable wisdom； and also thankfully
to accept and receive them； with what face soever they may present
themselves。 But I do not approve of what I see in use； that is； to seek
to affirm and support our religion by the prosperity of our enterprises。
Our belief has other foundation enough； without going about to authorise
it by events： for the people being accustomed to such plausible arguments
as these and so proper to their taste； it is to be feared； lest when they
fail of success they should also stagger in their faith： as in the war
wherein we are now engaged upon the account of religion； those who had
the better in the business of Rochelabeille；＇May 1569。＇ making great
brags of that success as an infallible approbation of their cause； when
they came afterwards to excuse their misfortunes of Moncontour and
Jarnac； by saying they were fatherly scourges and corrections that they
had not a people wholly at their mercy； they make it manif
