the essays of montaigne, v6-第5章
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＇〃O brother； taken from me miserable！ with thee； all our joys have
vanished； those joys which； in thy life； thy dear love nourished。
Dying； thou； my brother； hast destroyed all my happiness。 My whole
soul is buried with thee。 Through whose death I have banished from
my mind these studies； and all the delights of the mind。 Shall I
address thee？ I shall never hear thy voice。 Never shall I behold
thee hereafter。 O brother； dearer to me than life。 Nought remains；
but assuredly I shall ever love thee。〃Catullus； lxviii。 20； lxv。＇
But let us hear a boy of sixteen speak：
＇In Cotton's translation the work referred to is 〃those Memoirs
upon the famous edict of January；〃 of which mention has already been
made in the present edition。 The edition of 1580； however； and the
Variorum edition of 1872…1900； indicate no particular work； but the
edition of 158o has it 〃this boy of eighteen years〃（which was the
age at which La Boetie wrote his 〃Servitude Volontaire〃）； speaks of
〃a boy of sixteen〃 as occurring only in the common editions； and it
would seem tolerably clear that this more important work was； in
fact； the production to which Montaigne refers； and that the proper
reading of the text should be 〃sixteen years。〃 What 〃this boy
spoke〃 is not given by Montaigne； for the reason stated in the next
following paragraph。
〃Because I have found that that work has been since brought out； and with
a mischievous design； by those who aim at disturbing and changing the
condition of our government； without troubling themselves to think
whether they are likely to improve it： and because they have mixed up his
work with some of their own performance； I have refrained from inserting
it here。 But that the memory of the author may not be injured； nor
suffer with such as could not come near…hand to be acquainted with his
principles； I here give them to understand； that it was written by him in
his boyhood； and that by way of exercise only； as a common theme that has
been hackneyed by a thousand writers。 I make no question but that he
himself believed what he wrote； being so conscientious that he would not
so much as lie in jest： and I moreover know； that could it have been in
his own choice； he had rather have been born at Venice； than at Sarlac；
and with reason。 But he had another maxim sovereignty imprinted in his
soul； very religiously to obey and submit to the laws under which he was
born。 There never was a better citizen； more affectionate to his
country； nor a greater enemy to all the commotions and innovations of his
time： so that he would much rather have employed his talent to the
extinguishing of those civil flames； than have added any fuel to them；
he had a mind fashioned to the model of better ages。 Now； in exchange of
this serious piece； I will present you with another of a more gay and
frolic air； from the same hand； and written at the same age。〃
CHAPTER XXVIII。
NINE AND TWENTY SONNETS OF ESTIENNE DE LA BOITIE
TO MADAME DE GRAMMONT； COMTESSE DE GUISSEN。
＇They scarce contain anything but amorous complaints； expressed in a
very rough style； discovering the follies and outrages of a restless
passion； overgorged； as it were； with jealousies； fears and
suspicions。 Coste。＇
＇These。。。。contained in the edition of 1588 nine…and…twenty sonnets
of La Boetie； accompanied by a dedicatory epistle to Madame de
Grammont。 The former； which are referred to at the end of Chap。
XXVIL； do not really belong to the book； and are of very slight
interest at this time； the epistle is transferred to the
Correspondence。 The sonnets； with the letter； were presumably sent
some time after Letters V。 et seq。 Montaigne seems to have had
several copies written out to forward to friends or acquaintances。＇
CHAPTER XXIX。
OF MODERATION
As if we had an infectious touch； we； by our manner of handling； corrupt
things that in themselves are laudable and good： we may grasp virtue so
that it becomes vicious； if we embrace it too stringently and with too
violent a desire。 Those who say； there is never any excess in virtue；
forasmuch as it is not virtue when it once becomes excess； only play upon
words：
〃Insani sapiens nomen ferat； aequus iniqui；
Ultra quam satis est； virtutem si petat ipsam。〃
＇〃Let the wise man bear the name of a madman； the just one of an
unjust； if he seek wisdom more than is sufficient。〃
Horace； Ep。； i。 6； 15。＇
＇〃The wise man is no longer wise； the just man no longer just； if he
seek to carry his love for wisdom or virtue beyond that which is
necessary。＇
This is a subtle consideration of philosophy。 A man may both be too much
in love with virtue； and be excessive in a just action。 Holy Writ agrees
with this； Be not wiser than you should； but be soberly wise。＇St。
Paul； Epistle to the Romans； xii。 3。＇ I have known a great man；
＇〃It is likely that Montaigne meant Henry III。； king of France。
The Cardinal d'Ossat； writing to Louise； the queen…dowager； told
her； in his frank manner； that he had lived as much or more like a
monk than a monarch （Letter XXIII。） And Pope Sextus V。； speaking of
that prince one day to the Cardinal de Joyeuse； protector of the
affairs of France； said to him pleasantly； 'There is nothing that
your king hath not done； and does not do so still； to be a monk； nor
anything that I have not done； not to be a monk。'〃Coste。
prejudice the opinion men had of his devotion； by pretending to be devout
beyond all examples of others of his condition。 I love temperate and
moderate natures。 An immoderate zeal； even to that which is good； even
though it does not offend； astonishes me； and puts me to study what name
to give it。 Neither the mother of Pausanias；
＇〃Montaigne would here give us to understand； upon the authority of
Diodorus Siculus； that Pausanias' mother gave the first hint of the
punishment that was to be inflicted on her son。 'Pausanias；' says
this historian； 'perceiving that the ephori； and some other
Lacedoemonians； aimed at apprehending him； got the start of them；
and went and took sanctuary m Minerva's temple： and the
Lacedaemonians； being doubtful whether they ought to take him from
thence in violation of the franchise there； it is said that his own
mother came herself to the temple but spoke nothing nor did anything
more than lay a piece of brick； which she brought with her； on the
threshold of the temple； which； when she had done； she returned
home。 The Lacedaemonians； taking the hint from the mother； caused
the gate of the temple to be walled up； and by this means starved
Pausanias； so that he died with hunger； &c。 （lib。 xi。 cap。 10。； of
Amyot's translation）。 The name of Pausanias' mother was Alcithea；
as we are informed by Thucydides' scholiast； who only says that it
was reported； that when they set about walling up the gates of the
chapel in which Pausanias had taken refuge； his mother Alcithea laid
the first stone。〃Coste。＇
who was the first instructor of her son's process； and threw the first
stone towards his death； nor Posthumius the dictator； who put his son to
death； whom the ardour of youth had successfully pushed upon the enemy a
little more advanced than the rest of his squadron； do appear to me so
much just as strange； and I should neither advise nor like to follow so
savage a virtue； and that costs so dear。
＇〃Opinions differ as to the truth of this fact。 Livy thinks he
has good authority for rejecting it because it does not appear in
history that Posthumious was branded with it； as Titus Manlius was；
about 100 years after his time； for Manlius； having put his son to
death for the like cause； obtained the odious name of Imperiosus；
and since that time Manliana imperia has been used as a term to
signify orders that are too severe； Manliana Imperia； says Livy；
