the essays of montaigne, v3-第2部分

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be　degraded　from　all　nobility；　and　both　himself　and　his　posterity
declared　ignoble；　taxable；　and　for　ever　incapable　of　bearing　arms；　which
severe　sentence　was　afterwards　accordingly　executed　at　Lyons。＇In　1536＇
　And；　since　that；　all　the　gentlemen　who　were　in　Guise　when　the　Count　of
Nassau　entered　into　it；　underwent　the　same　punishment；　as　several　others
have　done　since　for　the　like　offence。　　Notwithstanding；　in　case　of　such　a
manifest　ignorance　or　cowardice　as　exceeds　all　ordinary　example；　'tis　but
reason　to　take　it　for　a　sufficient　proof　of　treachery　and　malice；　and　for
such　to　be　punished。




CHAPTER　XVI

A　PROCEEDING　OF　SOME　AMBASSADORS

I　observe　in　my　travels　this　custom；　ever　to　learn　something　from　the
information　of　those　with　whom　I　confer　（which　is　the　best　school　of　all
others）；　and　to　put　my　company　upon　those　subjects　they　are　the　best　able
to　speak　of：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Basti　al　nocchiero　ragionar　de'　venti；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Al　bifolco　dei　tori；　et　le　sue　piaghe
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Conti'l　guerrier；　conti'l　pastor　gli　armenti。〃

　　　　　＇〃Let　the　sailor　content　himself　with　talking　of　the　winds；　the
　　　　　cowherd　of　his　oxen；　the　soldier　of　his　wounds；　the　shepherd　of　his
　　　　　flocks。〃An　Italian　translation　of　Propertius；　ii。　i；　43＇

For　it　often　falls　out　that；　on　the　contrary；　every　one　will　rather
choose　to　be　prating　of　another　man's　province　than　his　own；　thinking　it
so　much　new　reputation　acquired；　witness　the　jeer　Archidamus　put　upon
Pertander；　〃that　he　had　quitted　the　glory　of　being　an　excellent　physician
to　gain　the　repute　of　a　very　bad　poet。　＇Plutarch；　Apoth。　of　the
Lacedaemonians；　'in　voce'　Archidamus。＇　And　do　but　observe　how　large　and
ample　Caesar　is　to　make　us　understand　his　inventions　of　building　bridges
and　contriving　engines　of　war；＇De　Bello　Gall。；　iv。　17。＇　and　how
succinct　and　reserved　in　comparison；　where　he　speaks　of　the　offices　of
his　profession；　his　own　valour；　and　military　conduct。　　His　exploits
sufficiently　prove　him　a　great　captain；　and　that　he　knew　well　enough；　but
he　would　be　thought　an　excellent　engineer　to　boot；　a　quality　something
different；　and　not　necessary　to　be　expected　in　him。　　The　elder　Dionysius
was　a　very　great　captain；　as　it　befitted　his　fortune　he　should　be；　but　he
took　very　great　pains　to　get　a　particular　reputation　by　poetry；　and　yet
he　was　never　cut　out　for　a　poet。　　A　man　of　the　legal　profession　being　not
long　since　brought　to　see　a　study　furnished　with　all　sorts　of　books；　both
of　his　own　and　all　other　faculties；　took　no　occasion　at　all　to　entertain
himself　with　any　of　them；　but　fell　very　rudely　and　magisterially　to
descant　upon　a　barricade　placed　on　the　winding　stair　before　the　study
door；　a　thing　that　a　hundred　captains　and　common　soldiers　see　every　day
without　taking　any　notice　or　offence。

　　　　　　　　　　〃Optat　ephippia　bos　piger；　optat　arare　caballus。〃

　　　　　＇The　lazy　ox　desires　a　saddle　and　bridle；　the　horse　wants　to
　　　　　plough。〃Hor。；　Ep。；　i。　14；43。＇

By　this　course　a　man　shall　never　improve　himself；　nor　arrive　at　any
perfection　in　anything。　　He　must；　therefore；　make　it　his　business　always
to　put　the　architect；　the　painter；　the　statuary；　every　mechanic　artisan；
upon　discourse　of　their　own　capacities。

And；　to　this　purpose；　in　reading　histories；　which　is　everybody's　subject；
I　use　to　consider　what　kind　of　men　are　the　authors：　if　they　be　persons
that　profess　nothing　but　mere　letters；　I；　in　and　from　them；　principally
observe　and　learn　style　and　language；　if　physicians；　I　the　rather　incline
to　credit　what　they　report　of　the　temperature　of　the　air；　of　the　health
and　complexions　of　princes；　of　wounds　and　diseases；　if　lawyers；　we　are
from　them　to　take　notice　of　the　controversies　of　rights　and　wrongs；　the
establishment　of　laws　and　civil　government；　and　the　like；　if　divines；　the
affairs　of　the　Church；　ecclesiastical　censures；　marriages；　and
dispensations；　if　courtiers；　manners　and　ceremonies；　if　soldiers；　the
things　that　properly　belong　to　their　trade；　and；　principally；　the
accounts　of　the　actions　and　enterprises　wherein　they　were　personally
engaged；　if　ambassadors；　we　are　to　observe　negotiations；　intelligences；
and　practices；　and　the　manner　how　they　are　to　be　carried　on。

And　this　is　the　reason　why　（which　perhaps　I　should　have　lightly　passed
over　in　another）　I　dwelt　upon　and　maturely　considered　one　passage　in　the
history　written　by　Monsieur　de　Langey；　a　man　of　very　great　judgment　in
things　of　that　nature：　after　having　given　a　narrative　of　the　fine　oration
Charles　V。　had　made　in　the　Consistory　at　Rome；　and　in　the　presence　of　the
Bishop　of　Macon　and　Monsieur　du　Velly；　our　ambassadors　there；　wherein　he
had　mixed　several　injurious　expressions　to　the　dishonour　of　our　nation；
and　amongst　the　rest；　〃that　if　his　captains　and　soldiers　were　not　men　of
another　kind　of　fidelity；　resolution；　and　sufficiency　in　the　knowledge　of
arms　than　those　of　the　King；　he　would　immediately　go　with　a　rope　about
his　neck　and　sue　to　him　for　mercy〃　（and　it　should　seem　the　Emperor　had
really　this；　or　a　very　little　better　opinion　of　our　military　men；　for　he
afterwards；　twice　or　thrice　in　his　life；　said　the　very　same　thing）；　as
also；　that　he　challenged　the　King　to　fight　him　in　his　shirt　with　rapier
and　poignard　in　a　boat。　　The　said　Sieur　de　Langey；　pursuing　his　history；
adds　that　the　forenamed　ambassadors；　sending　a　despatch　to　the　King　of
these　things；　concealed　the　greatest　part；　and　particularly　the　last　two
passages。　　At　which　I　could　not　but　wonder　that　it　should　be　in　the　power
of　an　ambassador　to　dispense　with　anything　which　he　ought　to　signify　to
his　master；　especially　of　so　great　importance　as　this；　coming　from　the
mouth　of　such　a　person；　and　spoken　in　so　great　an　assembly；　and　I　should
rather　conceive　it　had　been　the　servant's　duty　faithfully　to　have
represented　to　him　the　whole　thing　as　it　passed；　to　the　end　that　the
liberty　of　selecting；　disposing；　judging；　and　concluding　might　have
remained　in　him：　for　either　to　conceal　or　to　disguise　the　truth　for　fear
he　should　take　it　otherwise　than　he　ought　to　do；　and　lest　it　should
prompt　him　to　some　extravagant　resolution；　and；　in　the　meantime；　to　leave
him　ignorant　of　his　affairs；　should　seem；　methinks；　rather　to　belong　to
him　who　is　to　give　the　law　than　to　him　who　is　only　to　receive　it；　to　him
who　is　in　supreme　command；　and　not　to　him　who　ought　to　look　upon　himself
as　inferior；　not　only　in　authority；　but　also　in　prudence　and　good
counsel。　　I；　for　my　part；　would　not　be　so　served　in　my　little　concerns。

We　so　willingly　slip　the　collar　of　command　upon　any　pretence　whatever；
and　are　so　ready　to　usurp　upon　dominion；　every　one　does　so　naturally
aspire　to　liberty　and　power；　that　no　utility　whatever　derived　from　the
wit　or　valour　of　those　he　employs　ought　to　be　so　dear　to　a　superior　as　a
downright　and　sincere　obedience。　　To　obey　more　upon　the　account　of
understanding　than　of　subjection；　is　to　corrupt　the　office　of　command　
＇Taken　from　Aulus　Gellius；　i。　13。＇；　insomuch　that　P。　Crassus；　the　same
whom　the　Romans　reputed　five　times　happy；　at　the　time　when　he　was　consul
in　Asia；　having　sent　to　a　Greek　engineer　to　cause　the　greater　of　two
masts　of　ships　that　he　had　taken　notice　of　at　Athens　to　be　brought　to
him；　to　be　employed　about　some　engine　of　battery　he　had　a　design　to　make；
the　other；　presuming　upon　his　own　science　and　sufficiency　in　those
affairs；　thought　fit　to　do　otherwise　than　directed；　and　to　bring　the
less；　which；　according　to　the　rules　of　art；　was　really　more　proper　for
the　use　to　which　it　was　designed；　but　Crassus；　though　he　gave　ear　to　his
reasons　with　great　patience；　would　not；　however；　take　them；　how　sound　or
convincing　soever；　for　current　pay；　but　caused　him　to　be　well　whipped　for
his　pains；　valuing　the　interest　of　discipline　much　more　than　that　of　the
work　in　hand。

Notwithstanding；　we　may　on　the　other　side　consider　that　so　precise　and
implicit　an　obedience　as　this　is　only　due　to　positive　and　limited
commands。　　The　employment　of　ambassadors　is　never　so　confined；　many
things　in　their　management　of　affairs　being　wholly　referred　to　the
absolute　sovereignty　of　their　own　conduct；　they　do　not　simply　execute；
but　also；　to　their　own　discretion　and　wisdom；　form　and　model　their
master's　pleasure。　　I　have；　in　my　time；　known　men　of　command　checked　for
having　rather　obeyed　the　express　words　of　the　king's　letters；　than　the
necessity　of　the　affairs　they　had　in　hand。　　Men　of　understanding　do　yet；
to　this　day；　condemn　the　custom　of　the　kings　of　Persia　to　give　their
lieutenants　and　agents　so　little　rein；　that；　upon　the　least　arising
difficulties；　they　must　fain　have　recourse　to　their　further　commands；
this　delay；　in　so　vast　an　extent　of　dominion；　having　often　very　much
prejudiced　their　affairs；　and　Crassus；　writing　to　a　man　whose　profession
it　was　best　to　understand　those　things；　and　pre…acquainting　him　to　what
use　this　mast　was　designed；　did　he　not　seem　to　consult　his　advice；　and　in
a　manner　invite　him　to　interpose　his　better　judgment？




CHAPTER　XVII

OF　FEAR

　　　　　　　　　　〃Obstupui；　steteruntque　comae　et　vox　faucibus　haesit。〃

　　　　　＇〃I　was　amazed；　my　hair　stood　on　end；　and　my　voice　stuck　in　my
　　　　　throat。　　Virgil；　AEneid；　ii。　　774。＇

I　am　not　so　good　a　naturalist　（as　they　call　it）　as　to　discern　by　what
secret　springs　fear　has　its　motion　in　us；　but；　be　this　as　it　may；　'tis　a
strange　passion；　and　such　a　one　that　the　physicians　say　there　is　no　other
whatever　that　sooner　dethrones　our　judgment　from　its　proper　seat；　which
is　so　true；　that　I　myself　have　seen　very　many　become　frantic　through
fear；　and；　even　in　those　of　the　best　settled　temper　it　is　most　certain
that　it　begets　a　terrible　astonishment　and　confusion　during　the　fit。
I　omit　the　vulgar　sort；　to　whom　it　one　while　represents　their　great…
grandsires　risen　out　of　their　graves　in　their　shrouds；　another　while
werewolves；　nightmares；　and　chimaeras；　but　even　amongst　soldiers；　a　sort
of　men　over　whom；　of　all　others；　it　ought　to　have　the　least　power；　how
often　has　it　converted　flocks　of　sheep　into　armed　squadrons；　reeds　and
bullrushes　into　pikes　and　lances；　friends　into　enemies；　and　the　French
white　cross　into　the　red　cross　of　Spain！　　When　Monsieur　de　Bourbon　took
Rome；＇In　1527＇　a