the essays of montaigne, v13-第4部分

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Antony　and　others；　but　where　love　and　ambition　should　be　in　equal
balance；　and　come　to　jostle　with　equal　forces；　I　make　no　doubt　but　the
last　would　win　the　prize。

To　return　to　my　subject：　'tis　much　to　bridle　our　appetites　by　the
argument　of　reason；　or；　by　violence；　to　contain　our　members　within　their
duty；　but　to　lash　ourselves　for　our　neighbour's　interest；　and　not　only　to
divest　ourselves　of　the　charming　passion　that　tickles　us；　of　the　pleasure
we　feel　in　being　agreeable　to　others；　and　courted　and　beloved　of　every
one；　but　also　to　conceive　a　hatred　against　the　graces　that　produce　that
effect；　and　to　condemn　our　beauty　because　it　inflames　others；　of　this；　I
confess；　I　have　met　with　few　examples。　　But　this　is　one。　　Spurina；　a
young　man　of　Tuscany：

　　　　　　　　　〃Qualis　gemma　micat；　fulvum　quae　dividit　aurum；
　　　　　　　　　　Aut　collo　decus；　aut　cupiti：　vel　quale　per　artem
　　　　　　　　　　Inclusum　buxo　aut　Oricia　terebintho
　　　　　　　　　　Lucet　ebur；〃

　　　　　＇〃As　a　gem　shines　enchased　in　yellow　gold；　or　an　ornament　on　the
　　　　　neck　or　head；　or　as　ivory　has　lustre；　set　by　art　in　boxwood　or
　　　　　Orician　ebony。〃AEneid；　x。　134。＇

being　endowed　with　a　singular　beauty；　and　so　excessive；　that　the　chastest
eyes　could　not　chastely　behold　its　rays；　not　contenting　himself　with
leaving　so　much　flame　and　fever　as　he　everywhere　kindled　without　relief；
entered　into　a　furious　spite　against　himself　and　those　great　endowments
nature　had　so　liberally　conferred　upon　him；　as　if　a　man　were　responsible
to　himself　for　the　faults　of　others；　and　purposely　slashed　and
disfigured；　with　many　wounds　and　scars；　the　perfect　symmetry　and
proportion　that　nature　had　so　curiously　imprinted　in　his　face。　　To　give
my　free　opinion；　I　more　admire　than　honour　such　actions：　such　excesses
are　enemies　to　my　rules。　　The　design　was　conscientious　and　good；　but
certainly　a　little　defective　in　prudence。　　What　if　his　deformity　served
afterwards　to　make　others　guilty　of　the　sin　of　hatred　or　contempt；　or　of
envy　at　the　glory　of　so　rare　a　recommendation；　or　of　calumny；
interpreting　this　humour　a　mad　ambition！　　Is　there　any　form　from　which
vice　cannot；　if　it　will；　extract　occasion　to　exercise　itself；　one　way　or
another？　　It　had　been　more　just；　and　also　more　noble；　to　have　made　of
these　gifts　of　God　a　subject　of　exemplary　regularity　and　virtue。

They　who　retire　themselves　from　the　common　offices；　from　that　infinite
number　of　troublesome　rules　that　fetter　a　man　of　exact　honesty　in　civil
life；　are　in　my　opinion　very　discreet；　what　peculiar　sharpness　of
constraint　soever　they　impose　upon　themselves　in　so　doing。　　'Tis　in　some
sort　a　kind　of　dying　to　avoid　the　pain　of　living　well。　　They　may　have
another　reward；　but　the　reward　of　difficulty　I　fancy　they　can　never　have；
nor；　in　uneasiness；　that　there　can　be　anything　more　or　better　done　than
the　keeping　oneself　upright　amid　the　waves　of　the　world；　truly　and
exactly　performing　all　parts　of　our　duty。　　'Tis；　peradventure；　more　easy
to　keep　clear　of　the　sex　than　to　maintain　one's　self　aright　in　all　points
in　the　society　of　a　wife；　and　a　man　may　with　less　trouble　adapt　himself
to　entire　abstinence　than　to　the　due　dispensation　of　abundance。　　Use；
carried　on　according　to　reason；　has　in　it　more　of　difficulty　than
abstinence；　moderation　is　a　virtue　that　gives　more　work　than　suffering；
the　well　living　of　Scipio　has　a　thousand　fashions；　that　of　Diogenes　but
one；　this　as　much　excels　the　ordinary　lives　in　innocence　as　the　most
accomplished　excel　them　in　utility　and　force。




CHAPTER　XXXIV

OBSERVATION　ON　THE　MEANS　TO　CARRY　ON　A　WAR　ACCORDING　TO　JULIUS　CAESAR

'Tis　related　of　many　great　leaders　that　they　have　had　certain　books　in
particular　esteem；　as　Alexander　the　Great；　Homer；　Scipio　Africanus；
Xenophon；　Marcus　Brutus；　Polybius；　Charles　V。；　Philip'de　Comines；　and
'tis　said　that；　in　our　times；　Machiavelli　is　elsewhere　still　in　repute；
but　the　late　Marshal　Strozzi；　who　had　taken　Caesar　for　his　man；　doubtless
made　the　best　choice；　seeing　that　it　indeed　ought　to　be　the　breviary　of
every　soldier；　as　being　the　true　and　sovereign　pattern　of　the　military
art。　　And；　moreover；　God　knows　with　that　grace　and　beauty　he　has
embellished　that　rich　matter；　with　so　pure；　delicate；　and　perfect
expression；　that；　in　my　opinion；　there　are　no　writings　in　the　world
comparable　to　his；　as　to　that　business。

I　will　set　down　some　rare　and　particular　passages　of　his　wars　that　remain
in　my　memory。

His　army；　being　in　some　consternation　upon　the　rumour　that　was　spread　of
the　great　forces　that　king　Juba　was　leading　against　him；　instead　of
abating　the　apprehension　which　his　soldiers　had　conceived　at　the　news　and
of　lessening　to　them　the　forces　of　the　enemy；　having　called　them　all
together　to　encourage　and　reassure　them；　he　took　a　quite　contrary　way　to
what　we　are　used　to　do；　for　he　told　them　that　they　need　no　more　trouble
themselves　with　inquiring　after　the　enemy's　forces；　for　that　he　was
certainly　informed　thereof；　and　then　told　them　of　a　number　much
surpassing　both　the　truth　and　the　report　that　was　current　in　his　army；
following　the　advice　of　Cyrus　in　Xenophon；　forasmuch　as　the　deception　is
not　of　so　great　importance　to　find　an　enemy　weaker　than　we　expected；　than
to　find　him　really　very　strong；　after　having　been　made　to　believe　that　he
was　weak。

It　was　always　his　use　to　accustom　his　soldiers　simply　to　obey；　without
taking　upon　them　to　control；　or　so　much　as　to　speak　of　their　captain's
designs；　which　he　never　communicated　to　them　but　upon　the　point　of
execution；　and　he　took　a　delight；　if　they　discovered　anything　of　what　he
intended；　immediately　to　change　his　orders　to　deceive　them；　and　to　that
purpose；　would　often；　when　he　had　assigned　his　quarters　in　a　place；　pass
forward　and　lengthen　his　day's　march；　especially　if　it　was　foul　and　rainy
weather。

The　Swiss；　in　the　beginning　of　his　wars　in　Gaul；　having　sent　to　him　to
demand　a　free　passage　over　the　Roman　territories；　though　resolved　to
hinder　them　by　force；　he　nevertheless　spoke　kindly　to　the　messengers；　and
took　some　respite　to　return　an　answer；　to　make　use　of　that　time　for　the
calling　his　army　together。　　These　silly　people　did　not　know　how　good　a
husband　he　was　of　his　time：　for　he　often　repeats　that　it　is　the　best　part
of　a　captain　to　know　how　to　make　use　of　occasions；　and　his　diligence　in
his　exploits　is；　in　truth；　unheard　of　and　incredible。

If　he　was　not　very　conscientious　in　taking　advantage　of　an　enemy　under
colour　of　a　treaty　of　agreement；　he　was　as　little　so　in　this；　that　he
required　no　other　virtue　in　a　soldier　but　valour　only；　and　seldom
punished　any　other　faults　but　mutiny　and　disobedience。　　He　would　often
after　his　victories　turn　them　loose　to　all　sorts　of　licence；　dispensing
them　for　some　time　from　the　rules　of　military　discipline；　saying　withal
that　he　had　soldiers　so　well　trained　up　that；　powdered　and　perfumed；　they
would　run　furiously　to　the　fight。　　In　truth；　he　loved　to　have　them　richly
armed；　and　made　them　wear　engraved；　gilded；　and　damasked　armour；　to　the
end　that　the　care　of　saving　it　might　engage　them　to　a　more　obstinate
defence。　　Speaking　to　them；　he　called　them　by　the　name　of　fellow…
soldiers；　which　we　yet　use；　which　his　successor；　Augustus；　reformed；
supposing　he　had　only　done　it　upon　necessity；　and　to　cajole　those　who
merely　followed　him　as　volunteers：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Rheni　mihi　Caesar　in　undis
　　　　　　　　　　Dux　erat；　hic　socius；　facinus　quos　inquinat；　aequat：〃

　　　　　＇〃In　the　waters　of　the　Rhine　Caesar　was　my　general；　here　at　Rome　he
　　　　　is　my　fellow。　　Crime　levels　those　whom　it　polluted。〃
　　　　　Lucan；　v。　289。＇

but　that　this　carriage　was　too　mean　and　low　for　the　dignity　of　an　emperor
and　general　of　an　army；　and　therefore　brought　up　the　custom　of　calling
them　soldiers　only。

With　this　courtesy　Caesar　mixed　great　severity　to　keep　them　in　awe；　the
ninth　legion　having　mutinied　near　Placentia；　he　ignominiously　cashiered
them；　though　Pompey　was　then　yet　on　foot；　and　received　them　not　again　to
grace　till　after　many　supplications；　he　quieted　them　more　by　authority
and　boldness　than　by　gentle　ways。

In　that　place　where　he　speaks　of　his；　passage　over　the　Rhine　to　Germany；
he　says　that；　thinking　it　unworthy　of　the　honour　of　the　Roman　people　to
waft　over　his　army　in　vessels；　he　built　a　bridge　that　they　might　pass
over　dry…foot。　　There　it　was　that　he　built　that　wonderful　bridge　of　which
he　gives　so　particular　a　description；　for　he　nowhere　so　willingly　dwells
upon　his　actions　as　in　representing　to　us　the　subtlety　of　his　inventions
in　such　kind　of　handiwork。

I　have　also　observed　this；　that　he　set　a　great　value　upon　his
exhortations　to　the　soldiers　before　the　fight；　for　where　he　would　show
that　he　was　either　surprised　or　reduced　to　a　necessity　of　fighting；　he
always　brings　in　this；　that　he　had　not　so　much　as　leisure　to　harangue　his
army。　　Before　that　great　battle　with　those　of　Tournay；　〃Caesar；〃　says　he；
〃having　given　order　for　everything　else；　presently　ran　where　fortune
carried　him　to　encourage　his　people；　and　meeting　with　the　tenth　legion；
had　no　more　time　to　say　anything　to　them　but　this；　that　they　should
remember　their　wonted　valour；　not　to　be　astonished；　but　bravely　sustain
the　enemy's　encounter；　and　seeing　the　enemy　had　already　approached　within
a　dart's　cast；　he　gave　the　signal　for　battle；　and　going　suddenly　thence
elsewhere；　to　encourage　others；　he　found　that　they　were　already　engaged。〃
Here　is　what　he　tells　us　in　that　place。　　His　tongue；　indeed；　did　him
notable　service　upon　several　occasions；　and　his　military　eloquence　was；
in　his　own　time；　so　highly　reputed；　that　many　of　his　army　wrote　down　his
harangues　as　he　spoke　them；　by　which　means　there　were　volumes　of　them
collected　that　existed　a　long　time　after　him。　　He　had　so　particular　a
grace　in　speaking；　that　his　intimates；　and　Augustus　amongst　others；
hearing　those　orations　read；　could　distinguish　even　to　the　phrases　and
words　that　were　not　his。

The　first　time　that　he　went　out　of　Rome　with　any　public　command；　he
arrived　in　eight　days　at　the　river　Rhone；　having　with　him　in　his　coach　a
secretary　or　two　before　him　who　were　continually　writing；　and　him　who
carried　his　sword　behind　him。　　And　certainly；　though　a　man　did　noth