the essays of montaigne, v13-第6部分

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commonly　swam　over　the　rivers　in　his　way；　for　he　loved　to　march　on　foot；
as　also　did　Alexander　the　Great。　　Being　in　Egypt　forced；　to　save　himself；
to　go　into　a　little　boat；　and　so　many　people　leaping　in　with　him　that　it
was　in　danger　of　sinking；　he　chose　rather　to　commit　himself　to　the　sea；
and　swam　to　his　fleet；　which　lay　two　hundred　paces　off；　holding　in　his
left　hand　his　tablets；　and　drawing　his　coatarmour　in　his　teeth；　that　it
might　not　fall　into　the　enemy's　hand；　and　at　this　time　he　was　of　a　pretty
advanced　age。

Never　had　any　general　so　much　credit　with　his　soldiers：　in　the　beginning
of　the　civil　wars；　his　centurions　offered　him　to　find　every　one　a　man…at…
arms　at　his　own　charge；　and　the　foot　soldiers　to　serve　him　at　their　own
expense；　those　who　were　most　at　their　ease；　moreover；　undertaking　to
defray　the　more　necessitous。　　The　late　Admiral　Chastillon

　　　　　＇Gaspard　de　Coligny；　assassinated　　in　the　St。　Bartholomew
　　　　　massacre；　24th　August　1572。＇

showed　us　the　like　example　in　our　civil　wars；　for　the　French　of　his　army
provided　money　out　of　their　own　purses　to　pay　the　foreigners　that　were
with　him。　　There　are　but　rarely　found　examples　of　so　ardent　and　so　ready
an　affection　amongst　the　soldiers　of　elder　times；　who　kept　themselves
strictly　to　their　rules　of　war：　passion　has　a　more　absolute　command　over
us　than　reason；　and　yet　it　happened　in　the　war　against　Hannibal；　that　by
the　example　of　the　people　of　Rome　in　the　city；　the　soldiers　and　captains
refused　their　pay　in　the　army；　and　in　Marcellus'　camp　those　were　branded
with　the　name　of　Mercenaries　who　would　receive　any。　　Having　got　the　worst
of　it　near　Dyrrachium；　his　soldiers　came　and　offered　themselves　to　be
chastised　and　punished；　so　that　there　was　more　need　to　comfort　than
reprove　them。　　One　single　cohort　of　his　withstood　four　of　Pompey's
legions　above　four　hours　together；　till　they　were　almost　all　killed　with
arrows；　so　that　there　were　a　hundred　and　thirty　thousand　shafts　found　in
the　trenches。　　A　soldier　called　Scaeva；　who　commanded　at　one　of　the
avenues；　invincibly　maintained　his　ground；　having　lost　an　eye；　with　one
shoulder　and　one　thigh　shot　through；　and　his　shield　hit　in　two　hundred
and　thirty　places。　It　happened　that　many　of　his　soldiers　being　taken
prisoners；　rather　chose　to　die　than　promise　to　join　the　contrary　side。
Granius　Petronius　was　taken　by　Scipio　in　Africa：　Scipio　having　put　the
rest　to　death；　sent　him　word　that　he　gave　him　his　life；　for　he　was　a　man
of　quality　and　quaestor；　to　whom　Petronius　sent　answer　back；　that
Caesar's　soldiers　were　wont　to　give　others　their　life；　and　not　to　receive
it；　and　immediately　with　his　own　hand　killed　himself。

Of　their　fidelity　there　are　infinite　examples　amongst　them；　that　which
was　done　by　those　who　were　besieged　in　Salona；　a　city　that　stood　for
Caesar　against　Pompey；　is　not；　for　the　rarity　of　an　accident　that　there
happened；　to　be　forgotten。　　Marcus　Octavius　kept　them　close　besieged；
they　within　being　reduced　to　the　extremest　necessity　of　all　things；　so
that　to　supply　the　want　of　men；　most　of　them　being　either　slain　or
wounded；　they　had　manumitted　all　their　slaves；　and　had　been　constrained
to　cut　off　all　the　women's　hair　to　make　ropes　for　their　war　engines；
besides　a　wonderful　dearth　of　victuals；　and　yet　continuing　resolute　never
to　yield。　　After　having　drawn　the　siege　to　a　great　length；　by　which
Octavius　was　grown　more　negligent　and　less　attentive　to　his　enterprise；
they　made　choice　of　one　day　about　noon；　and　having　first　placed　the　women
and　children　upon　the　walls　to　make　a　show；　sallied　upon　the　besiegers
with　such　fury；　that　having　routed　the　first；　second；　and　third　body；　and
afterwards　the　fourth；　and　the　rest；　and　beaten　them　all　out　of　their
trenches；　they　pursued　them　even　to　their　ships；　and　Octavius　himself　was
fain　to　fly　to　Dyrrachium；　where　Pompey　lay。　　I　do　not　at　present
remember　that　I　have　met　with　any　other　example　where　the　besieged　ever
gave　the　besieger　a　total　defeat　and　won　the　field；　nor　that　a　sortie
ever　achieved　the　result　of　a　pure　and　entire　victory。




CHAPTER　XXXV

OF　THREE　GOOD　WOMEN

They　are　not　by　the　dozen；　as　every　one　knows；　and　especially　in　the
duties　of　marriage；　for　that　is　a　bargain　full　of　so　many　nice
circumstances　that　'tis　hard　a　woman's　will　should　long　endure　such　a
restraint；　men；　though　their　condition　be　something　better　under　that
tie；　have　yet　enough　to　do。　　The　true　touch　and　test　of　a　happy　marriage
have　respect　to　the　time　of　the　companionship；　if　it　has　been　constantly
gentle；　loyal；　and　agreeable。　　In　our　age；　women　commonly　reserve　the
publication　of　their　good　offices；　and　their　vehement　affection　towards
their　husbands；　until　they　have　lost　them；　or　at　least；　till　then　defer
the　testimonies　of　their　good　will；　a　too　slow　testimony　and
unseasonable。　By　it　they　rather　manifest　that　they　never　loved　them　till
dead：　their　life　is　nothing　but　trouble；　their　death　full　of　love　and
courtesy。　　As　fathers　conceal　their　affection　from　their　children；　women；
likewise；　conceal　theirs　from　their　husbands；　to　maintain　a　modest
respect。　　This　mystery　is　not　for　my　palate；　'tis　to　much　purpose　that
they　scratch　themselves　and　tear　their　hair。　　I　whisper　in　a　waiting…
woman's　or　secretary's　ear：　〃　How　were　they；　how　did　they　live　together？〃
I　always　have　that　good　saying　m　my　head：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Jactantius　moerent；　quae　minus　dolent。〃

　　　　　＇〃They　make　the　most　ado　who　are　least　concerned。〃　（Or：）
　　　　　〃They　mourn　the　more　ostentatiously；　the　less　they　grieve。〃
　　　　　Tacitus；　Annal。；　ii。　77；　writing　of　Germanicus。＇

Their　whimpering　is　offensive　to　the　living　and　vain　to　the　dead。　　We
should　willingly　give　them　leave　to　laugh　after　we　are　dead；　provided
they　will　smile　upon　us　whilst　we　are　alive。　　Is　it　not　enough　to　make　a
man　revive　in　pure　spite；　that　she；　who　spat　in　my　face　whilst　I　was　in
being；　shall　come　to　kiss　my　feet　when　I　am　no　more？　　If　there　be　any
honour　in　lamenting　a　husband；　it　only　appertains　to　those　who　smiled
upon　them　whilst　they　had　them；　let　those　who　wept　during　their　lives
laugh　at　their　deaths；　as　well　outwardly　as　within。　　Therefore；　never
regard　those　blubbered　eyes　and　that　pitiful　voice；　consider　her
deportment；　her　complexion；　the　plumpness　of　her　cheeks　under　all　those
formal　veils；　'tis　there　she　talks　plain　French。　　There　are　few　who　do
not　mend　upon't；　and　health　is　a　quality　that　cannot　lie。　　That　starched
and　ceremonious　countenance　looks　not　so　much　back　as　forward；　and　is
rather　intended　to　get　a　new　husband　than　to　lament　the　old。　　When　I　was
a　boy；　a　very　beautiful　and　virtuous　lady；　who　is　yet　living；　the　widow
of　a　prince；　wore　somewhat　more　ornament　in　her　dress　than　our　laws　of
widowhood　allow；　and　being　reproached　with　it；　she　made　answer　that　it
was　because　she　was　resolved　to　have　no　more　love　affairs；　and　would
never　marry　again。

I　have　here；　not　at　all　dissenting　from　our　customs；　made　choice　of　three
women；　who　have　also　expressed　the　utmost　of　their　goodness　and　affection
about　their　husbands'　deaths；　yet　are　they　examples　of　another　kind　than
are　now　m　use；　and　so　austere　that　they　will　hardly　be　drawn　into
imitation。

The　younger　Pliny'　had　near　a　house　of　his　in　Italy　a　neighbour　who　was
exceedingly　tormented　with　certain　ulcers　in　his　private　parts。　　His　wife
seeing　him　so　long　to　languish；　entreated　that　he　would　give　her　leave　to
see　and　at　leisure　to　consider　of　the　condition　of　his　disease；　and　that
she　would　freely　tell　him　what　she　thought。　　This　permission　being
obtained；　and　she　having　curiously　examined　the　business；　found　it
impossible　he　could　ever　be　cured；　and　that　all　he　had　to　hope　for　or
expect　was　a　great　while　to　linger　out　a　painful　and　miserable　life；　and
therefore；　as　the　most　sure　and　sovereign　remedy；　resolutely　advised　him
to　kill　himself。　　But　finding　him　a　little　tender　and　backward　in　so　rude
an　attempt：　〃Do　not　think；　my　friend；〃　said　she；　〃that　the　torments　I　see
thee　endure　are　not　as　sensible　to　me　as　to　thyself；　and　that　to　deliver
myself　from　them；　I　will　not　myself　make　use　of　the　same　remedy　I　have
prescribed　to　thee。　　I　will　accompany　thee　in　the　cure　as　I　have　done　in
the　disease；　fear　nothing；　but　believe　that　we　shall　have　pleasure　in
this　passage　that　is　to　free　us　from　so　many　miseries；　and　we　will　go
happily　together。〃　　Which　having　said；　and　roused　up　her　husband's
courage；　she　resolved　that　they　should　throw　themselves　headlong　into　the
sea　out　of　a　window　that　overlooked　it；　and　that　she　might　maintain　to
the　last　the　loyal　and　vehement　affection　wherewith　she　had　embraced　him
during　his　life；　she　would　also　have　him　die　in　her　arms；　but　lest　they
should　fail；　and　should　quit　their　hold　in　the　fall　through　fear；　she
tied　herself　fast　to　him　by　the　waist；　and　so　gave　up　her　own　life　to
procure　her　husband's　repose。　　This　was　a　woman　of　mean　condition；　and；
amongst　that　class　of　people；　'tis　no　very　new　thing　to　see　some　examples
of　rare　virtue：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Extrema　per　illos
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Justitia　excedens　terris　vestigia　fecit。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Justice；　when　she　left　the　earth；　took　her　last
　　　　　　　　　　steps　among　them。〃　Virgil；　Georg。；　ii。　　473。＇

The　other　two　were　noble　and　rich；　where　examples　of　virtue　are　rarely
lodged。

Arria；　the　wife　of　Caecina　Paetus；　a　consular　person；　was　the　mother　of
another　Arria；　the　wife　of　Thrasea　Paetus；　he　whose　virtue　was　so
renowned　in　the　time　of　Nero；　and　by　this　son…in…law；　the　grandmother　of
Fannia：　for　the　resemblance　of　the　names　of　these　men　and　women；　and
their　fortunes；　have　led　to　several　mistakes。　　This　first　Arria；　her
husband　Caecina　Paetus；　having　been　taken　prisoner　by　some　of　the　Emperor
Claudius'　people；　after　Scribonianus'　defeat；　whose　party　he　had　embraced
in　the　war；　begged　of　those　who　were　to　carry　him　prisoner　to　Rome；　that
they　would　take　her　into　their　ship；　where　she　would　be　of　much　less
charge　and　trouble　to　them　than　a　great　many　persons　they　must　otherwise
have　to　attend　her　husband；　and　that　she　alone　would　undertake　to　serve
him　in　his　chamber；　his　kitchen；　and　all　other　offices。　　They　refused；
whereupon　she　put　herself　into　a　fisher…