the essays of montaigne, v13-第8部分

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the　infinite　number　of　various　fables。

In　the　last　couple；　this　is；　moreover；　worthy　of　consideration；　that
Paulina　voluntarily　offered　to　lose　her　life　for　the　love　of　her　husband；
and　that　her　husband　had　formerly　also　forborne　to　die　for　the　love　of
her。　　We　may　think　there　is　no　just　counterpoise　in　this　exchange；　but；
according　to　his　stoical　humour；　I　fancy　he　thought　he　had　done　as　much
for　her；　in　prolonging　his　life　upon　her　account；　as　if　he　had　died　for
her。　　In　one　of　his　letters　to　Lucilius；　after　he　has　given　him　to
understand　that；　being　seized　with　an　ague　in　Rome；　he　presently　took
coach　to　go　to　a　house　he　had　in　the　country；　contrary　to　his　wife's
opinion；　who　would　have　him　stay；　and　that　he　had　told　her　that　the　ague
he　was　seized　with　was　not　a　fever　of　the　body　but　of　the　place；　it
follows　thus：　〃She　let　me　go；〃　says　he；　〃giving　me　a　strict　charge　of　my
health。　　Now　I；　who　know　that　her　life　is　involved　in　mine；　begin　to　make
much　of　myself；　that　I　may　preserve　her。　　And　I　lose　the　privilege　my　age
has　given　me；　of　being　more　constant　and　resolute　in　many　things；　when　I
call　to　mind　that　in　this　old　fellow　there　is　a　young　girl　who　is
interested　in　his　health。　　And　since　I　cannot　persuade　her　to　love　me
more　courageously；　she　makes　me　more　solicitously　love　myself：　for　we
must　allow　something　to　honest　affections；　and；　sometimes；　though
occasions　importune　us　to　the　contrary；　we　must　call　back　life；　even
though　it　be　with　torment：　we　must　hold　the　soul　fast　in　our　teeth；　since
the　rule　of　living；　amongst　good　men；　is　not　so　long　as　they　please；　but
as　long　as　they　ought。　　He　that　loves　not　his　wife　nor　his　friend　so　well
as　to　prolong　his　life　for　them；　but　will　obstinately　die；　is　too
delicate　and　too　effeminate：　the　soul　must　impose　this　upon　itself；　when
the　utility　of　our　friends　so　requires；　we　must　sometimes　lend　ourselves
to　our　friends；　and　when　we　would　die　for　ourselves　must　break　that
resolution　for　them。　　'Tis　a　testimony　of　grandeur　of　courage　to　return
to　life　for　the　consideration　of　another；　as　many　excellent　persons　have
done：　and　'tis　a　mark　of　singular　good　nature　to　preserve　old　age　（of
which　the　greatest　convenience　is　the　indifference　as　to　its　duration；
and　a　more　stout　and　disdainful　use　of　life）；　when　a　man　perceives　that
this　office　is　pleasing；　agreeable；　and　useful　to　some　person　by　whom　he
is　very　much　beloved。　　And　a　man　reaps　by　it　a　very　pleasing　reward；　for
what　can　be　more　delightful　than　to　be　so　dear　to　his　wife；　as　upon　her
account　he　shall　become　dearer　to　himself？　　Thus　has　my　Paulina　loaded　me
not　only　with　her　fears；　but　my　own；　it　has　not　been　sufficient　to
consider　how　resolutely　I　could　die；　but　I　have　also　considered　how
irresolutely　she　would　bear　my　death。　　I　am　enforced　to　live；　and
sometimes　to　live　in　magnanimity。〃　　These　are　his　own　words；　as　excellent
as　they　everywhere　are。




CHAPTER　XXXVI

OF　THE　MOST　EXCELLENT　MEN

If　I　should　be　asked　my　choice　among　all　the　men　who　have　come　to　my
knowledge；　I　should　make　answer；　that　methinks　I　find　three　more
excellent　than　all　the　rest。

One　of　them　Homer：　not　that　Aristotle　and　Varro；　for　example；　were　not；
peradventure；　as　learned　as　he；　nor　that　possibly　Virgil　was　not　equal　to
him　in　his　own　art；　which　I　leave　to　be　determined　by　such　as　know　them
both。　　I　who；　for　my　part；　understand　but　one　of　them；　can　only　say　this；
according　to　my　poor　talent；　that　I　do　not　believe　the　Muses　themselves
could　ever　go　beyond　the　Roman：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Tale　facit　carmen　docta　testudine；　quale
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Cynthius　impositis　temperat　articulis：〃

　　　　　＇He　plays　on　his　learned　lute　a　verse　such　as　Cynthian　Apollo
　　　　　modulates　with　his　imposed　fingers。〃Propertius；　ii。　34；　79。＇

and　yet　in　this　judgment　we　are　not　to　forget　that　it　is　chiefly　from
Homer　that　Virgil　derives　his　excellence；　that　he　is　guide　and　teacher；
and　that　one　touch　of　the　Iliad　has　supplied　him　with　body　and　matter　out
of　which　to　compose　his　great　and　divine　AEneid。　　I　do　not　reckon　upon
that；　but　mix　several　other　circumstances　that　render　to　me　this　poet
admirable；　even　as　it　were　above　human　condition。　　And；　in　truth；　I　often
wonder　that　he　who　has　produced；　and；　by　his　authority；　given　reputation
in　the　world　to　so　many　deities；　was　not　deified　himself。　　Being　blind
and　poor；　living　before　the　sciences　were　reduced　into　rule　and　certain
observation；　he　was　so　well　acquainted　with　them；　that　all　those　who　have
since　taken　upon　them　to　establish　governments；　to　carry　on　wars；　and　to
write　either　of　religion　or　philosophy；　of　what　sect　soever；　or　of　the
arts；　have　made　use　of　him　as　of　a　most　perfect　instructor　in　the
knowledge　of　all　things；　and　of　his　books　as　of　a　treasury　of　all　sorts
of　learning：

　　　　　　　　　〃Qui；　quid　sit　pulcrum；　quid　turpe；　quid　utile；　quid　non；
　　　　　　　　　　Planius　ac　melius　Chrysippo　et　Crantore　dicit：〃

　　　　　＇Who　tells　us　what　is　good；　what　evil；　what　useful；　what　not；　more
　　　　　clearly　and　better　than　Chrysippus　and　Crantor？〃
　　　　　Horace；　Ep。；　i。　2；　3。＇

and　as　this　other　says；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃A　quo；　ceu　fonte　perenni；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Vatum　Pieriis　ora　rigantur　aquis〃

　　　　　＇〃From　which；　as　from　a　perennial　spring；　the　lips　of　the　poets
　　　　　are　moistened　by　Pierian　waters。〃Ovid；　Amoy。；　iii。　9；　25。＇

and　the　other；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Adde　Heliconiadum　comites；　quorum　unus　Homerus
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Sceptra　potitus；〃

　　　　　＇〃Add　the　companions　of　the　Muses；　whose　sceptre　Homer　has　solely
　　　　　obtained。〃Lucretius；　iii。　　1050。＇

and　the　other：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Cujusque　ex　ore　profusos
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Omnis　posteritas　latices　in　carmina　duxit；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Amnemque　in　tenues　ausa　est　deducere　rivos。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Unius　foecunda　bonis。〃

　　　　　＇〃From　whose　mouth　all　posterity　has　drawn　out　copious　streams　of
　　　　　verse；　and　has　made　bold　to　turn　the　mighty　river　into　its　little
　　　　　rivulets；　fertile　in　the　property　of　one　man。〃
　　　　　Manilius；　Astyon。；　ii。　8。＇

'Tis　contrary　to　the　order　of　nature　that　he　has　made　the　most　excellent
production　that　can　possibly　be；　for　the　ordinary　birth　of　things　is
imperfect；　they　thrive　and　gather　strength　by　growing；　whereas　he
rendered　the　infancy　of　poesy　and　several　other　sciences　mature；　perfect；
and　accomplished　at　first。　　And　for　this　reason　he　may　be　called　the
first　and　the　last　of　the　poets；　according　to　the　fine　testimony
antiquity　has　left　us　of　him；　〃that　as　there　was　none　before　him　whom　he
could　imitate；　so　there　has　been　none　since　that　could　imitate　him。〃
His　words；　according　to　Aristotle；　are　the　only　words　that　have　motion
and　action；　the　only　substantial　words。　　Alexander　the　Great；　having
found　a　rich　cabinet　amongst　Darius'　spoils；　gave　order　it　should　be
reserved　for　him　to　keep　his　Homer　in；　saying：　that　he　was　the　best　and
most　faithful　counsellor　he　had　in　his　military　affairs。　　For　the　same
reason　it　was　that　Cleomenes；　the　son　of　Anaxandridas；　said　that　he　was
the　poet　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　for　that　he　was　an　excellent　master　for
the　discipline　of　war。　　This　singular　and　particular　commendation　is　also
left　of　him　in　the　judgment　of　Plutarch；　that　he　is　the　only　author　in
the　world　that　never　glutted　nor　disgusted　his　readers；　presenting
himself　always　another　thing；　and　always　flourishing　in　some　new　grace。
That　wanton　Alcibiades；　having　asked　one；　who　pretended　to　learning；　for
a　book　of　Homer；　gave　him　a　box　of　the　ear　because　he　had　none；　　which　he
thought　as　scandalous　as　we　should　if　we　found　one　of　our　priests　without
a　Breviary。　　Xenophanes　complained　one　day　to　Hiero；　the　tyrant　of
Syracuse；　that　he　was　so　poor　he　had　not　wherewithal　to　maintain　two
servants。　　〃　What！〃　replied　he；　〃Homer；　who　was　much　poorer　than　thou
art；　keeps　above　ten　thousand；　though　he　is　dead。　　What　did　Panaetius
leave　unsaid　when　he　called　Plato　the　Homer　of　the　philosophers？　　Besides
what　glory　can　be　compared　to　his？　　Nothing　is　so　frequent　in　men's
mouths　as　his　name　and　works；　nothing　so　known　and　received　as　Troy；
Helen；　and　the　war　about　her；　when　perhaps　there　was　never　any　such
thing。　　Our　children　are　still　called　by　names　that　he　invented　above
three　thousand　years　ago；　who　does　not　know　Hector　and　Achilles？　　Not
only　some　particular　families；　but　most　nations　also　seek　their　origin　in
his　inventions。　　Mohammed；　the　second　of　that　name；　emperor　of　the　Turks；
writing　to　our　Pope　Pius　II。；　〃I　am　astonished；〃　says　he；　〃that　the
Italians　should　appear　against　me；　considering　that　we　have　our　common
descent　from　the　Trojans；　and　that　it　concerns　me　as　well　as　it　does　them
to　revenge　the　blood　of　Hector　upon　the　Greeks；　whom　they　countenance
against　me。〃　　Is　it　not　a　noble　farce　wherein　kings；　republics；　and
emperors　have　so　many　ages　played　their　parts；　and　to　which　the　vast
universe　serves　for　a　theatre？　　Seven　Grecian　cities　contended　for　his
birth；　so　much　honour　even　his　obscurity　helped　him　to！

　　　　　〃Smyrna；　Rhodos；　Colophon；　Salamis；　Chios；　Argos；　Athenm。〃

The　other　is　Alexander　the　Great。　　For　whoever　will　consider　the　age　at
which　he　began　his　enterprises；　the　small　means　by　which　he　effected　so
glorious　a　design；　the　authority　he　obtained　in　such　mere　youth　with　the
greatest　and　most　experienced　captains　of　the　world；　by　whom　he　was
followed；　the　extraordinary　favour　wherewith　fortune　embraced　and
favoured　so　many　hazardous；　not　to　say　rash；　exploits；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Impellens　quicquid　sibi　summa　petenti
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Obstaret；　gaudensque　viam　fecisse　ruins；〃

　　　　　＇〃Bearing　down　all　who　sought　to　withstand　him；　and　pleased
　　　　　to　force　his　way　by　ruin。〃Lucan；　i。　149。＇

that　greatness；　to　have　at　the　age　of　three…and…thirty　years；　passed
victorious　through　the　whole　habitable　earth；　and　in　half　a　life　to　have
attained　to　the　utmost　of　what　human　nature　can　do；　so　that　you　cannot
imagine　its　just　duration　and　the　continuation　of　his　increase　in　valour
and　fortune；　up　to　a　due　maturity　of　age；　but　that　you　must　withal
imagine　something　more　than　man：　to　have　made　so　many　royal　branches　to
spring　from　his　soldiers；　leaving　the　world；　at　his　death；　divided
amongst　four　successors；　simple