the essays of montaigne, v12-第13部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


offended　with　one　of　his　slaves；　gave　Speusippus　order　to　chastise　him；
excusing　himself　from　doing　it　because　he　was　in　anger。　　And　Carillus；　a
Lacedaemonian；　to　a　Helot；　who　carried　himself　insolently　towards　him：
〃By　the　gods；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　was　not　angry；　I　would　immediately　cause
thee　to　be　put　to　death。〃

'Tis　a　passion　that　is　pleased　with　and　flatters　itself。　　How　often；
being　moved　under　a　false　cause；　if　the　person　offending　makes　a　good
defence　and　presents　us　with　a　just　excuse；　are　we　angry　against　truth
and　innocence　itself？　　In　proof　of　which；　I　remember　a　marvellous　example
of　antiquity。

Piso；　otherwise　a　man　of　very　eminent　virtue；　being　moved　against　a
soldier　of　his；　for　that　returning　alone　from　forage　he　could　give　him　no
account　where　he　had　left　a　companion　of　his；　took　it　for　granted　that　he
had　killed　him；　and　presently　condemned　him　to　death。　　He　was　no　sooner
mounted　upon　the　gibbet；　but；　behold；　his　wandering　companion　arrives；　at
which　all　the　army　were　exceedingly　glad；　and　after　many　embraces　of　the
two　comrades；　the　hangman　carried　both　the　one　and　the　other　into　Piso's
presence；　all　those　present　believing　it　would　be　a　great　pleasure　even
to　himself；　but　it　proved　quite　contrary；　for　through　shame　and　spite；
his　fury；　which　was　not　yet　cool；　redoubled；　and　by　a　subtlety　which　his
passion　suddenly　suggested　to　him；　he　made　three　criminals　for　having
found　one　innocent；　and　caused　them　all　to　be　despatched：　the　first
soldier；　because　sentence　had　passed　upon　him；　the　second；　who　had　lost
his　way；　because　he　was　the　cause　of　his　companion's　death；　and　the
hangman；　for　not　having　obeyed　the　order　which　had　been　given　him。
Such　as　have　had　to　do　with　testy　and　obstinate　women；　may　have
experimented　into　what　a　rage　it　puts　them　to　oppose　silence　and　coldness
to　their　fury；　and　that　a　man　disdains　to　nourish　their　anger。　　The
orator　Celius　was　wonderfully　choleric　by　nature；　and　to　one　who　supped
in　his　company；　a　man　of　a　gentle　and　sweet　conversation；　and　who；　that
he　might　not　move　him；　approved　and　consented　to　all　he　said；　he；
impatient　that　his　ill…humour　should　thus　spend　itself　without　aliment：
〃For　the　love　of　the　gods　deny　me　something；〃　said　he；　〃that　we　may　be
two。〃　　Women；　in　like　manner；　are　only　angry　that　others　may　be　angry
again；　in　imitation　of　the　laws　of　love。　　Phocion；　to　one　who　interrupted
his　speaking　by　injurious　and　very　opprobrious　words；　made　no　other
return　than　silence；　and　to　give　him　full　liberty　and　leisure　to　vent　his
spleen；　which　he　having　accordingly　done；　and　the　storm　blown　over；
without　any　mention　of　this　disturbance；　he　proceeded　in　his　discourse
where　he　had　left　off　before。　　No　answer　can　nettle　a　man　like　such　a
contempt。

Of　the　most　choleric　man　in　France　（anger　is　always　an　imperfection；　but
more　excusable　in；　a　soldier；　for　in　that　trade　it　cannot　sometimes　be
avoided）　I　often　say；　that　he　is　the　most　patient　man　that　I　know；　and
the　most　discreet　in　bridling　his　passions；　which　rise　in　him　with　so
great　violence　and　fury；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Magno　veluti　cum　flamma　sonore
　　　　　　　　　　Virgea　suggeritur　costis　undantis　ahem；
　　　　　　　　　　Exsultantque　aatu　latices；　furit　intus　aquae　vis。
　　　　　　　　　　Fumidus　atque　alte　spumis　exuberat　amnis；
　　　　　　　　　　Nec　jam　se　capit　unda；　volat　vapor　ater　ad　auras；〃

　　　　　＇〃When　with　loud　crackling　noise；　a　fire　of　sticks　is　applied　to　the
　　　　　boiling　caldron's　side；　by　the　heat　in　frisky　bells　the　liquor
　　　　　dances；　within　the　water　rages；　and　high　the　smoky　fluid　in　foam
　　　　　overflows。　　Nor　can　the　wave　now　contain　itself；　the　black　steam
　　　　　flies　all　abroad。〃AEneid；　vii。　462。＇


that　he　must　of　necessity　cruelly　constrain　himself　to　moderate　it。　　And
for　my　part；　I　know　no　passion　which　I　could　with　so　much　violence　to
myself　attempt　to　cover　and　conceal；　I　would　not　set　wisdom　at　so　high　a
price；　and　do　not　so　much　consider　what　a　man　does；　as　how　much　it　costs
him　to　do　no　worse。

Another　boasted　himself　to　me　of　the　regularity　and　gentleness　of　his
manners；　which　are　to　truth　very　singular；　to　whom　I　replied；　that　it　was
indeed　something；　especially　m　persons　of　so　eminent　a　quality　as
himself；　upon　whom　every　one　had　their　eyes；　to　present　himself　always
well…tempered　to　the　world；　but　that　the　principal　thing　was　to　make
provision　for　within　and　for　himself；　and　that　it　was　not　in　my　opinion
very　well　to　order　his　business　outwardly　well；　and　to　grate　himself
within；　which　I　was　afraid　he　did；　in　putting　on　and　maintaining　this
mask　and　external　appearance。

A　man　incorporates　anger　by　concealing　it；　as　Diogenes　told　Demosthenes；
who；　for　fear　of　being　seen　in　a　tavern；　withdrew　himself　the　more
retiredly　into　it：　〃The　more　you　retire　backward；　the　farther　you　enter
in。〃　　I　would　rather　advise　that　a　man　should　give　his　servant　a　box　of
the　ear　a　little　unseasonably；　than　rack　his　fancy　to　present　this　grave
and　composed　countenance；　and　had　rather　discover　my　passions　than　brood
over　them　at　my　own　expense；　they　grow　less　inventing　and　manifesting
themselves；　and　'tis　much　better　their　point　should　wound　others　without；
than　be　turned　towards　ourselves　within：

　　　　　〃Omnia　vitia　in　aperto　leviora　sunt：　et　tunc　perniciosissima；
　　　　　quum　simulata　sanitate　subsident。〃

　　　　　＇〃All　vices　are　less　dangerous　when　open　to　be　seen；　and　then　most
　　　　　pernicious　when　they　lurk　under　a　dissembled　good　nature。〃
　　　　　Seneca；　Ep。　56＇

I　admonish　all　those　who　have　authority　to　be　angry　in　my　family；　in　the
first　place　to　manage　their　anger　and　not　to　lavish　it　upon　every
occasion；　for　that　both　lessens　the　value　and　hinders　the　effect：　rash
and　incessant　scolding　runs　into　custom；　and　renders　itself　despised；　and
what　you　lay　out　upon　a　servant　for　a　theft　is　not　felt；　because　it　is
the　same　he　has　seen　you　a　hundred　times　employ　against　him　for　having
ill　washed　a　glass；　or　set　a　stool　out　of　place。　　Secondly；　that　they　be
not　angry　to　no　purpose；　but　make　sure　that　their　reprehension　reach　him
with　whom　they　are　offended；　for；　ordinarily；　they　rail　and　bawl　before
he　comes　into　their　presence；　and　continue　scolding　an　age　after　he　is
gone：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Et　secum　petulans　amentia　certat：〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃And　petulant　madness　contends　with　itself。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Claudian　in　Eutrop。；　i。　237。＇

they　attack　his　shadow；　and　drive　the　storm　in　a　place　where　no　one　is
either　chastised　or　concerned；　but　in　the　clamour　of　their　voice。
I　likewise　in　quarrels　condemn　those　who　huff　and　vapour　without　an
enemy：　those　rhodomontades　should　be　reserved　to　discharge　upon　the
offending　party：

　　　　　　　　　〃Mugitus　veluti　cum　prima　in　praelia　taurus
　　　　　　　　　　Terrificos　ciet；　atque　irasci　in　cornua　tentat；
　　　　　　　　　　Arboris　obnixus　trunco；　ventospue　lacessit
　　　　　　　　　　Ictibus；　et　sparsa　ad　pugnum　proludit　arena。〃

　　　　　＇〃As　when　a　bull　to　usher　in　the　fight；　makes　dreadful　bellowings；
　　　　　and　whets　his　horns　against　the　trunk　of　a　tree；　with　blows　he　beats
　　　　　the　air；　and　rehearses　the　fight　by　scattering　the　sand。〃
　　　　　AEneid；　xii。　103。＇

When　I　am　angry；　my　anger　is　very　sharp　but　withal　very　short；　and　as
private　as　I　can；　I　lose　myself　indeed　in　promptness　and　violence；　but
not　in　trouble；　so　that　I　throw　out　all　sorts　of　injurious　words　at
random；　and　without　choice；　and　never　consider　pertinently　to　dart　my
language　where　I　think　it　will　deepest　wound；　for　I　commonly　make　use　of
no　other　weapon　than　my　tongue。

My　servants　have　a　better　bargain　of　me　in　great　occasions　than　in
little；　the　little　ones　surprise　me；　and　the　misfortune　is；　that　when　you
are　once　upon　the　precipice；　'tis　no　matter　who　gave　you　the　push；　you
always　go　to　the　bottom；　the　fall　urges；　moves；　and　makes　haste　of
itself。　　In　great　occasions　this　satisfies　me；　that　they　are　so　just
every　one　expects　a　reasonable　indignation；　and　then　I　glorify　myself　in
deceiving　their　expectation；　against　these；　I　fortify　and　prepare　myself；
they　disturb　my　head；　and　threaten　to　transport　me　very　far；　should　I
follow　them。　　I　can　easily　contain　myself　from　entering　into　one　of　these
passions；　and　am　strong　enough；　when　I　expect　them；　to　repel　their
violence；　be　the　cause　never　so　great；　but　if　a　passion　once　prepossess
and　seize　me；　it　carries　me　away；　be　the　cause　never　so　small。　　I　bargain
thus　with　those　who　may　contend　with　me　when　you　see　me　moved　first；　let
me　alone；　right　or　wrong；　I'll　do　the　same　for　you。　　The　storm　is　only
begot　by　a　concurrence　of　angers；　which　easily　spring　from　one　another；
and　are　not　born　together。　　Let　every　one　have　his　own　way；　and　we　shall
be　always　at　peace。　　A　profitable　advice；　but　hard　to　execute。　　Sometimes
also　it　falls　out　that　I　put　on　a　seeming　anger；　for　the　better　governing
of　my　house；　without　any　real　emotion。　　As　age　renders　my　humours　more
sharp；　I　study　to　oppose　them；　and　will；　if　I　can；　order　it　so；　that　for
the　future　I　may　be　so　much　the　less　peevish　and　hard　to　please；　as　I
have　more　excuse　and　inclination　to　be　so；　although　I　have　heretofore
been　reckoned　amongst　those　who　have　the　greatest　patience。

A　word　more　to　conclude　this　argument。　　Aristotle　says；　that　anger
sometimes　serves　for　arms　to　virtue　and　valour。　　That　is　probable；
nevertheless；　they　who　contradict　him　　pleasantly　answer；　that　'tis　a
weapon　of　novel　use；　for　we　move　all　other　arms；　this　moves　us；　our　hand
guides　it　not；　'tis　it　that　guides　our　hand；　it　holds　us；　we　hold　not　it。









End