the essays of montaigne, v12-第4部分

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endure　so　dishonourable　councils。　　Under　colour　of　saving　his　head；　like
the　statue　of　a　saint；　for　the　happiness　of　his　kingdom；　they　degrade　him
from　and　declare　him　incapable　of　his　office；　which　is　military
throughout：　I　know　one　＇Probably　Henry　IV。＇　who　had　much　rather　be
beaten；　than　to　sleep　whilst　another　fights　for　him；　and　who　never
without　jealousy　heard　of　any　brave　thing　done　even　by　his　own　officers
in　his　absence。　　And　Soliman　I。　said；　with　very　good　reason；　in　my
opinion；　that　victories　obtained　without　the　master　were　never　complete。
Much　more　would　he　have　said　that　that　master　ought　to　blush　for　shame；
to　pretend　to　any　share　in　the　honour；　having　contributed　nothing　to　the
work；　but　his　voice　and　thought；　nor　even　so　much　as　these；　considering
that　in　such　work　as　that；　the　direction　and　command　that　deserve　honour
are　only　such　as　are　given　upon　the　spot；　and　in　the　heat　of　the
business。　　No　pilot　performs　his　office　by　standing　still。　　The　princes
of　the　Ottoman　family；　the　chiefest　in　the　world　in　military　fortune；
have　warmly　embraced　this　opinion；　and　Bajazet　II。；　with　his　son；　who
swerved　from　it；　spending　their　time　in　science　and　other　retired
employments；　gave　great　blows　to　their　empire；　and　Amurath　III。；　now
reigning；　following　their　example；　begins　to　find　the　same。　　Was　it　not
Edward　III。；　King　of　England；　who　said　this　of　our　Charles　V。：　〃There
never　was　king　who　so　seldom　put　on　his　armour；　and　yet　never　king　who
gave　me　so　much　to　do。〃　　He　had　reason　to　think　it　strange；　as　an　effect
of　chance　more　than　of　reason。　　And　let　those　seek　out　some　other　to　join
with　them　than　me；　who　will　reckon　the　Kings　of　Castile　and　Portugal
amongst　the　warlike　and　magnanimous　conquerors；　because　at　the　distance
of　twelve　hundred　leagues　from　their　lazy　abode；　by　the　conduct　of　their
captains；　they　made　themselves　masters　of　both　Indies；　of　which　it　has　to
be　known　if　they　would　have　had　even　the　courage　to　go　and　in　person
enjoy　them。

The　Emperor　Julian　said　yet　further；　that　a　philosopher　and　a　brave　man
ought　not　so　much　as　to　breathe；　that　is　to　say；　not　to　allow　any　more　to
bodily　necessities　than　what　we　cannot　refuse；　keeping　the　soul　and　body
still　intent　and　busy　about　honourable；　great；　and　virtuous　things。　　He
was　ashamed　if　any　one　in　public　saw　him　spit；　or　sweat　（which　is　said　by
some；　also；　of　the　Lacedaemonian　young　men；　and　which　Xenophon　says　of
the　Persian）；　forasmuch　as　he　conceived　that　exercise；　continual　labour；
and　sobriety；　ought　to　have　dried　up　all　those　superfluities。　　What
Seneca　says　will　not　be　unfit　for　this　place；　which　is；　that　the　ancient
Romans　kept　their　youth　always　standing；　and　taught　them　nothing　that
they　were　to　learn　sitting。

'Tis　a　generous　desire　to　wish　to　die　usefully　and　like　a　man；　but　the
effect　lies　not　so　much　in　our　resolution　as　in　our　good　fortune；　a
thousand　have　proposed　to　themselves　in　battle；　either　to　overcome　or　to
die；　who　have　failed　both　in　the　one　and　the　other；　wounds　and
imprisonment　crossing　their　design　and　compelling　them　to　live　against
their　will。　　There　are　diseases　that　overthrow　even　our　desires；　and　our
knowledge。　　Fortune　ought　not　to　second　the　vanity　of　the　Roman　legions；
who　bound　themselves　by　oath；　either　to　overcome　or　die：

　　　　　〃Victor；　Marce　Fabi；　revertar　ex　acie：　si　fallo；　Jovem　patrem；
　　　　　Gradivumque　Martem　aliosque　iratos　invoco　deos。〃

　　　　　＇〃I　will　return；　Marcus　Fabius；　a　conqueror；　from　the　fight：
　　　　　and　if　I　fail；　I　invoke　Father　Jove；　Mars　Gradivus；　and　the
　　　　　other　angry　gods。〃Livy；　ii。　45。＇

The　Portuguese　say　that　in　a　certain　place　of　their　conquest　of　the
Indies；　they　met　with　soldiers　who　had　condemned　themselves；　with
horrible　execrations；　to　enter　into　no　other　composition　but　either　to
cause　themselves　to　be　slain；　or　to　remain　victorious；　and　had　their
heads　and　beards　shaved　in　token　of　this　vow。　　'Tis　to　much　purpose　for
us　to　hazard　ourselves　and　to　be　obstinate：　it　seems　as　if　blows　avoided
those　who　present　themselves　too　briskly　to　them；　and　do　not　willingly
fall　upon　those　who　too　willingly　seek　them；　and　so　defeat　them　of　their
design。　　Such　there　have　been；　who；　after　having　tried　all　ways；　not
having　been　able　with　all　their　endeavour　to　obtain　the　favour　of　dying
by　the　hand　of　the　enemy；　have　been　constrained；　to　make　good　their
resolution　of　bringing　home　the　honour　of　victory　or　of　losing　their
lives；　to　kill　themselves　even　in　the　heat　of　battle。　　Of　which　there　are
other　examples；　but　this　is　one：　Philistus；　general　of　the　naval　army　of
Dionysius　the　younger　against　the　Syracusans；　presented　them　battle　which
was　sharply　disputed；　their　forces　being　equal：　in　this　engagement；　he
had　the　better　at　the　first；　through　his　own　valour：　but　the　Syracusans
drawing　about　his　gally　to　environ　him；　after　having　done　great　things　in
his　own　person　to　disengage　himself　and　hoping　for　no　relief；　with　his
own　hand　he　took　away　the　life　he　had　so　liberally；　and　in　vain；　exposed
to　the　enemy。

Mule　Moloch；　king　of　Fez；　who　lately　won　against　Sebastian；　king　of
Portugal；　the　battle　so　famous　for　the　death　of　three　kings；　and　for　the
transmission　of　that　great　kingdom　to　the　crown　of　Castile；　was　extremely
sick　when　the　Portuguese　entered　in　an　hostile　manner　into　his　dominions；
and　from　that　day　forward　grew　worse　and　worse；　still　drawing　nearer　to
and　foreseeing　his　end；　yet　never　did　man　better　employ　his　own
sufficiency　more　vigorously　and　bravely　than　he　did　upon　this　occasion。
He　found　himself　too　weak　to　undergo　the　pomp　and　ceremony　of　entering。
into　his　camp；　which　after　their　manner　is　very　magnificent；　and
therefore　resigned　that　honour　to　his　brother；　but　this　was　all　of　the
office　of　a　general　that　he　resigned；　all　the　rest　of　greatest　utility
and　necessity　he　most；　exactly　and　gloriously　performed　in　his　own
person；　his　body　lying　upon　a　couch；　but　his　judgment　and　courage　upright
and　firm　to　his　last　gasp；　and　in　some　sort　beyond　it。　　He　might　have
wasted　his　enemy；　indiscreetly　advanced　into　his　dominions；　without
striking　a　blow；　and　it　was　a　very　unhappy　occurrence；　that　for　want　of　a
little　life　or　somebody　to　substitute　in　the　conduct　of　this　war　and　the
affairs　of　a　troubled　state；　he　was　compelled　to　seek　a　doubtful　and
bloody　victory；　having　another　by　a　better　and　surer　way　already　in　his
hands。　　Notwithstanding；　he　wonderfully　managed　the　continuance　of　his
sickness　in　consuming　the　enemy；　and　in　drawing　them　far　from　the
assistance　of　the　navy　and　the　ports　they　had　on　the　coast　of　Africa；
even　till　the　last　day　of　his　life；　which　he　designedly　reserved　for　this
great　battle。　　He　arranged　his　battalions　in　a　circular　form；　environing
the　Portuguese　army　on　every　side；　which　round　circle　coming　to　close　in
and　to　draw　up　close　together；　not　only　hindered　them　in　the　conflict
（which　was　very　sharp　through　the　valour　of　the　young　invading　king）；
considering　that　they　had　every　way　to　present　a　front；　but　prevented
their　flight　after　the　defeat；　so　that　finding　all　passages　possessed　and
shut　up　by　the　enemy；　they　were　constrained　to　close　up　together　again：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Coacerventurque　non　solum　caede；　sed　etiam　fuga；〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Piled　up　not　only　in　slaughter　but　in　flight。〃＇

and　there　they　were　slain　in　heaps　upon　one　another；　leaving　to　the
conqueror　a　very　bloody　and　entire　victory。　　Dying；　he　caused　himself　to
be　carried　and　hurried　from　place　to　place　where　most　need　was；　and
passing　along　the　files；　encouraged　the　captains　and　soldiers　one　after
another；　but　a　corner　of　his　main　battalions　being　broken；　he　was　not　to
be　held　from　mounting　on　horseback　with　his　sword　in　his　hand；　he　did　his
utmost　to　break　from　those　about　him；　and　to　rush　into　the　thickest　of
the　battle；　they　all　the　while　withholding　him；　some　by　the　bridle；　some
by　his　robe；　and　others　by　his　stirrups。　　This　last　effort　totally
overwhelmed　the　little　life　he　had　left；　they　again　laid　him　upon　his
bed；　but　coming　to　himself；　and　starting　as　it　were　out　of　his　swoon；　all
other　faculties　failing；　to　give　his　people　notice　that　they　were　to
conceal　his　death　the　most　necessary　command　he　had　then　to　give；　that
his　soldiers　might　not　be　discouraged　with　the　news）　he　expired　with　his
finger　upon　his　mouth；　the　ordinary　sign　of　keeping　silence。　　Who　ever
lived　so　long　and　so　far　into　death？　whoever　died　so　erect；　or　more　like
a　man？

The　most　extreme　degree　of　courageously　treating　death；　and　the　most
natural；　is　to　look　upon　it　not　only　without　astonishment　but　without
care；　continuing　the　wonted　course　of　life　even　into　it；　as　Cato　did；
who　entertained　himself　in　study；　and　went　to　sleep；　having　a　violent　and
bloody　death　in　his　heart；　and　the　weapon　in　his　hand　with　which　he　was
resolved　to　despatch　himself。




CHAPTER　XXII

OF　POSTING

I　have　been　none　of　the　least　able　in　this　exercise；　which　is　proper　for
men　of　my　pitch；　well…knit　and　short；　but　I　give　it　over；　it　shakes　us
too　much　to　continue　it　long。　　I　was　at　this　moment　reading；　　that　King
Cyrus；　the　better　to　have　news　brought　him　from　all　parts　of　the　empire；
which　was　of　a　vast　extent；　caused　it　to　be　tried　how　far　a　horse　could
go　in　a　day　without　baiting；　and　at　that　distance　appointed　men；　whose
business　it　was　to　have　horses　always　in　readiness；　to　mount　those　who
were　despatched　to　him；　and　some　say；　that　this　swift　way　of　posting　is
equal　to　that　of　the　flight　of　cranes。

Caesar　says；　that　Lucius　Vibullius　Rufus；　being　in　great　haste　to　carry
intelligence　to　Pompey；　rode　night　and　day；　still　taking　fresh　horses　for
the　greater　diligence　and　speed；　and　he　himself；　as　Suetonius　reports；
travelled　a　hundred　miles　a　day　in　a　hired　coach；　but　he　was　a　furious
courier；　for　where　the　rivers　stopped　his　way　he　passed　them　by　swimming；
without　turning　out　of　his　way　to　look　for　either　bridge　or　ford。
Tiberius　Nero；　going　to　see　his　brother　Drusus；　who　was　sick　in　Germany；
travelled　two　hundred　miles　in　four…and…twenty　hours；　having　three
coaches。　　In　the　war　of　the　Romans　against　King　Antiochus；　T。　Sempronius
Gracchus；　says　Livy：

　　　　　　　　　〃Per　dispositos　equos　prope　incredibili　celeritate