the essays of montaigne, v12-第8部分

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honour；　which　so　often　shock　and　confound　those　of　reason。）　　After　having
despatched　his　man；　seeing　the　two　principals　still　on　foot　and　sound；　he
ran　in　to　disengage　his　friend。　　What　could　he　do　less？　should　he　have
stood　still；　and　if　chance　would　have　ordered　it　so；　have　seen　him　he　was
come　thither　to　defend　killed　before　his　face？　what　he　had　hitherto　done
helped　not　the　business；　the　quarrel　was　yet　undecided。　　The　courtesy
that　you　can；　and　certainly　ought　to　shew　to　your　enemy；　when　you　have
reduced　him　to　an　ill　condition　and　have　a　great　advantage　over　him；　I　do
not　see　how　you　can　do　it；　where　the　interest　of　another　is　concerned；
where　you　are　only　called　in　as　an　assistant；　and　the　quarrel　is　none　of
yours：　he　could　neither　be　just　nor　courteous；　at　the　hazard　of　him　he
was　there　to　serve。　　And　he　was　therefore　enlarged　from　the　prisons　of
Italy　at　the　speedy　and　solemn　request　of　our　king。　　Indiscreet　nation！
we　are　not　content　to　make　our　vices　and　follies　known　to　the　world　by
report　only；　but　we　must　go　into　foreign　countries；　there　to　show　them
what　fools　we　are。　　Put　three　Frenchmen　into　the　deserts　of　Libya；　they
will　not　live　a　month　together　without　fighting；　so　that　you　would　say
this　peregrination　were　a　thing　purposely　designed　to　give　foreigners　the
pleasure　of　our　tragedies；　and；　for　the　most　part；　to　such　as　rejoice　and
laugh　at　our　miseries。　　We　go　into　Italy　to　learn　to　fence；　and　exercise
the　art　at　the　expense　of　our　lives　before　we　have　learned　it；　and　yet；
by　the　rule　of　discipline；　we　should　put　the　theory　before　the　practice。
We　discover　ourselves　to　be　but　learners：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Primitae　juvenum　miserae；　bellique　futuri
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Dura　rudimenta。〃

　　　　　＇〃Wretched　the　elementary　trials　of　youth；　and　hard　the
　　　　　rudiments　of　approaching　war。〃Virgil；　AEneid；　xi。　156。＇

I　know　that　fencing　is　an　art　very　useful　to　its　end　（in　a　duel　betwixt
two　princes；　cousin…germans；　in　Spain；　the　elder；　says　Livy；　by　his　skill
and　dexterity　in　arms；　easily　overcoming　the　greater　and　more　awkward
strength　of　the　younger）；　and　of　which　the　knowledge；　as　I　experimentally
know；　has　inspired　some　with　courage　above　their　natural　measure；　but
this　is　not　properly　valour；　because　it　supports　itself　upon　address；　and
is　founded　upon　something　besides　itself。　　The　honour　of　combat　consists
in　the　jealousy　of　courage；　and　not　of　skill；　and　therefore　I　have　known
a　friend　of　mine；　famed　as　a　great　master　in　this　exercise；　in　his
quarrels　make　choice　of　such　arms　as　might　deprive　him　of　this　advantage
and　that　wholly　depended　upon　fortune　and　assurance；　that　they　might　not
attribute　his　victory　rather　to　his　skill　in　fencing　than　his　valour。
When　I　was　young；　gentlemen　avoided　the　reputation　of　good　fencers　as
injurious　to　them；　and　learned　to　fence　with　all　imaginable　privacy　as　a
trade　of　subtlety；　derogating　from　true　and　natural　valour：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Non　schivar　non　parar；　non　ritirarsi；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Voglion　costor；　ne　qui　destrezza　ha　parte；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Non　danno　i　colpi　or　finti；　or　pieni；　or　scarsi！
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Toglie　l'ira　a　il　furor　l'uso　de　l'arte。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Odi　le　spade　orribilmente　utarsi
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　mezzo　il　ferro；　il　pie　d'orma　non　parte；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Sempre　a　il　pie　fermo；　a　la　man　sempre　in　moto；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ne　scende　taglio　in　van；　ne　punta　a　voto。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃They　neither　shrank；　nor　vantage　sought　of　ground；
　　　　　　　　　　They　travers'd　not；　nor　skipt　from　part　to　part；
　　　　　　　　　　Their　blows　were　neither　false；　nor　feigned　found：
　　　　　　　　　　In　fight；　their　rage　would　let　them　use　no　art。
　　　　　　　　　　Their　swords　together　clash　with　dreadful　sound；
　　　　　　　　　　Their　feet　stand　fast；　and　neither　stir　nor　start；
　　　　　　　　　　They　move　their　hands；　steadfast　their　feet　remain。
　　　　　　　　　　Nor　blow　nor　foin　they　strook；　or　thrust　in　vain。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Tasso；　Gierus。　　Lib。；　c。　12；　st。　55；　Fairfax's　translation。＇

Butts；　tilting；　and　barriers；　the　feint　of　warlike　fights；　were　the
exercises　of　our　forefathers：　this　other　exercise　is　so　much　the　less
noble；　as　it　only　respects　a　private　end；　that　teaches　us　to　destroy　one
another　against　law　and　justice；　and　that　every　way　always　produces　very
ill　effects。　　It　is　much　more　worthy　and　more　becoming　to　exercise
ourselves　in　things　that　strengthen　than　that　weaken　our　government　and
that　tend　to　the　public　safety　and　common　glory。　　The　consul；　Publius
Rutilius；　　was　the　first　who　taught　the　soldiers　to　handle　their　arms
with　skill；　and　joined　art　with　valour；　not　for　the　rise　of　private
quarrel；　but　for　war　and　the　quarrels　of　the　people　of　Rome；　a　popular
and　civil　defence。　　And　besides　the　example　of　Caesar；　　who　commanded　his
men　to　shoot　chiefly　at　the　face　of　Pompey's　soldiers　in　the　battle　of
Pharsalia；　a　thousand　other　commanders　have　also　bethought　them　to　invent
new　forms　of　weapons　and　new　ways　of　striking　and　defending；　according　as
occasion　should　require。

But　as　Philopoemen　condemned　wrestling；　wherein　he　excelled；　because　the
preparatives　that　were　therein　employed　were　differing　from　those　that
appertain　to　military　discipline；　to　which　alone　he　conceived　men　of
honour　ought　wholly　to　apply　themselves；　so　it　seems　to　me　that　this
address　to　which　we　form　our　limbs；　those　writhings　and　motions　young　men
are　taught　in　this　new　school；　are　not　only　of　no　use；　but　rather
contrary　and　hurtful　to　the　practice　of　fight　in　battle；　and　also　our
people　commonly　make　use　of　particular　weapons；　and　peculiarly　designed
for　duel；　and　I　have　seen；　when　it　has　been　disapproved；　that　a　gentleman
challenged　to　fight　with　rapier　and　poignard　appeared　in　the　array　of　a
man…at…arms；　and　that　another　should　take　his　cloak　instead　of　his
poignard。　　It　is　worthy　of　consideration　that　Laches　in　Plato；　speaking
of　learning　to　fence　after　our　manner；　says　that　he　never　knew　any　great
soldier　come　out　of　that　school；　especially　the　masters　of　it：　and；
indeed；　as　to　them；　our　experience　tells　as　much。　　As　to　the　rest；　we　may
at　least　conclude　that　they　are　qualities　of　no　relation　or
correspondence；　and　in　the　education　of　the　children　of　his　government；
Plato　interdicts　the　art　of　boxing；　introduced　by　Amycus　and　Epeius；　and
that　of　wrestling；　by　Antaeus　and　Cercyo；　because　they　have　another　end
than　to　render　youth　fit　for　the　service　of　war　and　contribute　nothing　to
it。　　But　I　see　that　I　have　somewhat　strayed　from　my　theme。

The　Emperor　Mauricius；　being　advertised　by　dreams　and　several
prognostics；　that　one　Phocas；　an　obscure　soldier；　should　kill　him；
questioned　his　son…in…law；　Philip；　who　this　Phocas　was；　and　what　were　his
nature；　qualities；　and　manners；　and　so　soon　as　Philip；　amongst　other
things；　had　told　him　that　he　was　cowardly　and　timorous；　the　emperor
immediately　concluded　then　that　he　was　a　murderer　and　cruel。　　What　is　it
that　makes　tyrants　so　sanguinary？　　'Tis　only　the　solicitude　for　their　own
safety；　and　that　their　faint　hearts　can　furnish　them　with　no　other　means
of　securing　themselves　than　in　exterminating　those　who　may　hurt　them；
even　so　much　as　women；　for　fear　of　a　scratch：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Cuncta　ferit；　dum　cuncta　timer。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　＇〃He　strikes　at　all　who　fears　all。〃
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Claudius；　in　Eutrop。；　i。　182。＇

The　first　cruelties　are　exercised　for　themselves　thence　springs　the　fear
of　a　just　revenge；　which　afterwards　produces　a　series　of　new　cruelties；
to　obliterate　one　another。　　Philip；　king　of　Macedon；　who　had　so　much　to
do　with　the　people　of　Rome；　agitated　with　the　horror　of　so　many　murders
committed　by　his　order；　and　doubting　of　being　able　to　keep　himself　secure
from　so　many　families；　at　divers　times　mortally　injured　and　offended　by
him；　resolved　to　seize　all　the　children　of　those　he　had　caused　to　be
slain；　to　despatch　them　daily　one　after　another；　and　so　to　establish　his
own　repose。

Fine　matter　is　never　impertinent；　however　placed；　and　therefore　I；　who
more　consider　the　weight　and　utility　of　what　I　deliver　than　its　order　and
connection；　need　not　fear　in　this　place　to　bring　in　an　excellent　story；
though　it　be　a　little　by…the…by；　for　when　they　are　rich　in　their　own
native　beauty；　and　are　able　to　justify　themselves；　the　least　end　of　a
hair　will　serve　to　draw　them　into　my　discourse。

Amongst　others　condemned　by　Philip；　had　been　one　Herodicus；　prince　of
Thessaly；　he　had；　moreover；　after　him　caused　his　two　sons…in…law　to　be
put　to　death；　each　leaving　a　son　very　young　behind　him。　　Theoxena　and
Archo　were　their　two　widows。　　Theoxena；　though　highly　courted　to　it；
could　not　be　persuaded　to　marry　again：　Archo　married　Poris；　the　greatest
man　among　the　AEnians；　and　by　him　had　a　great　many　children；　whom　she；
dying；　left　at　a　very　tender　age。　　Theoxena；　moved　with　a　maternal
charity　towards　her　nephews；　that　she　might　have　them　under　her　own　eyes
and　in　her　own　protection；　married　Poris：　when　presently　comes　a
proclamation　of　the　king's　edict。　　This　brave…spirited　mother；　suspecting
the　cruelty　of　Philip；　and　afraid　of　the　insolence　of　the　soldiers
towards　these　charming　and　tender　children　was　so　bold　as　to　declare　hat
she　would　rather　kill　them　with　her　own　hands　than　deliver　them。　　Poris；
startled　at　this　protestation；　promised　her　to　steal　them　away；　and　to
transport　them　to　Athens；　and　there　commit　them　to　the　custody　of　some
faithful　friends　of　his。　　They　took；　therefore；　the　opportunity　of　an
annual　feast　which　was　celebrated　at　AEnia　in　honour　of　AEneas；　and
thither　they　went。　　Having　appeared　by　day　at　the　public　ceremonies　and
banquet；　they　stole　the　night　following　into　a　vessel　laid　ready　for　the
purpose；　to　escape　away　by　sea。　　The　wind　proved　contrary；　and　finding
themselves　in　the　morning　within　sight　of　the　land　whence　they　had
launched　overnight；　and　being　pursued　by　the　guards　of　the　port；　Poris
perceiving　this；　laboured　all　he　could　to　make　the　mariners　do　their
utmost　to　escape　from　the　pursuers。　　But　Theoxena；　frantic　with　affection
and　revenge；　in　pursuance　of　her　former　resolution；　prepared　both　weapons
and　poison；　and　exposing　them　before　them；　〃Go　to；　my　children；〃　said
she；　〃death　is　now　the　only　means　of　your　defence　and　liberty；　and　shall
administer　occasion　to