the essays of montaigne, v13-第7部分

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him　in　his　chamber；　his　kitchen；　and　all　other　offices。　　They　refused；
whereupon　she　put　herself　into　a　fisher…boat　she　hired　on　the　spot；　and
in　that　manner　followed　him　from　Sclavonia。　　When　she　had　come　to　Rome；
Junia；　the　widow　of　Scribonianus；　having　one　day；　from　the　resemblance　of
their　fortune；　accosted　her　in　the　Emperor's　presence；　she　rudely
repulsed　her　with　these　words；　〃I；〃　said　she；　〃speak　to　thee；　or　give　ear
to　any　thing　thou　sayest！　to　thee　in　whose　lap　Scribonianus　was　slain；
and　thou　art　yet　alive！〃　　These　words；　with　several　other　signs；　gave　her
friends　to　understand　that　she　would　undoubtedly　despatch　herself；
impatient　of　supporting　her　husband's　misfortune。　　And　Thrasea；　her　son…
in…law；　beseeching　her　not　to　throw　away　herself；　and　saying　to　her；
〃What！　if　I　should　run　the　same　fortune　that　Caecina　has　done；　would　you
that　your　daughter；　my　wife；　should　do　the　same？〃〃　Would　I？〃　　replied
she；　〃yes；　yes；　I　would：　if　she　had　lived　as　long；　and　in　as　good
understanding　with　thee　as　I　have　done；　with　my　husband。〃　　These　answers
made　them　more　careful　of　her；　and　to　have　a　more　watchful　eye　to　her
proceedings。　　One　day；　having　said　to　those　who　looked　to　her：　〃Tis　to
much　purpose　that　you　take　all　this　pains　to　prevent　me；　you　may　indeed
make　me　die　an　ill　death；　but　to　keep　me　from　dying　is　not　in　your
power〃；　she　in　a　sudden　phrenzy　started　from　a　chair　whereon　she　sat；　and
with　all　her　force　dashed　her　head　against　the　wall；　by　which　blow　being
laid　flat　in　a　swoon；　and　very　much　wounded；　after　they　had　again　with
great　ado　brought　her　to　herself：　〃I　told　you；〃　said　she；　〃that　if　you
refused　me　some　easy　way　of　dying；　I　should　find　out　another；　how　painful
soever。〃　　The　conclusion　of　so　admirable　a　virtue　was　this：　her　husband
Paetus；　not　having　resolution　enough　of　his　own　to　despatch　himself；　as
he　was　by　the　emperor's　cruelty　enjoined；　one　day；　amongst　others；　after
having　first　employed　all　the　reasons　and　exhortations　which　she　thought
most　prevalent　to　persuade　him　to　it；　she　snatched　the　poignard　he　wore
from　his　side；　and　holding　it　ready　in　her　hand；　for　the　conclusion　of
her　admonitions；　〃Do　thus；　Paetus；〃　said　she；　and　in　the　same　instant
giving　herself　a　mortal　stab　in　the　breast；　and　then　drawing　it　out　of
the　wound；　presented　it　to　him；　ending　her　life　with　this　noble；
generous；　and　immortal　saying；　〃Paete；　non　dolet〃having　time　to
pronounce　no　more　but　those　three　never…to…be…forgotten　words：　〃Paetus；
it　is　not　painful。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Casta　suo　gladium　cum　traderet　Arria　Paeto；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Quern　de　visceribus　traxerat　ipsa　suis
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Si　qua　fides；　vulnus　quod　feci　non　dolet；　inquit；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Sed　quod　to　facies；　id　mihi；　Paete；　dolet。〃

　　　　　＇〃When　the　chaste　Arria　gave　to　Poetus　the　reeking　sword　she　had
　　　　　drawn　from　her　breast；　'If　you　believe　me；'　she　said；　'Paetus；　the
　　　　　wound　I　have　made　hurts　not；　but　'tis　that　which　thou　wilt　make　that
　　　　　hurts　me。'〃…Martial；　i。　14。＇

The　action　was　much　more　noble　in　itself；　and　of　a　braver　sense　than　the
poet　expressed　it：　for　she　was　so　far　from　being　deterred　by　the　thought
of　her　husband's　wound　and　death　and　her　own；　that　she　had　been　their
promotress　and　adviser：　but　having　performed　this　high　and　courageous
enterprise　for　her　husband's　only　convenience；　she　had　even　in　the　last
gasp　of　her　life　no　other　concern　but　for　him；　and　of　dispossessing　him
of　the　fear　of　dying　with　her。　　Paetus　presently　struck　himself　to　the
heart　with　the　same　weapon；　ashamed；　I　suppose；　to　have　stood　in　need　of
so　dear　and　precious　an　example。

Pompeia　Paulina；　a　young　and　very　noble　Roman　lady；　had　married　Seneca　in
his　extreme　old　age。　　Nero；　his　fine　pupil；　sent　his　guards　to　him　to
denounce　the　sentence　of　death；　which　was　performed　after　this　manner：
When　the　Roman　emperors　of　those　times　had　condemned　any　man　of　quality；
they　sent　to　him　by　their　officers　to　choose　what　death　he　would；　and　to
execute　it　within　such　or　such　a　time；　which　was　limited；　according　to
the　degree　of　their　indignation；　to　a　shorter　or　a　longer　respite；　that
they　might　therein　have　better　leisure　to　dispose　their　affairs；　and
sometimes　depriving　them　of　the　means　of　doing　it　by　the　shortness　of　the
time；　and　if　the　condemned　seemed　unwilling　to　submit　to　the　order；　they
had　people　ready　at　hand　to　execute　it　either　by　cutting　the　veins　of　the
arms　and　legs；　or　by　compelling　them　by　force　to　swallow　a　draught　of
poison。　　But　persons　of　honour　would　not　abide　this　necessity；　but　made
use　of　their　own　physicians　and　surgeons　for　this　purpose。　　Seneca；　with
a　calm　and　steady　countenance；　heard　their　charge；　and　presently　called
for　paper　to　write　his　will；　which　being　by　the　captain　refused；　he
turned　himself　towards　his　friends；　saying　to　them；　〃Since　I　cannot　leave
you　any　other　acknowledgment　of　the　obligation　I　have　to　you；　I　leave　you
at　least　the　best　thing　I　have；　namely；　the　image　of　my　life　and　manners；
which　I　entreat　you　to　keep　in　memory　of　me；　that　by　so　doing　you　may
acquire　the　glory　of　sincere　and　real　friends。〃　　And　there　withal；　one
while　appeasing　the　sorrow　he　saw　in　them　with　gentle　words；　and
presently　raising　his　voice　to　reprove　them：　〃What；〃　said　he；　〃are　become
of　all　our　brave　philosophical　precepts？　What　are　become　of　all　the
provisions　we　have　so　many　years　laid　up　against　the　accidents　of
fortune？　Is　Nero's　cruelty　unknown　to　us？　　What　could　we　expect　from　him
who　had　murdered　his　mother　and　his　brother；　but　that　he　should　put　his
tutor　to　death　who　had　brought　him　up？〃　　After　having　spoken　these　words
in　general；　he　turned　himself　towards　his　wife；　and　embracing　her　fast　in
his　arms；　as；　her　heart　and　strength　failing　her；　she　was　ready　to　sink
down　with　grief；　he　begged　of　her；　for　his　sake；　to　bear　this　accident
with　a　little　more　patience；　telling　her；　that　now　the　hour　was　come
wherein　he　was　to　show；　not　by　argument　and　discourse；　but　effect；　the
fruit　he　had　acquired　by　his　studies；　and　that　he　really　embraced　his
death；　not　only　without　grief；　but　moreover　with　joy。　　〃Wherefore；　my
dearest；〃　said　he；　〃do　not　dishonour　it　with　thy　tears；　that　it　may　not
seem　as　if　thou　lovest　thyself　more　than　my　reputation。　　Moderate　thy
grief；　and　comfort　thyself　in　the　knowledge　thou　hast　had　of　me　and　my
actions；　leading　the　remainder　of　thy　life　in　the　same　virtuous　manner
thou　hast　hitherto　done。〃　　To　which　Paulina；　having　a　little　recovered
her　spirits；　and　warmed　the　magnanimity　of　her　courage　with　a　most
generous　affection；　replied；　〃No；　Seneca；〃　said　she；　〃I　am　not　a　woman
to　suffer　you　to　go　alone　in　such　a　necessity：　I　will　not　have　you　think
that　the　virtuous　examples　of　your　life　have　not　taught　me　how　to　die；
and　when　can　I　ever　better　or　more　fittingly　do　it；　or　more　to　my　own
desire；　than　with　you？　and　therefore　assure　yourself　I　will　go　along　with
you。〃　　Then　Seneca；　taking　this　noble　and　generous　resolution　of　his　wife
m　good　part；　and　also　willing　to　free　himself　from　the　fear　of　leaving
her　exposed　to　the　cruelty　of　his　enemies　after　his　death：　〃I　have；
Paulina；〃　said　he；　〃instructed　thee　in　what　would　serve　thee　happily　to
live；　but　thou　more　covetest；　I　see；　the　honour　of　dying：　in　truth；
I　will　not　grudge　it　thee；　the　constancy　and　resolution　in　our　common　end
are　the　same；　but　the　beauty　and　glory　of　thy　part　are　much　greater。〃
Which　being　said；　the　surgeons；　at　the　same　time；　opened　the　veins　of
both　their　arms；　but　as　those　of　Seneca　were　more　shrunk　up；　as　well　with
age　as　abstinence；　made　his　blood　flow　too　slowly；　he　moreover　commanded
them　to　open　the　veins　of　his　thighs；　and　lest　the　torments　he　endured
might　pierce　his　wife's　heart；　and　also　to　free　himself　from　the
affliction　of　seeing　her　in　so　sad　a　condition；　after　having　taken　a　very
affectionate　leave　of　her；　he　entreated　she　would　suffer　them　to　carry
her　into　her　chamber；　which　they　accordingly　did。　　But　all　these
incisions　being　not　yet　enough　to　make　him　die；　he　commanded　Statius
Anneus；　his　physician；　to　give　him　a　draught　of　poison；　which　had　not
much　better　effect；　for　by　reason　of　the　weakness　and　coldness　of　his
limbs；　it　could　not　arrive　at　his　heart。　　Wherefore　they　were　forced　to
superadd　a　very　hot　bath；　and　then；　feeling　his　end　approach；　whilst　he
had　breath　he　continued　excellent　discourses　upon　the　subject　of　his
present　condition；　which　the　secretaries　wrote　down　so　long　as　they　could
hear　his　voice；　and　his　last　words　were　long　after　in　high　honour　and
esteem　amongst　men；　and　it　is　a　great　loss　to　us　that　they　have　not　come
down　to　our　times。　　Then；　feeling　the　last　pangs　of　death；　with　the
bloody　water　of　the　bath　he　bathed　his　head；　saying：　〃This　water　I
dedicate　to　Jupiter　the　deliverer。〃　　Nero；　being　presently　informed　of
all　this；　fearing　lest　the　death　of　Paulina；　who　was　one　of　the　best…born
ladies　of　Rome；　and　against　whom　he　had　no　particular　unkindness；　should
turn　to　his　reproach；　sent　orders　in　all　haste　to　bind　up　her　wounds；
which　her　attendants　did　without　her　knowledge；　she　being　already　half
dead；　and　without　all　manner　of　sense。　　Thus；　though　she　lived　contrary
to　her　own　design；　it　was　very　honourably；　and　befitting　her　own　virtue；
her　pale　complexion　ever　after　manifesting　how　much　life　had　run　from　her
veins。

These　are　my　three　very　true　stories；　which　I　find　as　entertaining　and　as
tragic　as　any　of　those　we　make　out　of　our　own　heads　wherewith　to　amuse
the　common　people；　and　I　wonder　that　they　who　are　addicted　to　such
relations；　do　not　rather　cull　out　ten　thousand　very　fine　stories；　which
are　to　be　found　in　books；　that　would　save　them　the　trouble　of　invention；
and　be　more　useful　and　diverting；　and　he　who　would　make　a　whole　and
connected　body　of　them　would　need　to　add　nothing　of　his　own；　but　the
connection　only；　as　it　were　the　solder　of　another　metal；　and　might　by
this　means　embody　a　great　many　true　events　of　all　sorts；　disposing　and
diversifying　them　according　as　the　beauty　of　the　work　should　require；
after　the　same　manner；　almost；　as　Ovid　has　made　up　his　Metamorphoses　of
the　infinite　number　of　various　fables。

In　the　last　couple；　this　is；　moreover；　worthy　of　consideration；　that