the essays of montaigne, v8-第3部分

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the　French。　　A　good　horseman；　according　to　our　way　of　speaking；　seems
rather　to　have　respect　to　the　courage　of　the　man　than　address　in　riding。
Of　all　that　ever　I　saw；　the　most　knowing　in　that　art；　who　had　the　best
seat　and　the　best　method　in　breaking　horses；　was　Monsieur　de　Carnavalet；
who　served　our　King　Henry　II。

I　have　seen　a　man　ride　with　both　his　feet　upon　the　saddle；　take　off　his
saddle；　and　at　his　return　take　it　up　again　and　replace　it；　riding　all　the
while　full　speed；　having　galloped　over　a　cap；　make　at　it　very　good　shots
backwards　with　his　bow；　take　up　anything　from　the　ground；　setting　one
foot　on　the　ground　and　the　other　in　the　stirrup：　with　twenty　other　ape's
tricks；　which　he　got　his　living　by。

There　has　been　seen　in　my　time　at　Constantinople　two　men　upon　one　horse；
who；　in　the　height　of　its　speed；　would　throw　themselves　off　and　into　the
saddle　again　by　turn；　and　one　who　bridled　and　saddled　his　horse　with
nothing　but　his　teeth；　an　other　who　betwixt　two　horses；　one　foot　upon　one
saddle　and　the　other　upon　another；　carrying　the　other　man　upon　his
shoulders；　would　ride　full　career；　the　other　standing　bolt　upright　upon
and　making　very　good　shots　with　his　bow；　several　who　would　ride　full
speed　with　their　heels　upward；　and　their　heads　upon　the　saddle　betwixt
several　scimitars；　with　the　points　upwards；　fixed　in　the　harness。　　When　I
was　a　boy；　the　prince　of　Sulmona；　riding　an　unbroken　horse　at　Naples；
prone　to　all　sorts　of　action；　held　reals　＇A　small　coin　of　Spain；　the
Two　Sicilies；　&c。＇　under　his　knees　and　toes；　as　if　they　had　been　nailed
there；　to　shew　the　firmness　of　his　seat。




CHAPTER　XLIX

OF　ANCIENT　CUSTOMS

I　should　willingly　pardon　our　people　for　admitting　no　other　pattern　or
rule　of　perfection　than　their　own　peculiar　manners　and　customs；　for　'tis
a　common　vice；　not　of　the　vulgar　only；　but　almost　of　all　men；　to　walk　in
the　beaten　road　their　ancestors　have　trod　before　them。　　I　am　content；
when　they　see　Fabricius　or　Laelius；　that　they　look　upon　their　countenance
and　behaviour　as　barbarous；　seeing　they　are　neither　clothed　nor　fashioned
according　to　our　mode。　　But　I　find　fault　with　their　singular　indiscretion
in　suffering　themselves　to　be　so　blinded　and　imposed　upon　by　the
authority　of　the　present　usage　as　every　month　to　alter　their　opinion；　if
custom　so　require；　and　that　they　should　so　vary　their　judgment　in　their
own　particular　concern。　　When　they　wore　the　busk　of　their　doublets　up　as
high　as　their　breasts；　they　stiffly　maintained　that　they　were　in　their
proper　place；　some　years　after　it　was　slipped　down　betwixt　their　thighs；
and　then　they　could　laugh　at　the　former　fashion　as　uneasy　and
intolerable。　　The　fashion　now　in　use　makes　them　absolutely　condemn　the
other　two　with　so　great　resolution　and　so　universal　consent；　that　a　man
would　think　there　was　a　certain　kind　of　madness　crept　in　amongst　them；
that　infatuates　their　understandings　to　this　strange　degree。　　Now；　seeing
that　our　change　of　fashions　is　so　prompt　and　sudden；　that　the　inventions
of　all　the　tailors　in　the　world　cannot　furnish　out　new　whim…whams　enow　to
feed　our　vanity　withal；　there　will　often　be　a　necessity　that　the　despised
forms　must　again　come　in　vogue；　these　immediately　after　fall　into　the
same　contempt；　and　that　the　same　judgment　must；　in　the　space　of　fifteen
or　twenty　years；　take　up　half…a…dozen　not　only　divers　but　contrary
opinions；　with　an　incredible　lightness　and　inconstancy；　there　is　not　any
of　us　so　discreet；　who　suffers　not　himself　to　be　gulled　with　this
contradiction；　and　both　in　external　and　internal　sight　to　be　insensibly
blinded。

I　wish　to　muster　up　here　some　old　customs　that　I　have　in　memory；　some　of
them　the　same　with　ours；　the　others　different；　to　the　end　that；　bearing
in　mind　this　continual　variation　of　human　things；　we　may　have　our
judgment　more　clearly　and　firmly　settled。

The　thing　in　use　amongst　us　of　fighting　with　rapier　and　cloak　was　in
practice　amongst　the　Romans　also：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Sinistras　sagis　involvunt；　gladiosque　distringunt；〃

　　　　　＇〃They　wrapt　their　cloaks　upon　the　left　arm；　and　drew　their
　　　　　swords。〃De　Bello　Civili；　i。　75。＇

says　Caesar；　and　he　observes　a　vicious　custom　of　our　nation；　that
continues　yet　amongst　us；　which　is　to　stop　passengers　we　meet　upon　the
road；　to　compel　them　to　give　an　account　who　they　are；　and　to　take　it　for
an　affront　and　just　cause　of　quarrel　if　they　refuse　to　do　it。

At　the　Baths；　which　the　ancients　made　use　of　every　day　before　they　went
to　dinner；　and　as　frequently　as　we　wash　our　hands；　they　at　first　only
bathed　their　arms　and　legs；　but　afterwards；　and　by　a　custom　that　has
continued　for　many　ages　in　most　nations　of　the　world；　they　bathed　stark
naked　in　mixed　and　perfumed　water；　looking　upon　it　as　a　great　simplicity
to　bathe　in　mere　water。　　The　most　delicate　and　affected　perfumed
themselves　all　over　three　or　four　times　a　day。　　They　often　caused　their
hair　to　be　pinched　off；　as　the　women　of　France　have　some　time　since　taken
up　a　custom　to　do　their　foreheads；

　　　　　　　　　　〃Quod　pectus；　quod　crura　tibi；　quod　brachia　veilis；〃

　　　　　＇〃You　pluck　the　hairs　out　of　your　breast；　your　arms；　and　thighs。〃
　　　　　Martial；　ii。　　62；　i。＇

though　they　had　ointments　proper　for　that　purpose：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Psilotro　nitet；　aut　acids　latet　oblita　creta。〃

　　　　　＇〃She　shines　with　unguents；　or　with　chalk　dissolved　in　vinegar。〃
　　　　　Idem；　vi。　　93；　9。＇

They　delighted　to　lie　soft；　and　alleged　it　as　a　great　testimony　of
hardiness　to　lie　upon　a　mattress。　　They　ate　lying　upon　beds；　much　after
the　manner　of　the　Turks　in　this　age：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Inde　thoro　pater　AEneas　sic　orsus　ab　alto。〃

　　　　　＇〃Thus　Father　AEneas；　from　his　high　bed　of　state；　spoke。〃
　　　　　AEneid；　ii。　2。＇

And　'tis　said　of　the　younger　Cato；　that　after　the　battle　of　Pharsalia；
being　entered　into　a　melancholy　disposition　at　the　ill　posture　of　the
public　affairs；　he　took　his　repasts　always　sitting；　assuming　a　strict　and
austere　course　of　life。　　It　was　also　their　custom　to　kiss　the　hands　of
great　persons；　the　more　to　honour　and　caress　them。　　And　meeting　with
friends；　they　always　kissed　in　salutation；　as　do　the　Venetians：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Gratatusque　darem　cum　dulcibus　oscula　verbis。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃And　kindest　words　I　would　mingle　with　kisses。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Ovid；　De　Pont。；　iv。　9；　13＇

In　petitioning　or　saluting　any　great　man；　they　used　to　lay　their　hands
upon　his　knees。　　Pasicles　the　philosopher；　brother　of　Crates；　instead　of
laying　his　hand　upon　the　knee　laid　it　upon　the　private　parts；　and　being
roughly　repulsed　by　him　to　whom　he　made　that　indecent　compliment：
〃What；〃　said　he；　〃is　not　that　part　your　own　as　well　as　the　other？〃　
＇Diogenes　Laertius；　vi。　89。＇　They　used　to　eat　fruit；　as　we　do；　after
dinner。　　They　wiped　their　fundaments　（let　the　ladies；　if　they　please；
mince　it　smaller）　with　a　sponge；　which　is　the　reason　that　'spongia'　is　a
smutty　word　in　Latin；　which　sponge　was　fastened　to　the　end　of　a　stick；　as
appears　by　the　story　of　him　who；　as　he　was　led　along　to　be　thrown　to　the
wild　beasts　in　the　sight　of　the　people；　asking　leave　to　do　his　business；
and　having　no　other　way　to　despatch　himself；　forced　the　sponge　and　stick
down　his　throat　and　choked　himself。＇Seneca；　Ep。；　70。＇　They　used　to
wipe；　after　coition；　with　perfumed　wool：

　　　　　　　　　　〃At　tibi　nil　faciam；　sed　Iota　mentula　lana。〃

They　had　in　the　streets　of　Rome　vessels　and　little　tubs　for　passengers　to
urine　in：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Pusi　saepe　lacum　propter　se；　ac　dolia　curta。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Somno　devincti；　credunt　extollere　vestem。〃

　　　　　＇〃The　little　boys　in　their　sleep　often　think　they　are　near　the
　　　　　public　urinal；　and　raise　their　coats　to　make　use　of　it。〃
　　　　　Lucretius；　iv。＇

They　had　collation　betwixt　meals；　and　had　in　summer　cellars　of　snow　to
cool　their　wine；　and　some　there　were　who　made　use　of　snow　in　winter；　not
thinking　their　wine　cool　enough；　even　at　that　cold　season　of　the　year。
The　men　of　quality　had　their　cupbearers　and　carvers；　and　their　buffoons
to　make　them　sport。　　They　had　their　meat　served　up　in　winter　upon　chafing
dishes；　which　were　set　upon　the　table；　and　had　portable　kitchens　（of
which　I　myself　have　seen　some）　wherein　all　their　service　was　carried
about　with　them：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Has　vobis　epulas　habete；　lauti
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Nos　offendimur　ambulante　caena。〃

　　　　　＇〃Do　you；　if　you　please；　esteem　these　feasts：　we　do　not　like　the
　　　　　ambulatory　suppers。〃Martial；　vii。　48；　4。＇

In　summer　they　had　a　contrivance　to　bring　fresh　and　clear　rills　through
their　lower　rooms；　wherein　were　great　store　of　living　fish；　which　the
guests　took　out　with　their　own　hands　to　be　dressed　every　man　according　to
his　own　liking。　　Fish　has　ever　had　this　pre…eminence；　and　keeps　it　still；
that　the　grandees；　as　to　them；　all　pretend　to　be　cooks；　and　indeed　the
taste　is　more　delicate　than　that　of　flesh；　at　least　to　my　fancy。　　But　in
all　sorts　of　magnificence；　debauchery；　and　voluptuous　inventions　of
effeminacy　and　expense；　we　do；　in　truth；　all　we　can　to　parallel　them；
for　our　wills　are　as　corrupt　as　theirs：　but　we　want　ability　to　equal
them。　　Our　force　is　no　more　able　to　reach　them　in　their　vicious；　than　in
their　virtuous；　qualities；　for　both　the　one　and　the　other　proceeded　from
a　vigour　of　soul　which　was　without　comparison　greater　in　them　than　in　us；
and　souls；　by　how　much　the　weaker　they　are；　by　so　much　have　they　less
power　to　do　either　very　well　or　very　ill。

The　highest　place　of　honour　amongst　them　was　the　middle。　　The　name　going
before；　or　following　after；　either　in　writing　or　speaking；　had　no
signification　of　grandeur；　as　is　evident　by　their　writings；　they　will　as
soon　say　Oppius　and　Caesar；　as　Caesar　and　Oppius；　and　me　and　thee；　as
thee　and　me。　　This　is　the　reason　that　made　me　formerly　take　notice　in　the
life　of　Flaminius；　in　our　French　Plutarch；　of　one　passage；　where　it　seems
as　if　the　author；　speaking　of　the　jealousy　of　honour　betwixt　the
AEtolians　and　Romans；　about　the　winning　of　a　battle　they　had　with　their
joined　forces　obtained；　made　it　of　some　importance；　that　in　the　Greek
songs　they　had　put　the　AEtolians　before　the　Romans：　if　there　be　no
amphibology　in　the　words　of　the　French　translation。

The　ladies；　in　their　baths；　made　no　scruple　of　admitting　men　among