the essays of montaigne, v4-第6部分

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life；　restored　to　thee　all　thy　goods；　and；　finally；　put　thee　in　so　good　a
posture；　by　my　bounty；　of　living　well　and　at　thy　ease；　that　the
victorious　envied　the　conquered。　The　sacerdotal　office　which　thou　madest
suit　to　me　for；　I　conferred　upon　thee；　after　having　denied　it　to　others；
whose　fathers　have　ever　borne　arms　in　my　service。　　After　so　many
obligations；　thou　hast　undertaken　to　kill　me。〃　　At　which　Cinna　crying　out
that　he　was　very　far　from　entertaining　any　so　wicked　a　thought：　〃Thou
dost　not　keep　thy　promise；　Cinna；〃　continued　Augustus；　〃that　thou　wouldst
not　interrupt　me。　　Yes；　thou　hast　undertaken　to　murder　me　in　such　a
place；　on　such　a　day；　in　such　and　such　company；　and　in　such　a　manner。〃
At　which　words；　seeing　Cinna　astounded　and　silent；　not　upon　the　account
of　his　promise　so　to　be；　but　interdict　with　the　weight　of　his　conscience：
〃Why；〃　proceeded　Augustus；　〃to　what　end　wouldst　thou　do　it？　　Is　it　to　be
emperor？　　Believe　me；　the　Republic　is　in　very　ill　condition；　if　I　am　the
only　man　betwixt　thee　and　the　empire。　　Thou　art　not　able　so　much　as　to
defend　thy　own　house；　and　but　t'other　day　was　baffled　in　a　suit；　by　the
opposed　interest　of　a　mere　manumitted　slave。　　What；　hast　thou　neither
means　nor　power　in　any　other　thing；　but　only　to　undertake　Caesar？　　I　quit
the　throne；　if　there　be　no　other　than　I　to　obstruct　thy　hopes。　　Canst
thou　believe　that　Paulus；　that　Fabius；　that　the　Cossii　and　the　Servilii；
and　so　many　noble　Romans；　not　only　so　in　title；　but　who　by　their　virtue
honour　their　nobility；　would　suffer　or　endure　thee？〃　　After　this；　and　a
great　deal　more　that　he　said　to　him　（for　he　was　two　long　hours　in
speaking）；　〃Now　go；　Cinna；　go　thy　way：　I　give　thee　that　life　as　traitor
and　parricide；　which　I　before　gave　thee　in　the　quality　of　an　enemy。　　Let
friendship　from　this　time　forward　begin　betwixt　us；　and　let　us　show
whether　I　have　given；　or　thou　hast　received　thy　life　with　the　better
faith〃；　and　so　departed　from　him。　　Some　time　after；　he　preferred　him　to
the　consular　dignity；　complaining　that　he　had　not　the　confidence　to
demand　it；　had　him　ever　after　for　his　very　great　friend；　and　was；　at
last；　made　by　him　sole　heir　to　all　his　estate。　　Now；　from　the　time　of
this　accident　which　befell　Augustus　in　the　fortieth　year　of　his　age；　he
never　had　any　conspiracy　or　attempt　against　him；　and　so　reaped　the　due
reward　of　this　his　so　generous　clemency。　　But　it　did　not　so　happen　with
our　prince；　his　moderation　and　mercy　not　so　securing　him；　but　that　he
afterwards　fell　into　the　toils　of　the　like　treason；＇The　Duc　de　Guise
was　assassinated　in　1563　by　Poltrot。＇so　vain　and　futile　a　thing　is
human　prudence；　throughout　all　our　projects；　counsels　and　precautions；
Fortune　will　still　be　mistress　of　events。

We　repute　physicians　fortunate　when　they　hit　upon　a　lucky　cure；　as　if
there　was　no　other　art　but　theirs　that　could　not　stand　upon　its　own　legs；
and　whose　foundations　are　too　weak　to　support　itself　upon　its　own　basis；
as　if　no　other　art　stood　in　need　of　Fortune's　hand　to　help　it。　　For　my
part；　I　think　of　physic　as　much　good　or　ill　as　any　one　would　have　me：
for；　thanks　be　to　God；　we　have　no　traffic　together。　　I　am　of　a　quite
contrary　humour　to　other　men；　for　I　always　despise　it；　but　when　I　am
sick；　instead　of　recanting；　or　entering　into　composition　with　it；　I
begin；　moreover；　to　hate　and　fear　it；　telling　them　who　importune　me　to
take　physic；　that　at　all　events　they　must　give　me　time　to　recover　my
strength　and　health；　that　I　may　be　the　better　able　to　support　and
encounter　the　violence　and　danger　of　their　potions。　　I　let　nature　work；
supposing　her　to　be　sufficiently　armed　with　teeth　and　claws　to　defend
herself　from　the　assaults　of　infirmity；　and　to　uphold　that　contexture；
the　dissolution　of　which　she　flies　and　abhors。　　I　am　afraid；　lest；
instead　of　assisting　her　when　close　grappled　and　struggling　with　disease；
I　should　assist　her　adversary；　and　burden　her　still　more　with　work　to　do。

Now；　I　say；　that　not　in　physic　only；　but　in　other　more　certain　arts；
fortune　has　a　very　great　part。

The　poetic　raptures；　the　flights　of　fancy；　that　ravish　and　transport　the
author　out　of　himself；　why　should　we　not　attribute　them　to　his　good
fortune；　since　he　himself　confesses　that　they　exceed　his　sufficiency　and
force；　and　acknowledges　them　to　proceed　from　something　else　than　himself；
and　that　he　has　them　no　more　in　his　power　than　the　orators　say　they　have
those　extraordinary　motions　and　agitations　that　sometimes　push　them
beyond　their　design。　　It　is　the　same　in　painting；　where　touches　shall
sometimes　slip　from　the　hand　of　the　painter；　so　surpassing　both　his
conception　and　his　art；　as　to　beget　his　own　admiration　and　astonishment。
But　Fortune　does　yet　more　evidently　manifest　the　share　she　has　in　all
things　of　this　kind；　by　the　graces　and　elegances　we　find　in　them；　not
only　beyond　the　intention；　but　even　without　the　knowledge　of　the　workman：
a　competent　reader　often　discovers　in　other　men's　writings　other
perfections　than　the　author　himself　either　intended　or　perceived；　a
richer　sense　and　more　quaint　expression。

As　to　military　enterprises；　every　one　sees　how　great　a　hand　Fortune　has
in　them。　　Even　in　our　counsels　and　deliberations　there　must；　certainly；
be　something　of　chance　and　good…luck　mixed　with　human　prudence；　for　all
that　our　wisdom　can　do　alone　is　no　great　matter；　the　more　piercing；
quick；　and　apprehensive　it　is；　the　weaker　it　finds　itself；　and　is　by　so
much　more　apt　to　mistrust　itself。　　I　am　of　Sylla's　opinion；　＇〃Who　freed
his　great　deeds　from　envy　by　ever　attributing　them　to　his　good　fortune；
and　finally　by　surnaming　himself　Faustus；　the　Lucky。Plutarch；　How　far　a
Man　may　praise　Himself；　c。　9。＇　and　when　I　closely　examine　the　most
glorious　exploits　of　war；　I　perceive；　methinks；　that　those　who　carry　them
on　make　use　of　counsel　and　debate　only　for　custom's　sake；　and　leave　the
best　part　of　the　enterprise　to　Fortune；　and　relying　upon　her　aid；
transgress；　at　every　turn；　the　bounds　of　military　conduct　and　the　rules
of　war。　　There　happen；　sometimes；　fortuitous　alacrities　and　strange
furies　in　their　deliberations；　that　for　the　most　part　prompt　them　to
follow　the　worst　grounded　counsels；　and　swell　their　courage　beyond　the
limits　of　reason。　　Whence　it　happened　that　several　of　the　great　captains
of　old；　to　justify　those　rash　resolutions；　have　been　fain　to　tell　their
soldiers　that　they　were　invited　to　such　attempts　by　some　inspiration；
some　sign　and　prognostic。

Wherefore；　in　this　doubt　and　uncertainty；　that　the　shortsightedness　of
human　wisdom　to　see　and　choose　the　best　（by　reason　of　the　difficulties
that　the　various　accidents　and　circumstances　of　things　bring　along　with
them）　perplexes　us　withal；　the　surest　way；　in　my　opinion；　did　no　other
consideration　invite　us　to　it；　is　to　pitch　upon　that　wherein　is　the
greatest　appearance　of　honesty　and　justice；　and　not；　being　certain　of　the
shortest；　to　keep　the　straightest　and　most　direct　way；　as　in　the　two
examples　I　have　just　given；　there　is　no　question　but　it　was　more　noble
and　generous　in　him　who　had　received　the　offence；　to　pardon　it；　than　to
do　otherwise。　　If　the　former　＇The　Duc　de　Guise。＇　miscarried　in　it；　he
is　not；　nevertheless；　to　be　blamed　for　his　good　intention；　neither　does
any　one　know　if　he　had　proceeded　otherwise；　whether　by　that　means　he　had
avoided　the　end　his　destiny　had　appointed　for　him；　and　he　had；　moreover；
lost　the　glory　of　so　humane　an　act。

You　will　read　in　history；　of　many　who　have　been　in　such　apprehension；
that　the　most　part　have　taken　the　course　to　meet　and　anticipate
conspiracies　against　them　by　punishment　and　revenge；　but　I　find　very　few
who　have　reaped　any　advantage　by　this　proceeding；　witness　so　many　Roman
emperors。　　Whoever　finds　himself　in　this　danger；　ought　not　to　expect　much
either　from　his　vigilance　or　power；　for　how　hard　a　thing　is　it　for　a　man
to　secure　himself　from　an　enemy；　who　lies　concealed　under　the　countenance
of　the　most　assiduous　friend　we　have；　and　to　discover　and　know　the　wills
and　inward　thoughts　of　those　who　are　in　our　personal　service。　　'Tis　to
much　purpose　to　have　a　guard　of　foreigners　about　one；　and　to　be　always
fenced　about　with　a　pale　of　armed　men；　whosoever　despises　his　own　life；
is　always　master　of　that　of　another　man。＇Seneca；　Ep。；　4。＇　　And
moreover；　this　continual　suspicion；　that　makes　a　prince　jealous　of　all
the　world；　must　of　necessity　be　a　strange　torment　to　him。　　Therefore　it
was；　that　Dion；　being　advertised　that　Callippus　watched　all　opportunities
to　take　away　his　life；　had　never　the　heart　to　inquire　more　particularly
into　it；　saying；　that　he　had　rather　die　than　live　in　that　misery；　that　he
must　continually　stand　upon　his　guard；　not　only　against　his　enemies；　but
his　friends　also；＇Plutarch；　Apothegms。＇　which　Alexander　much　more
vividly　and　more　roundly　manifested　in　effect；　when；　having　notice　by　a
letter　from　Parmenio；　that　Philip；　his　most　beloved　physician；　was　by
Darius'　money　corrupted　to　poison　him；　at　the　same　time　he　gave　the
letter　to　Philip　to　read；　drank　off　the　potion　he　had　brought　him。　　Was
not　this　to　express　a　resolution；　that　if　his　friends　had　a　mind　to
despatch　him　out　of　the　world；　he　was　willing　to　give　them　opportunity　to
do　it？　　This　prince　is；　indeed；　the　sovereign　pattern　of　hazardous
actions；　but　I　do　not　know　whether　there　be　another　passage　in　his　life
wherein　there　is　so　much　firm　courage　as　in　this；　nor　so　illustrious　an
image　of　the　beauty　and　greatness　of　his　mind。

Those　who　preach　to　princes　so　circumspect　and　vigilant　a　jealousy　and
distrust；　under　colour　of　security；　preach　to　them　ruin　and　dishonour：
nothing　noble　can　be　performed　without　danger。　　I　know　a　person；
naturally　of　a　very　great　daring　and　enterprising　courage；　whose　good
fortune　is　continually　marred　by　such　persuasions；　that　he　keep　himself
close　surrounded　by　his　friends；　that　he　must　not　hearken　to　any
reconciliation　with　his　ancient　enemies；　that　he　must　stand　aloof；　and
not　trust　his　person　in　hands　stronger　than　his　own；　what　promises　or
offers　soever　they　may　make　him；　or　what　advantages　soever　he　may　see
before　him。　　And　I　know　another；　who　has　unexpectedly　advanced　his
fortunes　by　following　a　clear　contrary　advice。

Courage；　t