the essays of montaigne, v10-第11部分

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　　　　　proper　that　the　reader　be　attentive；　that　he　may　not　entirely　lose
　　　　　the　thread　of　the　argument。　　In　some　later　editions　of　this　author；
　　　　　it　has　been　attempted　to　remedy　this　inconvenience；　but　without
　　　　　observing　that　Montaigne's　argument　is　rendered　more　feeble　and
　　　　　obscure　by　such　vain　repetitions：　it　is　a　licence　that　ought　not　to
　　　　　be　taken；　because　he　who　publishes　the　work　of　another；　ought　to
　　　　　give　it　as　the　other　composed　ft。　　But；　in　Mr　Cotton's　translation；
　　　　　be　was　so　puzzled　with　this　enormous　parenthesis　that　he　has　quite
　　　　　left　it　out〃Coste。＇

I　borrow　from　the　vulgar　opinion；　which　is　false；　notwithstanding　the
witty　conceit　of　Arcesilaus　in　answer　to　one；　who；　being　reproached　that
many　scholars　went　from　his　school　to　the　Epicurean；　but　never　any　from
thence　to　his　school；　said　in　answer；　〃I　believe　it　indeed；　numbers　of
capons　being　made　out　of　cocks；　but　never　any　cocks　out　of　capons。〃　
＇Diogenes　Laertius；　Life　of　Archesilaus；　lib。　　iv。；　43。＇　For；　in　truth；
the　Epicurean　sect　is　not　at　all　inferior　to　the　Stoic　in　steadiness；　and
the　rigour　of　opinions　and　precepts。　　And　a　certain　Stoic；　showing　more
honesty　than　those　disputants；　who；　in　order　to　quarrel　with　Epicurus；
and　to　throw　the　game　into　their　hands；　make　him　say　what　he　never
thought；　putting　a　wrong　construction　upon　his　words；　clothing　his
sentences；　by　the　strict　rules　of　grammar；　with　another　meaning；　and　a
different　opinion　from　that　which　they　knew　he　entertained　in　his　mind
and　in　his　morals；　the　Stoic；　I　say；　declared　that　he　abandoned　the
Epicurean　sect；　upon　this　among　other　considerations；　that　he　thought
their　road　too　lofty　and　inaccessible；

　　　　　＇〃And　those　are　called　lovers　of　pleasure；　being　in　effect
　　　　　lovers　of　honour　and　justice；　who　cultivate　and　observe　all
　　　　　the　virtues。〃Cicero；　Ep。　　Fam。；　xv。　i；　19。＇

These　philosophers　say　that　it　is　not　enough　to　have　the　soul　seated　in
a　good　place；　of　a　good　temper；　and　well　disposed　to　virtue；　it　is　not
enough　to　have　our　resolutions　and　our　reasoning　fixed　above　all　the
power　of　fortune；　but　that　we　are；　moreover；　to　seek　occasions　wherein　to
put　them　to　the　proof：　they　would　seek　pain；　necessity；　and　contempt　to
contend　with　them　and　to　keep　the　soul　in　breath：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Multum　sibi　adjicit　virtus　lacessita。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Virtue　is　much　strengthened　by　combats。〃
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　or：　　〃Virtue　attacked　adds　to　its　own　force。〃
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Seneca；　Ep。；　13。＇

'Tis　one　of　the　reasons　why　Epaminondas；　who　was　yet　of　a　third　sect；
＇The　Pythagorean。＇　refused　the　riches　fortune　presented　to　him　by
very　lawful　means；　because；　said　he；　I　am　to　contend　with　poverty；　in
which　extreme　he　maintained　himself　to　the　last。　　Socrates　put　himself；
methinks；　upon　a　ruder　trial；　keeping　for　his　exercise　a　confounded
scolding　wife；　which　was　fighting　at　sharps。　　Metellus　having；　of　all　the
Roman　senators；　alone　attempted；　by　the　power　of　virtue；　to　withstand　the
violence　of　Saturninus；　tribune　of　the　people　at　Rome；　who　would；　by　all
means；　cause　an　unjust　law　to　pass　in　favour　of　the　commons；　and；　by　so
doing；　having　incurred　the　capital　penalties　that　Saturninus　had
established　against　the　dissentient；　entertained　those　who；　in　this
extremity；　led　him　to　execution　with　words　to　this　effect：　That　it　was　a
thing　too　easy　and　too　base　to　do　ill；　and　that　to　do　well　where　there
was　no　danger　was　a　common　thing；　but　that　to　do　well　where　there　was
danger　was　the　proper　office　of　a　man　of　virtue。　　These　words　of　Metellus
very　clearly　represent　to　us　what　I　would　make　out；　viz。；　that　virtue
refuses　facility　for　a　companion；　and　that　the　easy；　smooth；　and
descending　way　by　which　the　regular　steps　of　a　sweet　disposition　of
nature　are　conducted　is　not　that　of　a　true　virtue；　she　requires　a　rough
and　stormy　passage；　she　will　have　either　exotic　difficulties　to　wrestle
with；　like　that　of　Metellus；　by　means　whereof　fortune　delights　to
interrupt　the　speed　of　her　career；　or　internal　difficulties；　that　the
inordinate　appetites　and　imperfections　of　our　condition　introduce　to
disturb　her。

I　am　come　thus　far　at　my　ease；　but　here　it　comes　into　my　head　that　the
soul　of　Socrates；　the　most　perfect　that　ever　came　to　my　knowledge；　should
by　this　rule　be　of　very　little　recommendation；　for　I　cannot　conceive　in
that　person　any　the　least　motion　of　a　vicious　inclination：　I　cannot
imagine　there　could　be　any　difficulty　or　constraint　in　the　course　of　his
virtue：　I　know　his　reason　to　be　so　powerful　and　sovereign　over　him　that
she　would　never　have　suffered　a　vicious　appetite　so　much　as　to　spring　in
him。　　To　a　virtue　so　elevated　as　his；　I　have　nothing　to　oppose。　　Methinks
I　see　him　march；　with　a　victorious　and　triumphant　pace；　in　pomp　and　at
his　ease；　without　opposition　or　disturbance。　　If　virtue　cannot　shine
bright；　but　by　the　conflict　of　contrary　appetites；　shall　we　then　say　that
she　cannot　subsist　without　the　assistance　of　vice；　and　that　it　is　from
her　that　she　derives　her　reputation　and　honour？　　What　then；　also；　would
become　of　that　brave　and　generous　Epicurean　pleasure；　which　makes　account
that　it　nourishes　virtue　tenderly　in　her　lap；　and　there　makes　it　play　and
wanton；　giving　it　for　toys　to　play　withal；　shame；　fevers；　poverty；　death；
and　torments？　　If　I　presuppose　that　a　perfect　virtue　manifests　itself　in
contending；　in　patient　enduring　of　pain；　and　undergoing　the　uttermost
extremity　of　the　gout；　without　being　moved　in　her　seat；　if　I　give　her
troubles　and　difficulty　for　her　necessary　objects：　what　will　become　of　a
virtue　elevated　to　such　a　degree；　as　not　only　to　despise　pain；　but；
moreover；　to　rejoice　in　it；　and　to　be　tickled　with　the　throes　of　a　sharp
colic；　such　as　the　Epicureans　have　established；　and　of　which　many　of
them；　by　their　actions；　have　given　most　manifest　proofs？　　As　have　several
others；　who　I　find　to　have　surpassed　in　effects　even　the　very　rules　of
their　discipline。　　Witness　the　younger　Cato：　When　I　see　him　die；　and
tearing　out　his　own　bowels；　I　am　not　satisfied　simply　to　believe　that　he
had　then　his　soul　totally　exempt　from　all　trouble　and　horror：　I　cannot
think　that　he　only　maintained　himself　in　the　steadiness　that　the　Stoical
rules　prescribed　him；　temperate；　without　emotion；　and　imperturbed。　　There
was；　methinks；　something　in　the　virtue　of　this　man　too　sprightly　and
fresh　to　stop　there；　I　believe　that；　without　doubt；　he　felt　a　pleasure
and　delight　in　so　noble　an　action；　and　was　more　pleased　in　it　than　in　any
other　of　his　life：

　　　　　〃Sic　abiit　a　vita；　ut　causam　moriendi　nactum　se　esse　gauderet。〃

　　　　　＇〃He　quitted　life　rejoicing　that　a　reason　for　dying　had　arisen。〃
　　　　　Cicero；　Tusc。　Quaes。；　i。　30。＇

I　believe　it　so　thoroughly　that　I　question　whether　he　would　have　been
content　to　have　been　deprived　of　the　occasion　of　so　brave　an　exploit；　and
if　the　goodness　that　made　him　embrace　the　public　concern　more　than　his
own；　withheld　me　not；　I　should　easily　fall　into　an　opinion　that　he
thought　himself　obliged　to　fortune　for　having　put　his　virtue　upon　so
brave　a　trial；　and　for　having　favoured　that　theif＇Caesar＇in　treading
underfoot　the　ancient　liberty　of　his　country。　　Methinks　I　read　in　this
action　I　know　not　what　exaltation　in　his　soul；　and　an　extraordinary　and
manly　emotion　of　pleasure；　when　he　looked　upon　the　generosity　and　height
of　his　enterprise：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Deliberate　morte　ferocior；〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃The　more　courageous　from　the　deliberation　to　die。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Horace；　Od。；　i。　37；　29。＇

not　stimulated　with　any　hope　of　glory；　as　the　popular　and　effeminate
judgments　of　some　have　concluded　（for　that　consideration　was　too　mean　and
low　to　possess　so　generous；　so　haughty；　and　so　determined　a　heart　as
his）；　but　for　the　very　beauty　of　the　thing　in　itself；　which　he　who　had
the　handling　of　the　springs　discerned　more　clearly　and　in　its　perfection
than　we　are　able　to　do。　　Philosophy　has　obliged　me　in　determining　that　so
brave　an　action　had　been　indecently　placed　in　any　other　life　than　that　of
Cato；　and　that　it　only　appertained　to　his　to　end　so；　notwithstanding；　and
according　to　reason；　he　commanded　his　son　and　the　senators　who
accompanied　him　to　take　another　course　in　their　affairs：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Catoni；　quum　incredibilem　natura　tribuisset　gravitatem；
　　　　　　　　　　eamque　ipse　perpetue　constantia　roboravisset；　semperque
　　　　　　　　　　in　proposito　consilio　permansisset；　moriendum　potius；
　　　　　　　　　　quam　tyranni　vultus　aspiciendus；　erat。〃

　　　　　＇〃Cato；　whom　nature　had　given　incredible　dignity；　which　he　had
　　　　　fortified　by　perpetual　constancy；　ever　remaining　of　his
　　　　　predetermined　opinion；　preferred　to　die　rather　than　to　look
　　　　　on　the　countenance　of　a　tyrant。〃Cicero；　De　Ofc。；　i。　31。＇

Every　death　ought　to　hold　proportion　with　the　life　before　it；　we　do　not
become　others　for　dying。　　I　always　interpret　the　death　by　the　life
preceding；　and　if　any　one　tell　me　of　a　death　strong　and　constant　in
appearance；　annexed　to　a　feeble　life；　I　conclude　it　produced　by　some
feeble　cause；　and　suitable　to　the　life　before。　　The　easiness　then　of　his
death　and　the　facility　of　dying　he　had　acquired　by　the　vigour　of　his
soul；　shall　we　say　that　it　ought　to　abate　anything　of　the　lustre　of　his
virtue？　　And　who；　that　has　his　brain　never　so　little　tinctured　with　the
true　philosophy；　can　be　content　to　imagine　Socrates　only　free　from　fear
and　passion　in　the　accident　of　his　prison；　fetters；　and　condemnation？
and　that　will　not　discover　in　him　not　only　firmness　and　constancy　（which
was　his　ordinary　condition）；　but；　moreover；　I　know　not　what　new
satisfaction；　and　a　frolic　cheerfulness　in　his　last　words　and　actions？
In　the　start　he　gave　with　the　pleasure　of　scratching　his　leg　when　his
irons　were　taken　off；　does　he　not　discover　an　equal　serenity　and　joy　in
his　soul　for　being　freed　from　past　inconveniences；　and　at　the　same　time
to　enter　into　the　knowledge　of　the　things　to　come？　　Cato　shall　pardon　me；
if　he　please；　his　death　indeed　is　more　tragical　and　more　lingering；　but
yet　this　is；　I　know　not　how；　methinks；　finer。　　Aristippus；　to　one　that
was　lamenting　this　death：　〃The　gods　grant　me　such　an　one；〃　said　he。
A　man　discerns　in　the　soul　of　these　two　great　men　and　their　imitators