the essays of montaigne, v10-第7部分

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And　now　that　our　musketeers　are　in　credit；　I　believe　some　invention　will
be　found　out　to　immure　us　for　our　safety；　and　to　draw　us　to　the　war　in
castles；　such　as　those　the　ancients　loaded　their　elephants　withal。

This　humour　is　far　differing　from　that　of　the　younger　Scipio；　who　sharply
reprehended　his　soldiers　for　having　planted　caltrops　under　water；　in　a
ditch　by　which　those　of　the　town　he　held　besieged　might　sally　out　upon
him；　saying；　that　those　who　assaulted　should　think　of　attacking；　and　not
to　fear；　suspecting；　with　good　reason；　that　this　stop　they　had　put　to　the
enemies；　would　make　themselves　less　vigilant　upon　their　guard。　　He　said
also　to　a　young　man；　who　showed　him　a　fine　buckler　he　had；　that　he　was
very　proud　of；　〃It　is　a　very　fine　buckler　indeed；　but　a　Roman　soldier
ought　to　repose　greater　confidence　in　his　right　hand　than　in　his　left。〃

Now　'tis　nothing　but　the　not　being　used　to　wear　it　that　makes　the　weight
of　our　armour　so　intolerable：

　　　　　　　　　〃L'usbergo　in　dosso　haveano；　et　l'elmo　in　testa；
　　　　　　　　　　Due　di　questi　guerrier；　de'　quali　io　canto；
　　　　　　　　　　Ne　notte　o　di；　d'　appoi　ch'　entraro　in　questa
　　　　　　　　　　Stanza；　gl'haveano　mai　messi　da　canto；
　　　　　　　　　　Che　facile　a　portar　come　la　vesta
　　　　　　　　　　Era　lor；　perche　in　uso　l'havean　tanto：〃

　　　　　＇〃Two　of　the　warriors；　of　whom　I　sing；　had　on　their　backs　their
　　　　　cuirass　and　on　their　heads　their　casque；　and　never　had　night　or　day
　　　　　once　laid　them　by；　whilst　here　they　were；　those　arms；　by　long
　　　　　practice；　were　grown　as　light　to　bear　as　a　garment〃
　　　　　Ariosto；　Cant。；　MI。　30。＇

the　Emperor　Caracalla　was　wont　to　march　on　foot；　completely　armed；　at　the
head　of　his　army。　　The　Roman　infantry　always　carried　not　only　a　morion；　a
sword；　and　a　shield　（for　as　to　arms；　says　Cicero；　they　were　so　accustomed
to　have　them　always　on；　that　they　were　no　more　trouble　to　them　than　their
own　limbs：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Arma　enim　membra　militis　esse　dicunt。〃

but；　moreover；　fifteen　days'　provision；　together　with　a　certain　number　of
stakes；　wherewith　to　fortify　their　camp；　sixty　pounds　in　weight。　　And
Marius'　soldiers；　laden　at　the　same　rate；　were　inured　to　march　in　order
of　battle　five　leagues　in　five　hours；　and　sometimes；　upon　any　urgent
occasion；　six。

Their　military　discipline　was　much　ruder　than　ours；　and　accordingly
produced　much　greater　effects。　　The　younger　Scipio；　reforming　his　army　in
Spain；　ordered　his　soldiers　to　eat　standing；　and　nothing　that　was　drest。
The　jeer　that　was　given　a　Lacedaemonian　soldier　is　marvellously　pat　to
this　purpose；　who；　in　an　expedition　of　war；　was　reproached　for　having
been　seen　under　the　roof　of　a　house：　they　were　so　inured　to　hardship
that；　let　the　weather　be　what　it　would；　it　was　a　shame　to　be　seen　under
any　other　cover　than　the　roof　of　heaven。　　We　should　not　march　our　people
very　far　at　that　rate。

As　to　what　remains；　Marcellinus；　　a　man　bred　up　in　the　Roman　wars；
curiously　observes　the　manner　of　the　Parthians　arming　themselves；　and　the
rather；　for　being　so　different　from　that　of　the　Romans。　　〃They　had；〃　says
he；　〃armour　so　woven　as　to　have　all　the　scales　fall　over　one　another　like
so　many　little　feathers；　which　did　nothing　hinder　the　motion　of　the　body；
and　yet　were　of　such　resistance；　that　our　darts　hitting　upon　them；　would
rebound〃　（these　were　the　coats　of　mail　our　forefathers　were　so　constantly
wont　to　use）。　　And　in　another　place：　〃they　had；〃　says　he；　〃strong　and
able　horses；　covered　with　thick　tanned　hides　of　leather；　and　were
themselves　armed　'cap…a…pie'　with　great　plates　of　iron；　so　artificially
ordered；　that　in　all　parts　of　the　limbs；　which　required　bending；　they
lent　themselves　to　the　motion。　　One　would　have　said；　that　they　had　been
men　of　iron；　having　armour　for　the　head　so　neatly　fitted；　and　so
naturally　representing　the　form　of　a　face；　that　they　were　nowhere
vulnerable；　save　at　two　little　round　holes；　that　gave　them　a　little
light；　corresponding　with　their　eyes；　and　certain　small　chinks　about
their　nostrils；　through　which　they；　with　great　difficulty；　breathed；〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Flexilis　inductis　animatur　lamina　membris；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Horribilis　visu；　credas　simulacra　moveri
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ferrea；　cognatoque　viros　spirare　metallo。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Par　vestitus　equis：　ferrata　fronte　minantur；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ferratosque　movent；　securi　vulneris；　armos。〃

　　　　　＇〃Plates　of　steel　are　placed　over　the　body；　so　flexible　that；
　　　　　dreadful　to　be　seen；　you　would　think　these　not　living　men；　but
　　　　　moving　images。　　The　horses　are　similarly　armed；　and；　secured　from
　　　　　wounds；　move　their　iron　shoulders。〃Claud；　In　Ruf。；　ii。　358。＇

'Tis　a　description　drawing　very　near　resembling　the　equipage　of　the　men…
at…arms　in　France；　with　their　barded　horses。　　Plutarch　says；　that
Demetrius　caused　two　complete　suits　of　armour　to　be　made　for　himself　and
for　Alcimus；　a　captain　of　the　greatest　note　and　authority　about　him；　of
six　score　pounds　weight　each；　whereas　the　ordinary　suits　weighed　but　half
as　much。




CHAPTER　X

OF　BOOKS

I　make　no　doubt　but　that　I　often　happen　to　speak　of　things　that　are　much
better　and　more　truly　handled　by　those　who　are　masters　of　the　trade。　　You
have　here　purely　an　essay　of　my　natural　parts；　and　not　of　those　acquired：
and　whoever　shall　catch　me　tripping　in　ignorance；　will　not　in　any　sort
get　the　better　of　me；　for　I　should　be　very　unwilling　to　become
responsible　to　another　for　my　writings；　who　am　not　so　to　myself；　nor
satisfied　with　them。　　Whoever　goes　in　quest　of　knowledge；　let　him　fish
for　it　where　it　is　to　be　found；　there　is　nothing　I　so　little　profess。
These　are　fancies　of　my　own；　by　which　I　do　not　pretend　to　discover　things
but　to　lay　open　myself；　they　may；　peradventure；　one　day　be　known　to　me；
or　have　formerly　been；　according　as　fortune　has　been　able　to　bring　me　in
place　where　they　have　been　explained；　but　I　have　utterly　forgotten　it；
and　if　I　am　a　man　of　some　reading；　I　am　a　man　of　no　retention；　so　that　I
can　promise　no　certainty；　more　than　to　make　known　to　what　point　the
knowledge　I　now　have　has　risen。　　Therefore；　let　none　lay　stress　upon　the
matter　I　write；　but　upon　my　method　in　writing　it。　　Let　them　observe；　in
what　I　borrow；　if　I　have　known　how　to　choose　what　is　proper　to　raise　or
help　the　invention；　which　is　always　my　own。　　For　I　make　others　say　for
me；　not　before　but　after　me；　what；　either　for　want　of　language　or　want　of
sense；　I　cannot　myself　so　well　express。　　I　do　not　number　my　borrowings；
I　weigh　them；　and　had　I　designed　to　raise　their　value　by　number；　I　had
made　them　twice　as　many；　they　are　all；　or　within　a　very　few；　so　famed　and
ancient　authors；　that　they　seem；　methinks；　themselves　sufficiently　to
tell　who　they　are；　without　giving　me　the　trouble。　　In　reasons；
comparisons；　and　arguments；　if　I　transplant　any　into　my　own　soil；　and
confound　them　amongst　my　own；　I　purposely　conceal　the　author；　to　awe　the
temerity　of　those　precipitate　censors　who　fall　upon　all　sorts　of
writings；　particularly　the　late　ones；　of　men　yet　living；　and　in　the
vulgar　tongue　which　puts　every　one　into　a　capacity　of　criticising　and
which　seem　to　convict　the　conception　and　design　as　vulgar　also。　　I　will
have　them　give　Plutarch　a　fillip　on　my　nose；　and　rail　against　Seneca　when
they　think　they　rail　at　me。　　I　must　shelter　my　own　weakness　under　these
great　reputations。　　I　shall　love　any　one　that　can　unplume　me；　that　is；
by　clearness　of　understanding　and　judgment；　and　by　the　sole　distinction
of　the　force　and　beauty　of　the　discourse。　　For　I　who；　for　want　of　memory；
am　at　every　turn　at　a　loss　to；　pick　them　out　of　their　national　livery；　am
yet　wise　enough　to　know；　by　the　measure　of　my　own　abilities；　that　my　soil
is　incapable　of　producing　any　of　those　rich　flowers　that　I　there　find
growing；　and　that　all　the　fruits　of　my　own　growth　are　not　worth　any　one
of　them。　　For　this；　indeed；　I　hold　myself　responsible；　if　I　get　in　my　own
way；　if　there　be　any　vanity　and　defect　in　my　writings　which　I　do　not　of
myself　perceive　nor　can　discern；　when　pointed　out　to　me　by　another；　for
many　faults　escape　our　eye；　but　the　infirmity　of　judgment　consists　in　not
being　able　to　discern　them；　when　by　another　laid　open　to　us。　　Knowledge
and　truth　may　be　in　us　without　judgment；　and　judgment　also　without　them；
but　the　confession　of　ignorance　is　one　of　the　finest　and　surest
testimonies　of　judgment　that　I　know。　　I　have　no　other　officer　to　put　my
writings　in　rank　and　file；　but　only　fortune。　　As　things　come　into　my
head；　I　heap　them　one　upon　another；　sometimes　they　advance　in　whole
bodies；　sometimes　in　single　file。　　I　would　that　every　one　should　see　my
natural　and　ordinary　pace；　irregular　as　it　is；　I　suffer　myself　to　jog　on
at　my　own　rate。　　Neither　are　these　subjects　which　a　man　is　not　permitted
to　be　ignorant　in；　or　casually　and　at　a　venture；　to　discourse　of。　　I
could　wish　to　have　a　more　perfect　knowledge　of　things；　but　I　will　not　buy
it　so　dear　as　it　costs。　　My　design　is　to　pass　over　easily；　and　not
laboriously；　the　remainder　of　my　life；　there　is　nothing　that　I　will
cudgel　my　brains　about；　no；　not　even　knowledge；　of　what　value　soever。

I　seek；　in　the　reading　of　books；　only　to　please　myself　by　an　honest
diversion；　or；　if　I　study；　'tis　for　no　other　science　than　what　treats　of
the　knowledge　of　myself；　and　instructs　me　how　to　die　and　how　to　live
well。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Has　meus　ad　metas　sudet　oportet　equus。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　＇〃My　horse　must　work　according　to　my　step。〃
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Propertius；　iv。＇

I　do　not　bite　my　nails　about　the　difficulties　I　meet　with　in　my　reading；
after　a　charge　or　two；　I　give　them　over。　　Should　I　insist　upon　them；　I
should　both　lose　myself　and　time；　for　I　have　an　impatient　understanding；
that　must　be　satisfied　at　first：　what　I　do　not　discern　at　once　is　by
persistence　rendered　more　obscure。　I　do　nothing　without　gaiety；
continuation　and　a　too　obstinate　endeavour；　darkens；　stupefies；　and　tires
my　judgment。　　My　sight　is　confounded　and　dissipated　with　poring；　I　must
withdraw　it；　and　refer　my　discovery　to　new　attempts；　just　as；　to　judge
rightly　of　the　lustre　of　scarlet；　we　are　taught　to　pass　the　eye　lightly
over　it；　and　again　to　run　it　over　at　several　sudden　and　reiterated
glances。　　If　one　book　do　not　please　me；　I　take　a