the essays of montaigne, v6-第5部分

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　　　　　and　since　that　time　Manliana　imperia　has　been　used　as　a　term　to
　　　　　signify　orders　that　are　too　severe；　Manliana　Imperia；　says　Livy；
　　　　　were　not　only　horrible　for　the　time　present；　but　of　a　bad　example　to
　　　　　posterity。　　And　this　historian　makes　no　doubt　but　such　commands
　　　　　would　have　been　actually　styled　Posthumiana　Imperia；　if　Posthumius
　　　　　had　been　the　first　who　set　so　barbarous　an　example　（Livy；　lib。　iv。
　　　　　cap。　29；　and　lib。　viii。　cap。　7）。　　But；　however；　Montaigne　has　Valer。
　　　　　Maximus　on　his　side；　who　says　expressly；　that　Posthumius　caused　his
　　　　　son　to　be　put　to　death；　and　Diodorus　of　Sicily　（lib。　　xii。　　cap。
　　　　　19）。〃Coste。＇

The　archer　that　shoots　over；　misses　as　much　as　he　that　falls　short；　and
'tis　equally　troublesome　to　my　sight；　to　look　up　at　a　great　light；　and
to　look　down　into　a　dark　abyss。　　Callicles　in　Plato　says；　that　the
extremity　of　philosophy　is　hurtful；　and　advises　not　to　dive　into　it
beyond　the　limits　of　profit；　that；　taken　moderately；　it　is　pleasant　and
useful；　but　that　in　the　end　it　renders　a　man　brutish　and　vicious；　a
contemner　of　religion　and　the　common　laws；　an　enemy　to　civil
conversation；　and　all　human　pleasures；　incapable　of　all　public
administration；　unfit　either　to　assist　others　or　to　relieve　himself；　and
a　fit　object　for　all　sorts　of　injuries　and　affronts。　　He　says　true；　for
in　its　excess；　it　enslaves　our　natural　freedom；　and　by　an　impertinent
subtlety；　leads　us　out　of　the　fair　and　beaten　way　that　nature　has　traced
for　us。

The　love　we　bear　to　our　wives　is　very　lawful；　and　yet　theology　thinks　fit
to　curb　and　restrain　it。　　As　I　remember；　I　have　read　in　one　place　of　St。
Thomas　Aquinas；＇Secunda　Secundx；　Quaest。　154；　art。　9。＇　where　he
condemns　marriages　within　any　of　the　forbidden　degrees；　for　this　reason；
amongst　others；　that　there　is　some　danger；　lest　the　friendship　a　man
bears　to　such　a　woman；　should　be　immoderate；　for　if　the　conjugal
affection　be　full　and　perfect　betwixt　them；　as　it　ought　to　be；　and　that
it　be　over　and　above　surcharged　with　that　of　kindred　too；　there　is　no
doubt；　but　such　an　addition　will　carry　the　husband　beyond　the　bounds　of
reason。

Those　sciences　that　regulate　the　manners　of　men；　divinity　and　philosophy；
will　have　their　say　in　everything；　there　is　no　action　so　private　and
secret　that　can　escape　their　inspection　and　jurisdiction。　　They　are　best
taught　who　are　best　able　to　control　and　curb　their　own　liberty；　women
expose　their　nudities　as　much　as　you　will　upon　the　account　of　pleasure；
though　in　the　necessities　of　physic　they　are　altogether　as　shy。　　I　will；
therefore；　in　their　behalf：

　　　　　＇Coste　translates　this：　〃on　the　part　of　philosophy　and　theology；〃
　　　　　observing　that　but　few　wives　would　think　themselves　obliged　to
　　　　　Montaigne　for　any　such　lesson　to　their　husbands。＇

teach　the　husbands；　that　is；　such　as　are　too　vehement　in　the　exercise　of
the　matrimonial　dutyif　such　there　still　bethis　lesson；　that　the　very
pleasures　they　enjoy　in　the　society　of　their　wives　are　reproachable　if
immoderate；　and　that　a　licentious　and　riotous　abuse　of　them　is　a　fault　as
reprovable　here　as　in　illicit　connections。　　Those　immodest　and　debauched
tricks　and　postures；　that　the　first　ardour　suggests　to　us　in　this　affair；
are　not　only　indecently　but　detrimentally　practised　upon　our　wives。　　Let
them　at　least　learn　impudence　from　another　hand；　they　are　ever　ready
enough　for　our　business；　and　I　for　my　part　always　went　the　plain　way　to
work。

Marriage　is　a　solemn　and　religious　tie；　and　therefore　the　pleasure　we
extract　from　it　should　be　a　sober　and　serious　delight；　and　mixed　with　a
certain　kind　of　gravity；　it　should　be　a　sort　of　discreet　and
conscientious　pleasure。　　And　seeing　that　the　chief　end　of　it　is
generation；　some　make　a　question；　whether　when　men　are　out　of　hopes　as
when　they　are　superannuated　or　already　with　child；　it　be　lawful　to
embrace　our　wives。　　'Tis　homicide；　according　to　Plato。　＇Laws；　8。＇
Certain　nations　（the　Mohammedan；　amongst　others　abominate　all　conjunction
with　women　with　child；　others　also；　with　those　who　are　in　their　courses。
Zenobia　would　never　admit　her　husband　for　more　than　one　encounter；　after
which　she　left　him　to　his　own　swing　for　the　whole　time　of　her　conception；
and　not　till　after　that　would　again　receive　him：　＇Trebellius　Pollio；
Triginta　Tyran。；　c。　30。＇　a　brave　and　generous　example　of　conjugal
continence。　　It　was　doubtless　from　some　lascivious　poet；＇The　lascivious
poet　is　Homer；　see　his　Iliad；　xiv。　　294。＇　and　one　that　himself　was　in
great　distress　for　a　little　of　this　sport；　that　Plato　borrowed　this
story；　that　Jupiter　was　one　day　so　hot　upon　his　wife；　that　not　having　so
much　patience　as　till　she　could　get　to　the　couch；　he　threw　her　upon　the
floor；　where　the　vehemence　of　pleasure　made　him　forget　the　great　and
important　resolutions　he　had　but　newly　taken　with　the　rest　of　the　gods　in
his　celestial　council；　and　to　brag　that　he　had　had　as　good　a　bout；　as
when　he　got　her　maidenhead；　unknown　to　their　parents。

The　kings　of　Persia　were　wont　to　invite　their　wives　to　the　beginning　of
their　festivals；　but　when　the　wine　began　to　work　in　good　earnest；　and
that　they　were　to　give　the　reins　to　pleasure；　they　sent　them　back　to
their　private　apartments；　that　they　might　not　participate　in　their
immoderate　lust；　sending　for　other　women　in　their　stead；　with　whom　they
were　not　obliged　to　so　great　a　decorum　of　respect。＇Plutarch；　Precepts
of　Marriage；　c。　　14。＇　　All　pleasures　and　all　sorts　of　gratifications
are　not　properly　and　fitly　conferred　upon　all　sorts　of　persons。
Epaminondas　had　committed　to　prison　a　young　man　for　certain　debauches；
for　whom　Pelopidas　mediated；　that　at　his　request　he　might　be　set　at
liberty；　which　Epaminondas　denied　to　him；　but　granted　it　at　the　first
word　to　a　wench　of　his；　that　made　the　same　intercession；　saying；　that　it
was　a　gratification　fit　for　such　a　one　as　she；　but　not　for　a　captain。
Sophocles　being　joint　praetor　with　Pericles；　seeing　accidentally　a　fine
boy　pass　by：　〃O　what　a　charming　boy　is　that！〃　said　he。　　〃That　might　be
very　well；〃　answered　Pericles；　〃for　any　other　than　a　praetor；　who　ought
not　only　to　have　his　hands；　but　his　eyes；　too；　chaste。〃　＇Cicero；　De
Offic。；　i。　40。＇　　AElius　Verus；　the　emperor；　answered　his　wife；　who
reproached　him　with　his　love　to　other　women；　that　he　did　it　upon　a
conscientious　account；　forasmuch　as　marriage　was　a　name　of　honour　and
dignity；　not　of　wanton　and　lascivious　desire；　and　our　ecclesiastical
history　preserves　the　memory　of　that　woman　in　great　veneration；　who
parted　from　her　husband　because　she　would　not　comply　with　his　indecent
and　inordinate　desires。　　In　fine；　there　is　no　pleasure　so　just　and
lawful；　where　intemperance　and　excess　are　not　to　be　condemned。

But；　to　speak　the　truth；　is　not　man　a　most　miserable　creature　the　while？
It　is　scarce；　by　his　natural　condition；　in　his　power　to　taste　one
pleasure　pure　and　entire；　and　yet　must　he　be　contriving　doctrines　and
precepts　to　curtail　that　little　he　has；　he　is　not　yet　wretched　enough；
unless　by　art　and　study　he　augment　his　own　misery：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Fortunae　miseras　auximus　arte　vias。〃

　　　　　＇〃We　artificially　augment　the　wretchedness　of　fortune。〃
　　　　　Properitius；　lib。　iii。　7；　44。＇

Human　wisdom　makes　as　ill　use　of　her　talent；　when　she　exercises　it　in
rescinding　from　the　number　and　sweetness　of　those　pleasures　that　are
naturally　our　due；　as　she　employs　it　favourably　and　well　in　artificially
disguising　and　tricking　out　the　ills　of　life；　to　alleviate　the　sense　of
them。　　Had　I　ruled　the　roast；　I　should　have　taken　another　and　more
natural　course；　which；　to　say　the　truth；　is　both　commodious　and　holy；　and
should；　peradventure；　have　been　able　to　have　limited　it　too；
notwithstanding　that　both　our　spiritual　and　corporal　physicians；　as　by
compact　betwixt　themselves；　can　find　no　other　way　to　cure；　nor　other
remedy　for　the　infirmities　of　the　body　and　the　soul；　than　by　misery　and
pain。　　To　this　end；　watchings；　fastings；　hair…shirts；　remote　and　solitary
banishments；　perpetual　imprisonments；　whips　and　other　afflictions；　have
been　introduced　amongst　men：　but　so；　that　they　should　carry　a　sting　with
them；　and　be　real　afflictions　indeed；　and　not　fall　out　as　it　once　did　to
one　Gallio；　who　having　been　sent　an　exile　into　the　isle　of　Lesbos；　news
was　not　long　after　brought　to　Rome；　that　he　there　lived　as　merry　as　the
day　was　long；　and　that　what　had　been　enjoined　him　for　a　penance；　turned
to　his　pleasure　and　satisfaction：　whereupon　the　Senate　thought　fit　to
recall　him　home　to　his　wife　and　family；　and　confine　him　to　his　own　house；
to　accommodate　their　punishment　to　his　feeling　and　apprehension。　　For　to
him　whom　fasting　would　make　more　healthful　and　more　sprightly；　and　to　him
to　whose　palate　fish　were　more　acceptable　than　flesh；　the　prescription　of
these　would　have　no　curative　effect；　no　more　than　in　the　other　sort　of
physic；　where　drugs　have　no　effect　upon　him　who　swallows　them　with
appetite　and　pleasure：　the　bitterness　of　the　potion　and　the　abhorrence　of
the　patient　are　necessary　circumstances　to　the　operation。　　The　nature
that　would　eat　rhubarb　like　buttered　turnips；　would　frustrate　the　use　and
virtue　of　it；　it　must　be　something　to　trouble　and　disturb　the　stomach；
that　must　purge　and　cure　it；　and　here　the　common　rule；　that　things　are
cured　by　their　contraries；　fails；　for　in　this　one　ill　is　cured　by
another。

This　belief　a　little　resembles　that　other　so　ancient　one；　of　thinking　to
gratify　the　gods　and　nature　by　massacre　and　murder：　an　opinion
universally　once　received　in　all　religions。　　And　still；　in　these　later
times　wherein　our　fathers　lived；　Amurath　at　the　taking　of　the　Isthmus；
immolated　six　hundred　young　Greeks　to　his　father's　soul；　in　the　nature　of
a　propitiatory　sacrifice　for　his　sins。　　And　in　those　new　countries
discovered　in　this　age　of　ours；　which　are　pure　and　virgin　yet；　in
comparison　of　ours；　this　practice　is　in　some　measure　everywhere　received：
all　their　idols　reek　with　human　blood；　not　without　various　examples　of
horrid　cruelty：　some　they　burn　alive；　and　take；　half　broiled；　off　the
coals　to　tear　out　their　hearts　and　entrails；　some；　even　women；　they　flay
alive；　and　with　their　bloody　skins　clothe　and　disguise　others。　　Neithe