the essays of montaigne, v11-第4部分

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garrisons；　they　would　exhaust　it：　we　ourselves　have　not　the　means　to　do
it　without　ruin；　or；　which　is　more　inconvenient　and　injurious；　without
ruining　the　people。　　The　condition　of　my　loss　would　be　scarcely　worse。
As　to　the　rest；　you　there　lose　all；　and　even　your　friends　will　be　more
ready　to　accuse　your　want　of　vigilance　and　your　improvidence；　and　your
ignorance　of　and　indifference　to　your　own　business；　than　to　pity　you。
That　so　many　garrisoned　houses　have　been　undone　whereas　this　of　mine
remains；　makes　me　apt　to　believe　that　they　were　only　lost　by　being
guarded；　this　gives　an　enemy　both　an　invitation　and　colour　of　reason；　all
defence　shows　a　face　of　war。　　Let　who　will　come　to　me　in　God's　name；　but
I　shall　not　invite　them；　'tis　the　retirement　I　have　chosen　for　my　repose
from　war。　　I　endeavour　to　withdraw　this　corner　from　the　public　tempest；
as　I　also　do　another　corner　in　my　soul。　　Our　war　may　put　on　what　forms　it
will；　multiply　and　diversify　itself　into　new　parties；　for　my　part；　I　stir
not。　　Amongst　so　many　garrisoned　houses；　myself　alone　amongst　those　of　my
rank；　so　far　as　I　know；　in　France；　have　trusted　purely　to　Heaven　for　the
protection　of　mine；　and　have　never　removed　plate；　deeds；　or　hangings。
I　will　neither　fear　nor　save　myself　by　halves。　　If　a　full　acknowledgment
acquires　the　Divine　favour；　it　will　stay　with　me　to　the　end：　if　not；　I
have　still　continued　long　enough　to　render　my　continuance　remarkable　and
fit　to　be　recorded。　　How？　　Why；　there　are　thirty　years　that　I　have　thus
lived。




CHAPTER　XVI

OF　GLORY

There　is　the　name　and　the　thing：　the　name　is　a　voice　which　denotes　and
signifies　the　thing；　the　name　is　no　part　of　the　thing；　nor　of　the
substance；　'tis　a　foreign　piece　joined　to　the　thing；　and　outside　it。
God；　who　is　all　fulness　in　Himself　and　the　height　of　all　perfection；
cannot　augment　or　add　anything　to　Himself　within；　but　His　name　may　be
augmented　and　increased　by　the　blessing　and　praise　we　attribute　to　His
exterior　works：　which　praise；　seeing　we　cannot　incorporate　it　in　Him；
forasmuch　as　He　can　have　no　accession　of　good；　we　attribute　to　His　name；
which　is　the　part　out　of　Him　that　is　nearest　to　us。　　Thus　is　it　that　to
God　alone　glory　and　honour　appertain；　and　there　is　nothing　so　remote　from
reason　as　that　we　should　go　in　quest　of　it　for　ourselves；　for；　being
indigent　and　necessitous　within；　our　essence　being　imperfect；　and　having
continual　need　of　amelioration；　'tis　to　that　we　ought　to　employ　all　our
endeavour。　　We　are　all　hollow　and　empty；　'tis　not　with　wind　and　voice
that　we　are　to　fill　ourselves；　we　want　a　more　solid　substance　to　repair
us：　a　man　starving　with　hunger　would　be　very　simple　to　seek　rather　to
provide　himself　with　a　gay　garment　than　with　a　good　meal：　we　are　to　look
after　that　whereof　we　have　most　need。　　As　we　have　it　in　our　ordinary
prayers：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Gloria　in　excelsis　Deo；　et　in　terra　pax　hominibus。〃

We　are　in　want　of　beauty；　health；　wisdom；　virtue；　and　such　like　essential
qualities：　exterior　ornaments　should；　be　looked　after　when　we　have　made
provision　for　necessary　things。　　Divinity　treats　amply　and　more
pertinently　of　this　subject；　but　I　am　not　much　versed　in　it。

Chrysippus　and　Diogenes　were　the　earliest　and　firmest　advocates　of　the
contempt　of　glory；　and　maintained　that；　amongst　all　pleasures；　there　was
none　more　dangerous　nor　more　to　be　avoided　than　that　which　proceeds　from
the　approbation　of　others。　And；　in　truth；　experience　makes　us　sensible　of
many　very　hurtful　treasons　in　it。　　There　is　nothing　that　so　poisons
princes　as　flattery；　nor　anything　whereby　wicked　men　more　easily　obtain
credit　and　favour　with　them；　nor　panderism　so　apt　and　so　usually　made　use
of　to　corrupt　the　chastity　of　women　as　to　wheedle　and　entertain　them　with
their　own　praises。　　The　first　charm　the　Syrens　made　use　of　to　allure
Ulysses　is　of　this　nature：

　　　　　　　　　〃Deca　vers　nous；　deca；　o　tres…louable　Ulysse；
　　　　　　　　　　Et　le　plus　grand　honneur　don't　la　Grece　fleurisse。〃

　　　　　＇〃Come　hither　to　us；　O　admirable　Ulysses；　come　hither；　thou　greatest
　　　　　ornament　and　pride　of　Greece。〃Homer；　Odysseus；　xii。　184。＇

These　philosophers　said；　that　all　the　glory　of　the　world　was　not　worth　an
understanding　man's　holding　out　his　finger　to　obtain　it：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Gloria　quantalibet　quid　erit；　si　gloria　tantum　est？〃

　　　　　＇〃What　is　glory；　be　it　as　glorious　as　it　may　be；　if　it　be　no　more
　　　　　than　glory？〃Juvenal；　Sat。；　vii。　81。＇

I　say　for　it　alone；　for　it　often　brings　several　commodities　along　with
it；　for　which　it　may　justly　be　desired：　it　acquires　us　good…will；　and
renders　us　less　subject　and　exposed　to　insult　and　offence　from　others；
and　the　like。　　It　was　also　one　of　the　principal　doctrines　of　Epicurus；
for　this　precept　of　his　sect；　Conceal　thy　life；　that　forbids　men　to
encumber　themselves　with　public　negotiations　and　offices；　also
necessarily　presupposes　a　contempt　of　glory；　which　is　the　world's
approbation　of　those　actions　we　produce　in　public。＇Plutarch；　Whether
the　saying；　Conceal　thy　life；　is　well　said。＇　He　that　bids　us　conceal
ourselves；　and　to　have　no　other　concern　but　for　ourselves；　and　who　will
not　have　us　known　to　others；　would　much　less　have　us　honoured　and
glorified；　and　so　advises　Idomeneus　not　in　any　sort　to　regulate　his
actions　by　the　common　reputation　or　opinion；　except　so　as　to　avoid　the
other　accidental　inconveniences　that　the　contempt　of　men　might　bring　upon
him。

These　discourses　are；　in　my　opinion；　very　true　and　rational；　but　we　are；
I　know　not　how；　double　in　ourselves；　which　is　the　cause　that　what　we
believe　we　do　not　believe；　and　cannot　disengage　ourselves　from　what　we
condemn。　　Let　us　see　the　last　and　dying　words　of　Epicurus；　they　are
grand；　and　worthy　of　such　a　philosopher；　and　yet　they　carry　some　touches
of　the　recommendation　of　his　name　and　of　that　humour　he　had　decried　by
his　precepts。　　Here　is　a　letter　that　he　dictated　a　little　before　his　last
gasp：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃EPICUYUS　TO　HEYMACHUS；　health。

　　　　　〃Whilst　I　was　passing　over　the　happy　and　last　day　of　my　life；　I
　　　　　write　this；　but；　at　the　same　time；　afflicted　with　such　pain　in　my
　　　　　bladder　and　bowels　that　nothing　can　be　greater；　but　it　was
　　　　　recompensed　with　the　pleasure　the　remembrance　of　my　inventions　and
　　　　　doctrines　brought　to　my　soul。　　Now；　as　the　affection　thou　hast　ever
　　　　　from　thy　infancy　borne　towards　me　and　philosophy　requires；　take　upon
　　　　　thee　the　protection　of　Metrodorus'　children。〃

This　is　the　letter。　　And　that　which　makes　me　interpret　that　the　pleasure
he　says　he　had　in　his　soul　concerning　his　inventions；　has　some　reference
to　the　reputation　he　hoped　for　thence　after　his　death；　is　the　manner　of
his　will；　in　which　he　gives　order　that　Amynomachus　and　Timocrates；　his
heirs；　should；　every　January；　defray　the　expense　of　the　celebration　of
his　birthday　as　Hermachus　should　appoint；　and　also　the　expense　that
should　be　made　the　twentieth　of　every　moon　in　entertaining　the
philosophers；　his　friends；　who　should　assemble　in　honour　of　the　memory　of
him　and　of　Metrodorus。＇Cicero；　De　Finibus；　ii。　30。＇

Carneades　was　head　of　the　contrary　opinion；　and　maintained　that　glory　was
to　be　desired　for　itself；　even　as　we　embrace　our　posthumous　issue　for
themselves；　having　no　knowledge　nor　enjoyment　of　them。　　This　opinion　has
not　failed　to　be　the　more　universally　followed；　as　those　commonly　are
that　are　most　suitable　to　our　inclinations。　　Aristotle　gives　it　the　first
place　amongst　external　goods；　and　avoids；　as　too　extreme　vices；　the
immoderate　either　seeking　or　evading　it。　　I　believe　that；　if　we　had　the
books　Cicero　wrote　upon　this　subject；　we　should　there　find　pretty
stories；　for　he　was　so　possessed　with　this　passion；　that；　if　he　had
dared；　I　think　he　could　willingly　have　fallen　into　the　excess　that　others
did；　that　virtue　itself　was　not　to　be　coveted；　but　upon　the　account　of
the　honour　that　always　attends　it：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Paulum　sepultae　distat　inertiae
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Celata　virtus：〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Virtue　concealed　little　differs　from　dead　sloth。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Horace；　Od。；　iv。　　9；　29。＇

which　is　an　opinion　so　false；　that　I　am　vexed　it　could　ever　enter　into
the　understanding　of　a　man　that　was　honoured　with　the　name　of
philosopher。

If　this　were　true；　men　need　not　be　virtuous　but　in　public；　and　we　should
be　no　further　concerned　to　keep　the　operations　of　the　soul；　which　is　the
true　seat　of　virtue；　regular　and　in　order；　than　as　they　are　to　arrive　at
the　knowledge　of　others。　　Is　there　no　more　in　it；　then；　but　only　slily
and　with　circumspection　to　do　ill？　　〃If　thou　knowest；〃　says　Carneades；
〃of　a　serpent　lurking　in　a　place　where；　without　suspicion；　a　person　is
going　to　sit　down；　by　whose　death　thou　expectest　an　advantage；　thou　dost
ill　if　thou　dost　not　give　him　caution　of　his　danger；　and　so　much　the　more
because　the　action　is　to　be　known　by　none　but　thyself。〃　　If　we　do　not
take　up　of　ourselves　the　rule　of　well…doing；　if　impunity　pass　with　us　for
justice；　to　how　many　sorts　of　wickedness　shall　we　every　day　abandon
ourselves？　　I　do　not　find　what　Sextus　Peduceus　did；　in　faithfully
restoring　the　treasure　that　C。　Plotius　had　committed　to　his　sole　secrecy
and　trust；　a　thing　that　I　have　often　done　myself；　so　commendable；　as　I
should　think　it　an　execrable　baseness；　had　we　done　otherwise；　and　I　think
it　of　good　use　in　our　days　to　recall　the　example　of　P。　Sextilius　Rufus；
whom　Cicero　accuses　to　have　entered　upon　an　inheritance　contrary　to　his
conscience；　not　only　not　against　law；　but　even　by　the　determination　of
the　laws　themselves；　and　M。　Crassus　and　Hortensius；　who；　by　reason　of
their　authority　and　power；　having　been　called　in　by　a　stranger　to　share
in　the　succession　of　a　forged　will；　that　so　he　might　secure　his　own　part；
satisfied　themselves　with　having　no　hand　in　the　forgery；　and　refused　not
to　make　their　advantage　and　to　come　in　for　a　share：　secure　enough；　if
they　could　shroud　themselves　from　accusations；　witnesses；　and　the
cognisance　of　the　laws：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Meminerint　Deum　se　habere　testem；　id　est　（ut　ego　arbitror）
　　　　　　　　　　mentem　suam。〃

　　　　　＇〃Let　them　consider　they　have　God　to　witness；　that　is　（as　I
　　　　　interpret　it）；　their　own　consciences。〃Cicero；　De　Offic。；　iii。　10。＇

Vi