the essays of montaigne, v16-第5章

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them。

Those　of　the　kingdom　of　Mexico　were　in　some　sort　more　civilised　and　more
advanced　in　arts　than　the　other　nations　about　them。　　Therefore　did　they
judge；　as　we　do；　that　the　world　was　near　its　period；　and　looked　upon　the
desolation　we　brought　amongst　them　as　a　certain　sign　of　it。　　They
believed　that　the　existence　of　the　world　was　divided　into　five　ages；　and
in　the　life　of　five　successive　suns；　of　which　four　had　already　ended
their　time；　and　that　this　which　gave　them　light　was　the　fifth。　　The　first
perished；　with　all　other　creatures；　by　an　universal　inundation　of　water；
the　second　by　the　heavens　falling　upon　us　and　suffocating　every　living
thing　to　which　age　they　assigned　the　giants；　and　showed　bones　to　the
Spaniards；　according　to　the　proportion　of　which　the　stature　of　men
amounted　to　twenty　feet；　the　third　by　fire；　which　burned　and　consumed
all；　the　fourth　by　an　emotion　of　the　air　and　wind；　which　came　with　such
violence　as　to　beat　down　even　many　mountains；　wherein　the　men　died　not；
but　were　turned　into　baboons。　　What　impressions　will　not　the　weakness　of
human　belief　admit？　　After　the　death　of　this　fourth　sun；　the　world　was
twenty…five　years　in　perpetual　darkness：　in　the　fifteenth　of　which　a　man
and　a　woman　were　created；　who　restored　the　human　race：　ten　years　after；
upon　a　certain　day；　the　sun　appeared　newly　created；　and　since　the　account
of　their　year　takes　beginning　from　that　day：　the　third　day　after　its
creation　the　ancient　gods　died；　and　the　new　ones　were　since　born　daily。
After　what　manner　they　think　this　last　sun　shall　perish；　my　author　knows
not；　but　their　number　of　this　fourth　change　agrees　with　the　great
conjunction　of　stars　which　eight　hundred　and　odd　years　ago；　as
astrologers　suppose；　produced　great　alterations　and　novelties　in　the
world。

As　to　pomp　and　magnificence；　upon　the　account　of　which　I　engaged　in　this
discourse；　neither　Greece；　Rome；　nor　Egypt；　whether　for　utility；
difficulty；　or　state；　can　compare　any　of　their　works　with　the　highway　to
be　seen　in　Peru；　made　by　the　kings　of　the　country；　from　the　city　of　Quito
to　that　of　Cusco　（three　hundred　leagues）；　straight；　even；　five…and…twenty
paces　wide；　paved；　and　provided　on　both　sides　with　high　and　beautiful
walls；　and　close　by　them；　and　all　along　on　the　inside；　two　perennial
streams；　bordered　with　beautiful　plants；　which　they　call　moly。　　In　this
work；　where　they　met　with　rocks　and　mountains；　they　cut　them　through；　and
made　them　even；　and　filled　up　pits　and　valleys　with　lime　and　stone　to
make　them　level。　　At　the　end　of　every　day's　journey　are　beautiful
palaces；　furnished　with　provisions；　vestments；　and　arms；　as　well　for
travellers　as　for　the　armies　that　are　to　pass　that　way。　　In　the　estimate
of　this　work　I　have　reckoned　the　difficulty　which　is　especially
considerable　in　that　place；　they　did　not　build　with　any　stones　less　than
ten　feet　square；　and　had　no　other　conveniency　of　carriage　but　by　drawing
their　load　themselves　by　force　of　arm；　and　knew　not　so　much　as　the　art　of
scaffolding；　nor　any　other　way　of　standing　to　their　work；　but　by　throwing
up　earth　against　the　building　as　it　rose　higher；　taking　it　away　again
when　they　had　done。

Let　us　here　return　to　our　coaches。　　Instead　of　these；　and　of　all　other
sorts　of　carriages；　they　caused　themselves　to　be　carried　upon　men's
shoulders。　　This　last　king　of　Peru；　the　day　that　he　was　taken；　was　thus
carried　betwixt　two　upon　staves　of　gold；　and　set　in　a　chair　of　gold　in
the　middle　of　his　army。　　As　many　of　these　sedan…men　as　were　killed　to
make　him　fall　（for　they　would　take　him　alive）；　so　many　others　（and　they
contended　for　it）　took　the　place　of　those　who　were　slain；　so　that　they
could　never　beat　him　down；　what　slaughter　soever　they　made　of　these
people；　till　a　horseman；　seizing　upon　him；　brought　him　to　the　ground。




CHAPTER　VII

OF　THE　INCONVENIENCE　OF　GREATNESS

Since　we　cannot　attain　unto　it；　let　us　revenge　our　selves　by　railing　at
it；　and　yet　it　is　not　absolutely　railing　against　anything　to　proclaim　its
defects；　because　they　are　in　all　things　to　be　found；　how　beautiful　or　how
much　to　be　coveted　soever。　　Greatness　has；　in　general；　this　manifest
advantage；　that　it　can　lower　itself　when　it　pleases；　and　has；　very　near；
the　choice　of　both　the　one　and　the　other　condition；　for　a　man　does　not
fall　from　all　heights；　there　are　several　from　which　one　may　descend
without　falling　down。　　It　does；　indeed；　appear　to　me　that　we　value　it　at
too　high　a　rate；　and　also　overvalue　the　resolution　of　those　whom　we　have
either　seen　or　heard　have　contemned　it；　or　displaced　themselves　of　their
own　accord：　its　essence　is　not　so　evidently　commodious　that　a　man　may
not；　with　out　a　miracle；　refuse　it。　　I　find　it　a　very　hard　thing　to
undergo　misfortunes；　but　to　be　content　with　a　moderate　measure　of
fortune；　and　to　avoid　greatness；　I　think　a　very　easy　matter。　　'Tis；
methinks；　a　virtue　to　which　I；　who　am　no　conjuror；　could　without　any
great　endeavour　arrive。　　What；　then；　is　to　be　expected　from　them　that
would　yet　put　into　consideration　the　glory　attending　this　refusal；
wherein　there　may　lurk　worse　ambition　than　even　in　the　desire　itself；
and　fruition　of　greatness？　　Forasmuch　as　ambition　never　comports　itself
better；　according　to　itself；　than　when　it　proceeds　by　obscure　and
unfrequented　ways。

I　incite　my　courage　to　patience；　but　I　rein　it　as　much　as　I　can　towards
desire。　　I　have　as　much　to　wish　for　as　another；　and　allow　my　wishes　as
much　liberty　and　indiscretion；　but　yet　it　never　befell　me　to　wish　for
either　empire　or　royalty；　or　the　eminency　of　those　high　and　commanding
fortunes：　I　do　not　aim　that　way；　I　love　myself　too　well。　　When　I　think　to
grow　greater；　'tis　but　very　moderately；　and　by　a　compelled　and　timorous
advancement；　such　as　is　proper　for　me　in　resolution；　in　prudence；　in
health；　in　beauty；　and　even　in　riches　too；　but　this　supreme　reputation；
this　mighty　authority；　oppress　my　imagination；　and；　quite　contrary　to
that　other；＇Julius　Caesar。＇　I　should；　peradventure；　rather　choose　to
be　the　second　or　third　in　Perigord　than　the　first　at　Paris　at　least；
without　lying；　rather　the　third　at　Paris　than　the　first。　　I　would　neither
dispute　with　a　porter；　a　miserable　unknown；　nor　make　crowds　open　in
adoration　as　I　pass。　　I　am　trained　up　to　a　moderate　condition；　as　well　by
my　choice　as　fortune；　and　have　made　it　appear；　in　the　whole　conduct　of　my
life　and　enterprises；　that　I　have　rather　avoided　than　otherwise　the
climbing　above　the　degree　of　fortune　wherein　God　has　placed　me　by　my
birth；　all　natural　constitution　is　equally　just　and　easy。　　My　soul　is
such　a　poltroon；　that　I　measure　not　good　fortune　by　the　height；　but　by
the　facility。

But　if　my　heart　be　not　great　enough；　'tis　open　enough　to　make　amends；　at
any　one's　request；　freely　to　lay　open　its　weakness。　　Should　any　one　put
me　upon　comparing　the　life　of　L。　Thorius　Balbus；　a　brave　man；　handsome；
learned；　healthful；　understanding；　and　abounding　in　all　sorts　of
conveniences　and　pleasures；　leading　a　quiet　life；　and　all　his　own；　his
mind　well　prepared　against　death；　superstition；　pain；　and　other
incumbrances　of　human　necessity；　dying；　at　last；　in　battle；　with　his
sword　in　his　hand；　for　the　defence　of　his　country；　on　the　one　part；　and
on　the　other　part；　the　life　of　M。　Regulus；　so　great　and　high　as　is　known
to　every　one；　and　his　end　admirable；　the　one　without　name　and　without
dignity；　the　other　exemplary　and　glorious　to　a　wonder。　　I　should
doubtless　say；　as　Cicero　did；　could　I　speak　as　well　as　he。

　　　　　＇Cicero；　De　Finibus；　ii。　20；　gives　the　preference　to　Regulus；　and
　　　　　proclaims　him　the　happier　man。＇

But　if　I　was　to　compare　them　with　my　own；　I　should　then　also　say　that　the
first　is　as　much　according　to　my　capacity；　and　from　desire；　which　I
conform　to　my　capacity；　as　the　second　is　far　beyond　it；　that　I　could　not
approach　the　last　but　with　veneration；　the　other　I　could　readily　attain
by　use。

Let　us　return　to　our　temporal　greatness；　from　which　we　are　digressed。　　I
disrelish　all　dominion；　whether　active　or　passive。　　Otanes；　one　of　the
seven　who　had　right　to　pretend　to　the　kingdom　of　Persia；　did　as　I　should
willingly　have　done；　which　was；　that　he　gave　up　to　his　competitors　his
right　of　being　promoted　to　it；　either　by　election　or　by　lot；　provided
that　he　and　his　might　live　in　the　empire　out　of　all　authority　and
subjection；　those　of　the　ancient　laws　excepted；　and　might　enjoy　all
liberty　that　was　not　prejudicial　to　these；　being　as　impatient　of
commanding　as　of　being　commanded。

The　most　painful　and　difficult　employment　in　the　world；　in　my　opinion；　is
worthily　to　discharge　the　office　of　a　king。　　I　excuse　more　of　their
mistakes　than　men　commonly　do；　in　consideration　of　the　intolerable　weight
of　their　function；　which　astounds　me。　　'Tis　hard　to　keep　measure　in　so
immeasurable　a　power；　yet　so　it　is　that　it　is；　even　to　those　who　are　not
of　the　best　nature；　a　singular　incitement　to　virtue　to　be　seated　in　a
place　where　you　cannot　do　the　least　good　that　shall　not　be　put　upon
record；　and　where　the　least　benefit　redounds　to　so　many　men；　and　where
your　talent　of　administration；　like　that　of　preachers；　principally
addresses　itself　to　the　people；　no　very　exact　judge；　easy　to　deceive；　and
easily　content。　　There　are　few　things　wherein　we　can　give　a　sincere
judgment；　by　reason　that　there　are　few　wherein　we　have　not；　in　some　sort；
a　private　interest。　　Superiority　and　inferiority；　dominion　and　subjection
are　bound　to　a　natural　envy　and　contest；　and　must　of　necessity
perpetually　intrench　upon　one　another。　　I　believe　neither　the　one　nor　the
other　touching　the　rights　of　the　other　party；　let　reason　therefore；　which
is　inflexible　and　without　passion；　determine　when　we　can　avail　ourselves
of　it。　　'Tis　not　above　a　month　ago　that　I　read　over；　two　Scottish　authors
contending　upon　this　subject；　of　whom　he　who　stands　for　the　people　makes
the　king　to　be　in　a　worse　condition　than　a　carter；　he　who　writes　for
monarchy　places　him　some　degrees　above　God　in　power　and　sovereignty。

Now；　the　incommodity　of　greatness　that　I　have　taken　to　remark　in　this
place；　upon　some　occasion　that　has　lately　put　it　into　my　head；　is　this：
there　is　not；　peradventure；　anything　more　pleasant　in　the　commerce　of
many　than　the　trials　that　we　make　against　one　another；　out　of　emulation
of　honour　and　worth；　whether　in　the　exercises　of　the　body　or　in　those　of
the　mind；　wherein　sovereign　greatness　can　have　no　true　part。　　And；　in
earnest；　I　have　often　thought　that　by　force　of　respect　itself　men　use
princes　disdainfully　and　injuriously　in　that　particular；　for　the　thing　I
was　infinitely　offended　at　in　my　childhood；　that　they　who　exercised　with
me　forbore　to　do　their　best　because　they　found　me　unworthy　of　their
utmost　endeavour；　is　what　we　see　happen　to　them　daily；　every　one　finding
himself　unworthy　to　contend　with　them。　　If　we　discover　that　they　have　the
least　desire　to　get　the　better　of　us；　there　is　no　one　who　will　not　make
it　his　business　to　give　it　them；　and　who　will　not　rather　betray　his　own
glory　than　offend　theirs；　and　will　therein　employ　so　much　force　only　as
is　necessary　to　save　their　honour。　　What　share　have　they；　then；　in　the
engagement；　where　every　one　is　on　their　side？　　Methinks　I　see　those
paladins　of　ancient　tim