the essays of montaigne, v3-第3章

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to　him；　〃Sir；　if　you　will　not　follow　me；　I　will　kill　you；　for　it　is
better　you　should　lose　your　life　than；　by　being　taken；　lose　your　empire。〃
＇Zonaras；　lib。　　iii。＇　But　fear　does　then　manifest　its　utmost　power
when　it　throws　us　upon　a　valiant　despair；　having　before　deprived　us　of
all　sense　both　of　duty　and　honour。　　In　the　first　pitched　battle　the
Romans　lost　against　Hannibal；　under　the　Consul　Sempronius；　a　body　of　ten
thousand　foot；　that　had　taken　fright；　seeing　no　other　escape　for　their
cowardice；　went　and　threw　themselves　headlong　upon　the　great　battalion　of
the　enemies；　which　with　marvellous　force　and　fury　they　charged　through
and　through；　and　routed　with　a　very　great　slaughter　of　the　Carthaginians；
thus　purchasing　an　ignominious　flight　at　the　same　price　they　might　have
gained　a　glorious　victory。＇Livy；　xxi。　　56。＇

The　thing　in　the　world　I　am　most　afraid　of　is　fear；　that　passion　alone；
in　the　trouble　of　it；　exceeding　all　other　accidents。　　What　affliction
could　be　greater　or　more　just　than　that　of　Pompey's　friends；　who；　in　his
ship；　were　spectators　of　that　horrible　murder？　　Yet　so　it　was；　that　the
fear　of　the　Egyptian　vessels　they　saw　coming　to　board　them；　possessed
them　with　so　great　alarm　that　it　is　observed　they　thought　of　nothing　but
calling　upon　the　mariners　to　make　haste；　and　by　force　of　oars　to　escape
away；　till　being　arrived　at　Tyre；　and　delivered　from　fear；　they　had
leisure　to　turn　their　thoughts　to　the　loss　of　their　captain；　and　to　give
vent　to　those　tears　and　lamentations　that　the　other　more　potent　passion
had　till　then　suspended。

　　　　　　　　　　〃Tum　pavor　sapientiam　omnem　mihiex　animo　expectorat。〃

　　　　　＇〃Then　fear　drove　out　all　intelligence　from　my　mind。〃Ennius；　ap。
　　　　　Cicero；　Tusc。；　iv。　　8。＇

Such　as　have　been　well　rubbed　in　some　skirmish；　may　yet；　all　wounded　and
bloody　as　they　are；　be　brought　on　again　the　next　day　to　charge；　but　such
as　have　once　conceived　a　good　sound　fear　of　the　enemy；　will　never　be　made
so　much　as　to　look　him　in　the　face。　　Such　as　are　in　immediate　fear　of　a
losing　their　estates；　of　banishment；　or　of　slavery；　live　in　perpetual
anguish；　and　lose　all　appetite　and　repose；　whereas　such　as　are　actually
poor；　slaves；　or　exiles；　ofttimes　live　as　merrily　as　other　folk。　　And　the
many　people　who；　impatient　of　the　perpetual　alarms　of　fear；　have　hanged
or　drowned　themselves；　or　dashed　themselves　to　pieces；　give　us
sufficiently　to　understand　that　fear　is　more　importunate　and
insupportable　than　death　itself。

The　Greeks　acknowledged　another　kind　of　fear；　differing　from　any　we　have
spoken　of　yet；　that　surprises　us　without　any　visible　cause；　by　an　impulse
from　heaven；　so　that　whole　nations　and　whole　armies　have　been　struck　with
it。　　Such　a　one　was　that　which　brought　so　wonderful　a　desolation　upon
Carthage；　where　nothing　was　to　be　heard　but　affrighted　voices　and
outcries；　where　the　inhabitants　were　seen　to　sally　out　of　their　houses　as
to　an　alarm；　and　there　to　charge；　wound；　and　kill　one　another；　as　if　they
had　been　enemies　come　to　surprise　their　city。　　All　things　were　in
disorder　and　fury　till；　with　prayers　and　sacrifices；　they　had　appeased
their　gods　＇Diod。　　Sic。；　xv。　7＇；　and　this　is　that　they　call　panic
terrors。　＇Ibid。　；　Plutarch　on　Isis　and　Osiris；　c。　　8。＇




CHAPTER　XVIII

THAT　MEN　ARE　NOT　TO　JUDGE　OF　OUR　HAPPINESS　TILL　AFTER　DEATH。

　　　　　＇Charron　has　borrowed　with　unusual　liberality　from　this　and　the
　　　　　succeeding　chapter。　　See　Nodier；　Questions；　p。　206。＇

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Scilicet　ultima　semper
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Exspectanda　dies　homini　est；　dicique　beatus
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ante　obitum　nemo　supremaque　funera　debet。〃

　　　　　＇〃We　should　all　look　forward　to　our　last　day：　no　one　can　be　called
　　　　　happy　till　he　is　dead　and　buried。〃Ovid；　Met；　iii。　135＇

The　very　children　know　the　story　of　King　Croesus　to　this　purpose；　who
being　taken　prisoner　by　Cyrus；　and　by　him　condemned　to　die；　as　he　was
going　to　execution　cried　out；　〃O　Solon；　Solon！〃　　which　being　presently
reported　to　Cyrus；　and　he　sending　to　inquire　of　him　what　it　meant；
Croesus　gave　him　to　understand　that　he　now　found　the　teaching　Solon　had
formerly　given　him　true　to　his　cost；　which　was；　〃That　men；　however
fortune　may　smile　upon　them；　could　never　be　said　to　be　happy　till　they
had　been　seen　to　pass　over　the　last　day　of　their　lives；〃　by　reason　of　the
uncertainty　and　mutability　of　human　things；　which；　upon　very　light　and
trivial　occasions；　are　subject　to　be　totally　changed　into　a　quite
contrary　condition。　　And　so　it　was　that　Agesilaus　made　answer　to　one　who
was　saying　what　a　happy　young　man　the　King　of　Persia　was；　to　come　so
young　to　so　mighty　a　kingdom：　〃'Tis　true；〃　said　he；　〃　but　neither　was
Priam　unhappy　at　his　years。〃　＇Plutarch；　Apothegms　of　the
Lacedaemonians。＇　In　a　short　time；　kings　of　Macedon；　successors　to　that
mighty　Alexander；　became　joiners　and　scriveners　at　Rome；　a　tyrant　of
Sicily；　a　pedant　at　Corinth；　a　conqueror　of　one…half　of　the　world　and
general　of　so　many　armies；　a　miserable　suppliant　to　the　rascally　officers
of　a　king　of　Egypt：　so　much　did　the　prolongation　of　five　or　six　months　of
life　cost　the　great　Pompey；　and；　in　our　fathers'　days；　Ludovico　Sforza；
the　tenth　Duke　of　Milan；　whom　all　Italy　had　so　long　truckled　under；　was
seen　to　die　a　wretched　prisoner　at　Loches；　but　not　till　he　had　lived　ten
years　in　captivity；　＇He　was　imprisoned　by　Louis　XI。　in　an　iron　cage＇
which　was　the　worst　part　of　his　fortune。　　The　fairest　of　all　queens；
＇Mary；　Queen　of　Scots。＇　widow　to　the　greatest　king　in　Europe；　did　she
not　come　to　die　by　the　hand　of　an　executioner？　　Unworthy　and　barbarous
cruelty！　　And　a　thousand　more　examples　there　are　of　the　same　kind；　for　it
seems　that　as　storms　and　tempests　have　a　malice　against　the　proud　and
overtowering　heights　of　our　lofty　buildings；　there　are　also　spirits　above
that　are　envious　of　the　greatnesses　here　below：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Usque　adeo　res　humanas　vis　abdita　quaedam
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Obterit；　et　pulchros　fasces；　saevasque　secures
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Proculcare；　ac　ludibrio　sibi　habere　videtur。〃

　　　　　＇〃So　true　it　is　that　some　occult　power　upsets　human　affairs；　the
　　　　　glittering　fasces　and　the　cruel　axes　spurns　under　foot；　and　seems　to
　　　　　make　sport　of　them。〃　Lucretius；　v。　　1231。＇

And　it　should　seem；　also；　that　Fortune　sometimes　lies　in　wait　to　surprise
the　last　hour　of　our　lives；　to　show　the　power　she　has；　in　a　moment；　to
overthrow　what　she　was　so　many　years　in　building；　making　us　cry　out　with
Laberius：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Nimirum　hac　die
　　　　　　　　　　Una　plus　vixi　mihi；　quam　vivendum　fuit。〃

　　　　　＇〃I　have　lived　longer　by　this　one　day　than　I　should　have
　　　　　done。〃Macrobius；　ii。　　7。＇

And；　in　this　sense；　this　good　advice　of　Solon　may　reasonably　be　taken；
but　he；　being　a　philosopher　（with　which　sort　of　men　the　favours　and
disgraces　of　Fortune　stand　for　nothing；　either　to　the　making　a　man　happy
or　unhappy；　and　with　whom　grandeurs　and　powers　are　accidents　of　a　quality
almost　indifferent）　I　am　apt　to　think　that　he　had　some　further　aim；　and
that　his　meaning　was；　that　the　very　felicity　of　life　itself；　which
depends　upon　the　tranquillity　and　contentment　of　a　well…descended　spirit；
and　the　resolution　and　assurance　of　a　well…ordered　soul；　ought　never　to
be　attributed　to　any　man　till　he　has　first　been　seen　to　play　the　last；
and；　doubtless；　the　hardest　act　of　his　part。　　There　may　be　disguise　and
dissimulation　in　all　the　rest：　where　these　fine　philosophical　discourses
are　only　put　on；　and　where　accident；　not　touching　us　to　the　quick；　gives
us　leisure　to　maintain　the　same　gravity　of　aspect；　but；　in　this　last
scene　of　death；　there　is　no　more　counterfeiting：　we　must　speak　out　plain；
and　discover　what　there　is　of　good　and　clean　in　the　bottom　of　the　pot；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Nam　vera；　voces　turn　demum　pectore　ab　imo
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ejiciuntur；　et　eripitur　persona；　manet　res。〃

　　　　　＇Then　at　last　truth　issues　from　the　heart；　the　visor's　gone；
　　　　　the　man　remains。〃　Lucretius；　iii。　　57。＇

Wherefore；　at　this　last；　all　the　other　actions　of　our　life　ought　to　be
tried　and　sifted：　'tis　the　master…day；　'tis　the　day　that　is　judge　of　all
the　rest；　〃'tis　the　day；〃　says　one　of　the　ancients；＇Seneca；　Ep。；　102＇
〃that　must　be　judge　of　all　my　foregoing　years。〃　　To　death　do　I　refer　the
assay　of　the　fruit　of　all　my　studies：　we　shall　then　see　whether　my
discourses　came　only　from　my　mouth　or　from　my　heart。　　I　have　seen　many　by
their　death　give　a　good　or　an　ill　repute　to　their　whole　life。　　Scipio；
the　father…in…law　of　Pompey；　in　dying；　well　removed　the　ill　opinion　that
till　then　every　one　had　conceived　of　him。　　Epaminondas　being　asked　which
of　the　three　he　had　in　greatest　esteem；　Chabrias；　Iphicrates；　or　himself。
〃You　must　first　see　us　die；〃　said　he；　〃before　that　question　can　be
resolved。〃　＇Plutarch；　Apoth。＇　And；　in　truth；　he　would　infinitely
wrong　that　man　who　would　weigh　him　without　the　honour　and　grandeur　of　his
end。

God　has　ordered　all　things　as　it　has　best　pleased　Him；　but　I　have；　in　my
time；　seen　three　of　the　most　execrable　persons　that　ever　I　knew　in　all
manner　of　abominable　living；　and　the　most　infamous　to　boot；　who　all　died
a　very　regular　death；　and　in　all　circumstances　composed；　even　to
perfection。　　There　are　brave　and　fortunate　deaths：　I　have　seen　death　cut
the　thread　of　the　progress　of　a　prodigious　advancement；　and　in　the　height
and　flower　of　its　increase；　of　a　certain　person；　＇Montaigne　doubtless
refers　to　his　friend　Etienne　de　la　Boetie；　at　whose　death　in　1563　he　was
present。＇　with　so　glorious　an　end　that；　in　my　opinion；　his　ambitious
and　generous　designs　had　nothing　in　them　so　high　and　great　as　their
interruption。　　He　arrived；　without　completing　his　course；　at　the　place　to
which　his　ambition　aimed；　with　greater　glory　than　he　could　either　have
hoped　or　desired；　anticipating　by　his　fall　the　name　and　power　to　which　he
aspired　in　perfecting　his　career。　　In　the　judgment　I　make　of　another
man's　life；　I　always　observe　how　he　carried　himself　at　his　death；　and　the
principal　concern　I　have　for　my　own　is　that　I　may　die　wellthat　is；
patiently　and　tranquilly。




CHAPTER　XIX

THAT　TO　STUDY　PHILOSOPY　IS　TO　LEARN　TO　DIE

Cicero　says　＇Tusc。；　i。　　31。＇　〃that　to　study　philosophy　is　nothing　but
to　prepare　one's　self　to　die。〃　　The　reason　of　which　is；　because　study　and
contemplation　do　in　some　sort　withdraw　from　us　our　soul；　and　employ　it
separately　from　the　body；　which　is　a　kind　of　apprenticeship　and　a
resemblance　of　death；　or；　else；　because　all　the　wisdom　and　reasoning　in
the　world　do　in　the　end　conclude　in　this　point；　to　teach　us　not　to　fear
to　die。　　And　to　say　the　truth；　either　our　reason　mocks　us；　or　it　ought　to
have　no　other　aim　but　our　contentment　only；　nor　to　endeavour　anything
but；　in　sum；　to　make　us　live　well；　and；　as　the　Holy　Scripture　says；　at
our　ease。　　All　the　opinions　of　the　world　agree　in　this；　that　pleasure　is
our　end；　though　we　make　use　of　divers　means　to　attain　it：　they　would；
otherwise；　be　rejected　at　the　first　motion；　for　who　would　give　ear　to　him
that　should　propose　affliction　and　misery　for　his　end？　　The　controversies
and　disputes　of　the　philosophical　sects　upon　this　point　are　merely
verbal：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Transcurramus　solertissimas　nugas〃

　　　　　＇〃Let　us　skip