the essays of montaigne, v13-第3章

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to　trick　up　his　daughter　and　to　adorn　her　with　ornaments　and　jewels　to
render　her　more　agreeable　to　this　new　lover；　he　also　gave　her　a
handkerchief　most　richly　wrought；　and　of　an　exquisite　perfume；　an
implement　they　never　go　without　in　those　parts；　which　she　was　to　make　use
of　at　their　first　approaches。　　This　handkerchief；　poisoned　with　his
greatest　art；　coming　to　be　rubbed　between　the　chafed　flesh　and　open
pores；　both　of　the　one　and　the　other；　so　suddenly　infused　the　poison；
that　immediately　converting　their　warm　into　a　cold　sweat　they　presently
died　in　one　another's　arms。

But　I　return　to　Caesar。　　His　pleasures　never　made　him　steal　one　minute　of
an　hour；　nor　go　one　step　aside　from　occasions　that　might　any　way　conduce
to　his　advancement。　　This　passion　was　so　sovereign　in　him　over　all　the
rest；　and　with　so　absolute　authority　possessed　his　soul；　that　it　guided
him　at　pleasure。　　In　truth；　this　troubles　me；　when；　as　to　everything
else；　I　consider　the　greatness　of　this　man；　and　the　wonderful　parts
wherewith　he　was　endued；　learned　to　that　degree　in　all　sorts　of　knowledge
that　there　is　hardly　any　one　science　of　which　he　has　not　written；　so
great　an　orator　that　many　have　preferred　his　eloquence　to　that　of　Cicero；
and　he；　I　conceive；　did　not　think　himself　inferior　to　him　in　that
particular；　for　his　two　anti…Catos　were　written　to　counterbalance　the
elocution　that　Cicero　had　expended　in　his　Cato。　　As　to　the　rest；　was　ever
soul　so　vigilant；　so　active；　and　so　patient　of　labour　as　his？　and；
doubtless；　it　was　embellished　with　many　rare　seeds　of　virtue；　lively；
natural；　and　not　put　on；　he　was　singularly　sober；　so　far　from　being
delicate　in　his　diet；　that　Oppius　relates；　how　that　having　one　day　at
table　set　before　him　medicated　instead　of　common　oil　in　some　sauce；　he
ate　heartily　of　it；　that　he　might　not　put　his　entertainer　out　of
countenance。　　Another　time　he　caused　his　baker　to　be　whipped　for　serving
him　with　a　finer　than　ordinary　sort　of　bread。　　Cato　himself　was　wont　to
say　of　him；　that　he　was　the　first　sober　man　who　ever　made　it　his　business
to　ruin　his　country。　　And　as　to　the　same　Cato's　calling；　him　one　day
drunkard；　it　fell　out　thus　being　both　of　them　in　the　Senate；　at　a　time
when　Catiline's　conspiracy　was　in　question　of　which　was　Caesar　was
suspected；　one　came　and　brought　him　a　letter　sealed　up。　　Cato　believing
that　it　was　something　the　conspirators　gave　him　notice　of；　required　him
to　deliver　into　his　hand；　which　Caesar　　was　constrained　to　do　to　avoid
further　suspicion。　　It　was　by　chance　a　love…letter　that　Servilia；　Cato's
sister；　had　written　to　him；　which　Cato　having　read；　he　threw　it　back　to
him　saying；　〃There；　drunkard。〃　　This；　I　say；　was　rather　a　word　of　disdain
and　anger　than　an　express　reproach　of　this　vice；　as　we　often　rate　those
who　anger　us　with　the　first　injurious　words　that　come　into　our　mouths；
though　nothing　due　to　those　we　are　offended　at；　to　which　may　be　added
that　the　vice　with　which　Cato　upbraided　him　is　wonderfully　near　akin　to
that　wherein　he　had　surprised　Caesar；　for　Bacchus　and　Venus；　according　to
the　proverb；　very　willingly　agree；　but　to　me　Venus　is　much　more　sprightly
accompanied　by　sobriety。　　The　examples　of　his　sweetness　and　clemency　to
those　by　whom　he　had　been　offended　are　infinite；　I　mean；　besides　those　he
gave　during　the　time　of　the　civil　wars；　which；　as　plainly　enough　appears
by　his　writings；　he　practised　to　cajole　his　enemies；　and　to　make　them
less　afraid　of　his　future　dominion　and　victory。　　But　I　must　also　say；
that　if　these　examples　are　not　sufficient　proofs　of　his　natural
sweetness；　they；　at　least；　manifest　a　marvellous　confidence　and　grandeur
of　courage　in　this　person。　　He　has　often　been　known　to　dismiss　whole
armies；　after　having　overcome　them；　to　his　enemies；　without　ransom；　or
deigning　so　much　as　to　bind　them　by　oath；　if　not　to　favour　him；　at　least
no　more　to　bear　arms　against　him；　he　has　three　or　four　times　taken　some
of　Pompey's　captains　prisoners；　and　as　often　set　them　at　liberty。　　Pompey
declared　all　those　to　be　enemies　who　did　not　follow　him　to　the　war；　he
proclaimed　all　those　to　be　his　friends　who　sat　still　and　did　not　actually
take　arms　against　him。　　To　such　captains　of　his　as　ran　away　from　him　to
go　over　to　the　other　side；　he　sent；　moreover；　their　arms；　horses；　and
equipage：　the　cities　he　had　taken　by　force　he　left　at　full　liberty　to
follow　which　side　they　pleased；　imposing　no　other　garrison　upon　them　but
the　memory　of　his　gentleness　and　clemency。　　He　gave　strict　and　express
charge；　the　day　of　his　great　battle　of　Pharsalia；　that；　without　the
utmost　necessity；　no　one　should　lay　a　hand　upon　the　citizens　of　Rome。
These；　in　my　opinion；　were　very　hazardous　proceedings；　and　'tis　no　wonder
if　those　in　our　civil　war；　who；　like　him；　fight　against　the　ancient
estate　of　their　country；　do　not　follow　his　example；　they　are
extraordinary　means；　and　that　only　appertain　to　Caesar's　fortune；　and　to
his　admirable　foresight　in　the　conduct　of　affairs。　　When　I　consider　the
incomparable　grandeur　of　his　soul；　I　excuse　victory　that　it　could　not
disengage　itself　from　him；　even　in　so　unjust　and　so　wicked　a　cause。

To　return　to　his　clemency：　we　have　many　striking　examples　in　the　time　of
his　government；　when；　all　things　being　reduced　to　his　power；　he　had　no
more　written　against　him　which　he　had　as　sharply　answered：　yet　he　did　not
soon　after　forbear　to　use　his　interest　to　make　him　consul。　　Caius　Calvus；
who　had　composed　several　injurious　epigrams　against　him；　having　employed
many　of　his　friends　to　mediate　a　reconciliation　with　him；　Caesar
voluntarily　persuaded　himself　to　write　first　to　him。　　And　our　good
Catullus；　who　had　so　rudely　ruffled　him　under　the　name　of　Mamurra；　coming
to　offer　his　excuses　to　him；　he　made　the　same　day　sit　at　his　table。
Having　intelligence　of　some　who　spoke　ill　of　him；　he　did　no　more；　but
only　by　a　public　oration　declare　that　he　had　notice　of　it。　　He　still　less
feared　his　enemies　than　he　hated　them；　some　conspiracies　and　cabals　that
were　made　against　his　life　being　discovered　to　him；　he　satisfied　himself
in　publishing　by　proclamation　that　they　were　known　to　him；　without
further　prosecuting　the　conspirators。

As　to　the　respect　he　had　for　his　friends：　Caius　Oppius；　being　with　him
upon　a　journey；　and　finding　himself　ill；　he　left　him　the　only　lodging　he
had　for　himself；　and　lay　all　night　upon　a　hard　ground　in　the　open　air。
As　to　what　concerns　his　justice；　he　put　a　beloved　servant　of　his　to　death
for　lying　with　a　noble　Roman's　wife；　though　there　was　no　complaint　made。〃
Never　had　man　more　moderation　in　his　victory；　nor　more　resolution　in　his
adverse　fortune。

But　all　these　good　inclinations　were　stifled　and　spoiled　by　his　furious
ambition；　by　which　he　suffered　himself　to　be　so　transported　and　misled
that　one　may　easily　maintain　that　this　passion　was　the　rudder　of　all　his
actions；　of　a　liberal　man；　it　made　him　a　public　thief　to　supply　this
bounty　and　profusion；　and　made　him　utter　this　vile　and　unjust　saying；
〃That　if　the　most　wicked　and　profligate　persons　in　the　world　had　been
faithful　in　serving　him　towards　his　advancement；　he　would　cherish　and
prefer　them　to　the　utmost　of　his　power；　as　much　as　the　best　of　men。〃
It　intoxicated　him　with　so　excessive　a　vanity；　as　to　dare　to　boast　in　the
presence　of　his　fellow…citizens；　that　he　had　made　the　great　commonwealth
of　Rome　a　name　without　form　and　without　body；　and　to　say　that　his　answers
for　the　future　should　stand　for　laws；　and　also　to　receive　the　body　of　the
Senate　coming　to　him；　sitting；　to　suffer　himself　to　be　adored；　and　to
have　divine　honours　paid　to　him　in　his　own　presence。　　To　conclude；　this
sole　vice；　in　my　opinion；　spoiled　in　him　the　most　rich　and　beautiful
nature　that　ever　was；　and　has　rendered　his　name　abominable　to　all　good
men；　in　that　he　would　erect　his　glory　upon　the　ruins　of　his　country　and
the　subversion　of　the　greatest　and　most　flourishing　republic　the　world
shall　ever　see。

There　might；　on　the　contrary；　many　examples　be　produced　of　great　men　whom
pleasures　have　made　to　neglect　the　conduct　of　their　affairs；　as　Mark
Antony　and　others；　but　where　love　and　ambition　should　be　in　equal
balance；　and　come　to　jostle　with　equal　forces；　I　make　no　doubt　but　the
last　would　win　the　prize。

To　return　to　my　subject：　'tis　much　to　bridle　our　appetites　by　the
argument　of　reason；　or；　by　violence；　to　contain　our　members　within　their
duty；　but　to　lash　ourselves　for　our　neighbour's　interest；　and　not　only　to
divest　ourselves　of　the　charming　passion　that　tickles　us；　of　the　pleasure
we　feel　in　being　agreeable　to　others；　and　courted　and　beloved　of　every
one；　but　also　to　conceive　a　hatred　against　the　graces　that　produce　that
effect；　and　to　condemn　our　beauty　because　it　inflames　others；　of　this；　I
confess；　I　have　met　with　few　examples。　　But　this　is　one。　　Spurina；　a
young　man　of　Tuscany：

　　　　　　　　　〃Qualis　gemma　micat；　fulvum　quae　dividit　aurum；
　　　　　　　　　　Aut　collo　decus；　aut　cupiti：　vel　quale　per　artem
　　　　　　　　　　Inclusum　buxo　aut　Oricia　terebintho
　　　　　　　　　　Lucet　ebur；〃

　　　　　＇〃As　a　gem　shines　enchased　in　yellow　gold；　or　an　ornament　on　the
　　　　　neck　or　head；　or　as　ivory　has　lustre；　set　by　art　in　boxwood　or
　　　　　Orician　ebony。〃AEneid；　x。　134。＇

being　endowed　with　a　singular　beauty；　and　so　excessive；　that　the　chastest
eyes　could　not　chastely　behold　its　rays；　not　contenting　himself　with
leaving　so　much　flame　and　fever　as　he　everywhere　kindled　without　relief；
entered　into　a　furious　spite　against　himself　and　those　great　endowments
nature　had　so　liberally　conferred　upon　him；　as　if　a　man　were　responsible
to　himself　for　the　faults　of　others；　and　purposely　slashed　and
disfigured；　with　many　wounds　and　scars；　the　perfect　symmetry　and
proportion　that　nature　had　so　curiously　imprinted　in　his　face。　　To　give
my　free　opinion；　I　more　admire　than　honour　such　actions：　such　excesses
are　enemies　to　my　rules。　　The　design　was　conscientious　and　good；　but
certainly　a　little　defective　in　prudence。　　What　if　his　deformity　served
afterwards　to　make　others　guilty　of　the　sin　of　hatred　or　contempt；　or　of
envy　at　the　glory　of　so　rare　a　recommendation；　or　of　calumny；
interpreting　this　humour　a　mad　ambition！　　Is　there　any　form　from　which
vice　cannot；　if　it　will；　extract　occasion　to　exercise　itself；　one　way　or
another？　　It　had　been　more　just；　and　also　more　noble；　to　have　made　of
these　gifts　of　God　a　subject　of　exemplary　regularity　and　virtue。

They　who　retire　themselves　from　the　common　offices；　from　that　infinite
number　of　troublesome　rules　that　fetter　a　man　of　exact　honesty　in　civil
life；　are　in　my　opinion　very　discreet；　what　peculiar　sharpness　of
constraint　soever　they　impose　upon　themselves　in　so　doing。　　'Tis　in　some
sort　a　kind　of　dying　to　avoid　the　pain　of　living　well。　　They　may　have
another　reward；　but　the　reward　of　difficulty　I　fancy　they　can　never　have；
nor；　in　uneasiness；　that　there　can　be　anything　more　or　better　done　than
the　keeping　oneself　upright　amid　the　waves　of　the　world；　truly　and
exactly　performing　all　parts　of　our　duty。　　'Tis；　peradventure；　more　easy
to　keep　clear　of　the　sex　than　to　maintain　one's　self　aright　in　all　points
in　the　society　of　a　wife；　and　a　man　may　with　less　trouble　adapt　himself
to　entire　abstinence　than　to　the　due　dispens