the essays of montaigne, v6-第5章

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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。　　Neither
are　we　without　great　examples　of　constancy　and　resolution　in　this　affair
the　poor　souls　that　are　to　be　sacrificed；　old　men；　women；　and　children；
themselves　going　about　some　days　before　to　beg　alms　for　the　offering　of
their　sacrifice；　presenting　themselves　to　the　slaughter；　singing　and
dancing　with　the　spectators。

The　ambassadors　of　the　king　of　Mexico；　setting　out　to　Fernando　Cortez　the
power　and　greatness　of　their　master；　after　having　told　him；　that　he　had
thirty　vassals；　of　whom　each　was　able　to　raise　an　hundred　thousand
fighting　men；　and　that　he　kept　his　court　in　the　fairest　and　best
fortified　city　under　the　sun；　added　at　last；　that　he　was　obliged　yearly
to　offer　to　the　gods　fifty　thousand　men。　　And　it　is　affirmed；　that　he
maintained　a　continual　war；　with　some　potent　neighbouring　nations；　not
only　to　keep　the　young　men　in　exercise；　but　principally　to　have
wherewithal　to　furnish　his　sacrifices　with　his　prisoners　of　war。　　At　a
certain　town　in　another　place；　for　the　welcome　of　the　said　Cortez；　they
sacrificed　fifty　men　at　once。　　I　will　tell　you　this　one　tale　more；　and　I
have　done；　some　of　these　people　being　beaten　by　him；　sent　to　acknowledge
him；　and　to　treat　with　him　of　a　peace；　whose　messengers　carried　him　three
sorts　of　gifts；　which　they　presented　in　these　terms：　〃Behold；　lord；　here
are　five　slaves：　if　thou　art　a　furious　god　that　feedeth　upon　flesh　and
blood；　eat　these；　and　we　will　bring　thee　more；　if　thou　art　an　affable
god；　behold　here　incense　and　feathers；　but　if　thou　art　a　man；　take　these
fowls　and　these　fruits　that　we　have　brought　thee。〃




CHAPTER　XXX

OF　CANNIBALS

When　King　Pyrrhus　invaded　Italy；　having　viewed　and　considered　the　order
of　the　army　the　Romans　sent　out　to　meet　him；　〃I　know　not；〃　said　he；
〃what　kind　of　barbarians〃　（for　so　the　Greeks　called　all　other　nations）
〃these　may　be；　but　the　disposition　of　this　army　that　I　see　has　nothing　of
barbarism　in　it。〃　＇Plutarch；　Life　of　Pyrrhus；　c。　8。＇　As　much　said　the
Greeks　of　that　which　Flaminius　brought　into　their　country；　and　Philip；
beholding　from　an　eminence　the　order　and　distribution　of　the　Roman　camp
formed　in　his　kingdom　by　Publius　Sulpicius　Galba；　spake　to　the　same
effect。　　By　which　it　appears　how　cautious　men　ought　to　be　of　taking
things　upon　trust　from　vulgar　opinion；　and　that　we　are　to　judge　by　the
eye　of　reason；　and　not　from　common　report。

I　long　had　a　man　in　my　house　that　lived　ten　or　twelve　years　in　the　New
World；　discovered　in　these　latter　days；　and　in　that　part　of　it　where
Villegaignon　landed；＇At　Brazil；　in　1557。＇　which　he　called　Antarctic
France。　　This　discovery　of　so　vast　a　country　seems　to　be　of　very　great
consideration。　　I　cannot　be　sure；　that　hereafter　there　may　not　be
another；　so　many　wiser　men　than　we　having　been　deceived　in　this。　　I　am
afraid　our　eyes　are　bigger　than　our　bellies；　and　that　we　have　more
curiosity　than　capacity；　for　we　grasp　at　all；　but　catch　nothing　but　wind。

Plato　brings　in　Solon；　＇In　Timaeus。＇　telling　a　story　that　he　had
heard　from　the　priests　of　Sais　in　Egypt；　that　of　old；　and　before　the
Deluge；　there　was　a　great　island　called　Atlantis；　situate　directly　at　the
mouth　of　the　straits　of　Gibraltar；　which　contained　more　countries　than
both　Africa　and　Asia　put　together；　and　that　the　kings　of　that　country；
who　not　only　possessed　that　Isle；　but　extended　their　dominion　so　far　into
the　continent　that　they　had　a　country　of　Africa　as　far　as　Egypt；　and
extending　in　Europe　to　Tuscany；　attempted　to　encroach　even　upon　Asia；　and
to　subjugate　all　the　nations　that　border　upon　the　Mediterranean　Sea；　as
far　as　the　Black　Sea；　and　to　that　effect　overran　all　Spain；　the　Gauls；
and　Italy；　so　far　as　to　penetrate　into　Greece；　where　the　Athenians
stopped　them：　but　that　some　time　after；　both　the　Athenians；　and　they　and
their　island；　were　swallowed　by　the　Flood。

It　is　very　likely　that　this　extreme　irruption　and　inundation　of　water
made　wonderful　changes　and　alterations　in　the　habitations　of　the　earth；
as　'tis　said　that　the　sea　then　divided　Sicily　from　Italy

　　　　　　　　　〃Haec　loca；　vi　quondam　et　vasta　convulsa　ruina；
　　　　　　　　　　Dissiluisse　ferunt；　quum　protenus　utraque　tellus
　　　　　　　　　　Una　foret〃

　　　　　＇〃These　lands；　they　say；　formerly　with　violence　and　vast　desolation
　　　　　convulsed；　burst　asunder；　where　erewhile　were。〃AEneid；　iii。　414。＇

Cyprus　from　Syria；　the　isle　of　Negropont　from　the　continent　of　Beeotia；
and　elsewhere　united　lands　that　were　separate　before；　by　filling　up　the
channel　betwixt　them　with　sand　and　mud：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Sterilisque　diu　palus；　aptaque　remis；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Vicinas　urbes　alit；　et　grave　sentit　aratrum。〃

　　　　　＇〃That　which　was　once　a　sterile　marsh；　and　bore　vessels　on　its
　　　　　bosom；　now　feeds　neighbouring　cities；　and　admits　the　plough。〃
　　　　　Horace；　De　Arte　Poetica；　v。　65。＇

But　there　is　no　great　appearance　that　this　isle　was　this　New　World　so
lately　discovered：　for　that　almost　touched　upon　Spain；　and　it　were　an
incredible　effect　of　an　inundation；　to　have　tumbled　back　so　prodigious　a
mass；　above　twelve　hundred　leagues：　besides　that　our　modern　navigators
have　already　almost　d