the essays of montaigne, v12- 第7部分

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Converso　pollice　vulgi；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Quemlibet　occidunt　populariter。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃The　populace；　with　inverted　thumbs；　kill　all　that
　　　　　　　　　　come　before　them。〃Juvenal；　iii。　36＇

The　Romans　exempted　from　war　all　such　as　were　maimed　in　the　thumbs；　as
having　no　more　sufficient　strength　to　hold　their　weapons。　　Augustus
confiscated　the　estate　of　a　Roman　knight　who　had　maliciously　cut　off　the
thumbs　of　two　young　children　he　had；　to　excuse　them　from　going　into　the
armies；　and；　before　him；　the　Senate；　in　the　time　of　the　Italic　war；　had
condemned　Caius　Vatienus　to　perpetual　imprisonment；　and　confiscated　all
his　goods；　for　having　purposely　cut　off　the　thumb　of　his　left　hand；　to
exempt　himself　from　that　expedition。　　Some　one；　I　have　forgotten　who；
having　won　a　naval　battle；　cut　off　the　thumbs　of　all　his　vanquished
enemies；　to　render　them　incapable　of　fighting　and　of　handling　the　oar。
The　Athenians　also　caused　the　thumbs　of　the　AEginatans　to　be　cut　off；
to　deprive　them　of　the　superiority　in　the　art　of　navigation。

In　Lacedaemon；　pedagogues　chastised　their　scholars　by　biting　their
thumbs。




CHAPTER　XXVII

COWARDICE　THE　MOTHER　OF　CRUELTY

I　have　often　heard　it　said　that　cowardice　is　the　mother　of　cruelty；　and　I
have　found　by　experience　that　malicious　and　inhuman　animosity　and
fierceness　are　usually　accompanied　with　feminine　weakness。　　I　have　seen
the　most　cruel　people；　and　upon　frivolous　occasions；　apt　to　cry。
Alexander；　the　tyrant　of　Pheres；　durst　not　be　a　spectator　of　tragedies　in
the　theatre；　for　fear　lest　his　citizens　should　see　him　weep　at　the
misfortunes　of　Hecuba　and　Andromache；　who　himself　without　pity　caused　so
many　people　every　day　to　be　murdered。　　Is　it　not　meanness　of　spirit　that
renders　them　so　pliable　to　all　extremities？　　Valour；　whose　effect　is　only
to　be　exercised　against　resistance

　　　　　　　　　　〃Nec　nisi　bellantis　gaudet　cervice　juvenci〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Nor　delights　in　killing　a　bull　unless　he　resists。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Claudius；　Ep。　ad　Hadrianum；　v。　39。＇

stops　when　it　sees　the　enemy　at　its　mercy；　but　pusillanimity；　to　say　that
it　was　also　in　the　game；　not　having　dared　to　meddle　in　the　first　act　of
danger；　takes　as　its　part　the　second；　of　blood　and　massacre。　　The　murders
in　victories　are　commonly　performed　by　the　rascality　and　hangers…on　of　an
army；　and　that　which　causes　so　many　unheard　of　cruelties　in　domestic　wars
is；　that　this　canaille　makes　war　in　imbruing　itself　up　to　the　elbows　in
blood；　and　ripping　up　a　body　that　lies　prostrate　at　its　feet；　having　no
sense　of　any　other　valour：

　　　　　　　　　〃Et　lupus；　et　turpes　instant　morientibus　ursi；
　　　　　　　　　　Et　quaecunque　minor　nobilitate　fera　est：〃

　　　　　＇〃Wolves　and　the　filthy　bears；　and　all　the　baser　beasts；
　　　　　fall　upon　the　dying。〃Ovid；　Trist。；　iii。　5；　35。＇

like　cowardly　dogs；　that　in　the　house　worry　and　tear　the　skins　of　wild
beasts；　they　durst　not　come　near　in　the　field。　　What　is　it　in　these　times
of　ours　that　makes　our　quarrels　mortal；　and　that；　whereas　our　fathers　had
some　degrees　of　revenge；　we　now　begin　with　the　last　in　ours；　and　at　the
first　meeting　nothing　is　to　be　said　but；　kill？　　What　is　this　but
cowardice？

Every　one　is　sensible　that　there　is　more　bravery　and　disdain　in　subduing
an　enemy；　than　in　cutting；　his　throat；　and　in　making　him　yield；　than　in
putting　him　to　the　sword：　besides　that　the　appetite　of　revenge　is　better
satisfied　and　pleased　because　its　only　aim　is　to　make　itself　felt：　And
this　is　the　reason　why　we　do　not　fall　upon　a　beast　or　a　stone　when　they
hurt　us；　because　they　are　not　capable　of　being　sensible　of　our　revenge；
and　to　kill　a　man　is　to　save　him　from　the　injury　and　offence　we　intend
him。　　And　as　Bias　cried　out　to　a　wicked　fellow；　〃I　know　that　sooner　or
later　thou　wilt　have　thy　reward；　but　I　am　afraid　I　shall　not　see　it〃；
＇Plutarch；　on　the　Delay　in　Divine　Justice；　c。　2。＇　and　pitied　the
Orchomenians　that　the　penitence　of　Lyciscus　for　the　treason　committed
against　them；　came　at　a　season　when　there　was　no　one　remaining　alive　of
those　who　had　been　interested　in　the　offence；　and　whom　the　pleasure　of
this　penitence　should　affect：　so　revenge　is　to　be　pitied；　when　the　person
on　whom　it　is　executed　is　deprived　of　means　of　suffering　under　it：　for　as
the　avenger　will　look　on　to　enjoy　the　pleasure　of　his　revenge；　so　the
person　on　whom　he　takes　revenge　should　be　a　spectator　too；　to　be
afflicted　and　to　repent。　　〃He　will　repent　it；〃　we　say；　and　because　we
have　given　him　a　pistol…shot　through　the　head；　do　we　imagine　he　will
repent？　　On　the　contrary；　if　we　but　observe；　we　shall　find；　that　he　makes
mouths　at　us　in　falling；　and　is　so　far　from　penitency；　that　he　does　not
so　much　as　repine　at　us；　and　we　do　him　the　kindest　office　of　life；　which
is　to　make　him　die　insensibly；　and　soon：　we　are　afterwards　to　hide
ourselves；　and　to　shift　and　fly　from　the　officers　of　justice；　who　pursue
us；　whilst　he　is　at　rest。　　Killing　is　good　to　frustrate　an　offence　to
come；　not　to　revenge　one　that　is　already　past；　and　more　an　act　of　fear
than　of　bravery；　of　precaution　than　of　courage；　of　defence　than　of
enterprise。　　It　is　manifest　that　by　it　we　lose　both　the　true　end　of
revenge　and　the　care　of　our　reputation；　we　are　afraid；　if　he　lives　he
will　do　us　another　injury　as　great　as　the　first；　'tis　not　out　of
animosity　to　him；　but　care　of　thyself；　that　thou　gettest　rid　of　him。

In　the　kingdom　of　Narsingah　this　expedient　would　be　useless　to　us；　where
not　only　soldiers；　but　tradesmen　also；　end　their　differences　by　the
sword。　　The　king　never　denies　the　field　to　any　who　wish　to　fight；　and
when　they　are　persons　of　quality；　he　looks　on；　rewarding　the　victor　with
a　chain　of　gold；for　which　any　one　who　pleases　may　fight　with　him　again；
so　that；　by　having　come　off　from　one　combat；　he　has　engaged　himself　in
many。

If　we　thought　by　virtue　to　be　always　masters　of　our　enemies；　and　to
triumph　over　them　at　pleasure；　we　should　be　sorry　they　should　escape　from
us　as　they　do；　by　dying：　but　we　have　a　mind　to　conquer；　more　with　safety
than　honour；　and；　in　our　quarrel；　more　pursue　the　end　than　the　glory。

Asnius　Pollio；　who；　as　being　a　worthy　man；　was　the　less　to　be　excused；
committed　a　like；　error；　when；　having　written　a　libel　against　Plancus；　he
forbore　to　publish　it　till　he　was　dead；　which　is　to　bite　one's　thumb　at　a
blind　man；　to　rail　at　one　who　is　deaf；　to　wound　a　man　who　has　no　feeling；
rather　than　to　run　the　hazard　of　his　resentment。　　And　it　was　also　said　of
him　that　it　was　only　for　hobgoblins　to　wrestle　with　the　dead。

He　who　stays　to　see　the　author　die；　whose　writings　he　intends　to
question；　what　does　he　say　but　that　he　is　weak　in　his　aggressiveness？
It　was　told　to　Aristotle　that　some　one　had　spoken　ill　of　him：　〃Let　him
do　more；〃　said　he；　〃let　him　whip　me　too；　provided　I　am　not　there。〃

Our　fathers　contented　themselves　with　revenging　an　insult　with　the　lie；
the　lie　with　a　box　of　the　ear；　and　so　forward；　they　were　valiant　enough
not　to　fear　their　adversaries；　living　and　provoked　we　tremble　for　fear　so
soon　as　we　see　them　on　foot。　　And　that　this　is　so；　does　not　our　noble
practice　of　these　days；　equally　to　prosecute　to　death　both　him　that　has
offended　us　and　him　we　have　offended；　make　it　out？　　'Tis　also　a　kind
of　cowardice　that　has　introduced　the　custom　of　having　seconds；　thirds；
and　fourths　in　our　duels；　they　were　formerly　duels；　they　are　now
skirmishes；　rencontres；　and　battles。　　Solitude　was；　doubtless；　terrible
to　those　who　were　the　first　inventors　of　this　practice：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Quum　in　se　cuique　minimum　fiduciae　esset；〃

for　naturally　any　company　whatever　is　consolatory　in　danger。　　Third
persons　were　formerly　called　in　to　prevent　disorder　and　foul　play　only；
and　to　be　witness　of　the　fortune　of　the　combat；　but　now　they　have　brought
it　to　this　pass　that　the　witnesses　themselves　engage；　whoever　is　invited
cannot　handsomely　stand　by　as　an　idle　spectator；　for　fear　of　being
suspected　either　of　want　of　affection　or　of　courage。　　Besides　the
injustice　and　unworthiness　of　such　an　action；　of　engaging　other　strength
and　valour　in　the　protection　of　your　honour　than　your　own；　I　conceive　it
a　disadvantage　to　a　brave　man；　and　who　wholly　relies　upon　himself；　to
shuffle　his　fortune　with　that　of　a　second；　every　one　runs　hazard　enough
himself　without　hazarding　for　another；　and　has　enough　to　do　to　assure
himself　in　his　own　valour　for　the　defence　of　his　life；　without　intrusting
a　thing　so　dear　in　a　third　man's　hand。　　For；　if　it　be　not　expressly
agreed　upon　before　to　the　contrary；　'tis　a　combined　party　of　all　four；
and　if　your　second　be　killed；　you　have　two　to　deal　withal；　with　good
reason；　and　to　say　that　it　is　foul　play；　it　is　so　indeed；　as　it　is；　well
armed；　to　attack　a　man　who　has　but　the　hilt　of　a　broken　sword　in　his
hand；　or；　clear　and　untouched；　a　man　who　is　desperately　wounded：　but　if
these　be　advantages　you　have　got　by　fighting；　you　may　make　use　of　them
without　reproach。　　The　disparity　and　inequality　are　only　weighed　and
considered　from　the　condition　of　the　combatants　when　they　began；　as　to
the　rest；　you　must　take　your　chance：　and　though　you　had；　alone；　three
enemies　upon　you　at　once；　your　two　companions　being　killed；　you　have　no
more　wrong　done　you；　than　I　should　do　in　a　battle；　by　running　a　man
through　whom　I　should　see　engaged　with　one　of　our　own　men；　with　the　like
advantage。　　The　nature　of　society　will　have　it　so　that　where　there　is
troop　against　troop；　as　where　our　Duke　of　Orleans　challenged　Henry；　king
of　England；　a　hundred　against　a　hundred；　three　hundred　against　as　many；
as　the　Argians　against　the　Lacedaemonians；　three　to　three；　as　the　Horatii
against　the　Curiatii；　the　multitude　on　either　side　is　considered　but　as
one　single　man：　the　hazard；　wherever　there　is　company；　being　confused　and
mixed。

I　have　a　domestic　interest　in　this　discourse；　for　my　brother；　the　Sieur
de　Mattecoulom；　was　at　Rome　asked　by　a　gentleman　with　whom　he　had　no
great　acquaintance；　and　who　was　a　defendant　challenged　by　another；　to　be
his　second；　in　this　duel　he　found　himself　matched　with　a　gentleman　much
better　known　to　him。　　（I　would　fain　have　an　explanation　of　these　rules　of
honour；　which　so　often　shock　and　confound　those　of　reason。）　　After　having
de