the essays of montaigne, v16-第13节

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　　　　　　　　　〃Beneficia　ea　usque　lxta　sunt；　dum　videntur　exsolvi　posse；
　　　　　　　　　　ubi　multum　antevenere；　pro　gratis　odium　redditur；〃

　　　　　＇〃Benefits　are　so　far　acceptable　as　they　appear　to　be　capable　of
　　　　　recompense；　where　they　much　exceed　that　point；　hatred　is　returned
　　　　　instead　of　thanks。〃Tacitus；　Annal。；　iv。　18。＇

and　Seneca　vigorously　says：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Nam　qui　putat　esse　turpe　non　reddere；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　non　vult　esse　cui　reddat：〃

　　　　　＇〃For　he　who　thinks　it　a　shame　not　to　requite；　does　not　wish　to
　　　　　have　the　man　live　to　whom　he　owes　return。〃Seneca；　Ep。；　81。＇

Q。　Cicero　says　with　less　directness。：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Qui　se　non　putat　satisfacere；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　amicus　esse　nullo　modo　potest。〃

　　　　　＇〃Who　thinks　himself　behind　in　obligation；　can　by　no
　　　　　means　be　a　friend。〃Q。　Cicero；　De　Petitione　Consul；　c。　9。＇

The　subject；　according　to　what　it　is；　may　make　a　man　looked　upon　as
learned　and　of　good　memory；　but　to　judge　in　him　the　parts　that　are　most
his　own　and　the　most　worthy；　the　vigour　and　beauty　of　his　soul；　one　must
first　know　what　is　his　own　and　what　is　not；　and　in　that　which　is　not　his
own；　how　much　we　are　obliged　to　him　for　the　choice；　disposition；
ornament；　and　language　he　has　there　presented　us　with。　　What　if　he　has
borrowed　the　matter　and　spoiled　the　form；　as　it　often　falls　out？　　We；　who
are　little　read　in　books；　are　in　this　strait；　that　when　we　meet　with　a
high　fancy　in　some　new　poet；　or　some　strong　argument　in　a　preacher；　we
dare　not；　nevertheless；　commend　it　till　we　have　first　informed　ourselves；
through　some　learned　man；　if　it　be　the　writer's　wit　or　borrowed　from　some
other；　until　that　I　always　stand　upon　my　guard。

I　have　lately　been　reading　the　history　of　Tacitus　quite　through；　without
interrupting　it　with　anything　else　（which　but　seldom　happens　with　me；　it
being　twenty　years　since　I　have　kept　to　any　one　book　an　hour　together）；
and　I　did　it　at　the　instance　of　a　gentleman　for　whom　France　has　a　great
esteem；　as　well　for　his　own　particular　worth；　as　upon　the　account　of　a
constant　form　of　capacity　and　virtue　which　runs　through　a　great　many
brothers　of　them。　　I　do　not　know　any　author　in　a　public　narrative　who
mixes　so　much　consideration　of　manners　and　particular　inclinations：　and　I
am　of　a　quite　contrary　opinion　to　him；　holding　that；　having　especially　to
follow　the　lives　of　the　emperors　of　his　time；　so　various　and　extreme　in
all　sorts　of　forms；　so　many　notable　actions　as　their　cruelty　especially
produced　in　their　subjects；　he　had　a　stronger　and　more　attractive　matter
to　treat　of　than　if　he　had　had　to　describe　battles　and　universal
commotions；　so　that　I　often　find　him　sterile；　running　over　those　brave
deaths　as　if　he　feared　to　trouble　us　with　their　multitude　and　length。
This　form　of　history　is　by　much　the　most　useful；　public　movements　depend
most　upon　the　conduct　of　fortune；　private　ones　upon　our　own。　　'Tis　rather
a　judgment　than　a　narration　of　history；　there　are　in　it　more　precepts
than　stories：　it　is　not　a　book　to　read；　'tis　a　book　to　study　and　learn；
'tis　full　of　sententious　opinions；　right　or　wrong；　'tis　a　nursery　of
ethic　and　politic　discourses；　for　the　use　and　ornament　of　those　who　have
any　place　in　the　government　of　the　world。　　He　always　argues　by　strong　and
solid　reasons；　after　a　pointed　and　subtle　manner；　according　to　the
affected　style　of　that　age；　which　was　so　in　love　with　an　inflated　manner；
that　where　point　and　subtlety　were　wanting　in　things　it　supplied　these
with　lofty　and　swelling　words。　　'Tis　not　much　unlike　the　style　of　Seneca：
I　look　upon　Tacitus　as　more　sinewy；　and　Seneca　as　more　sharp。　　His　pen
seems　most　proper　for　a　troubled　and　sick　state；　as　ours　at　present　is；
you　would　often　say　that　he　paints　and　pinches　us。

They　who　doubt　his　good　faith　sufficiently　accuse　themselves　of　being　his
enemy　upon　some　other　account。　　His　opinions　are　sound；　and　lean　to　the
right　side　in　the　Roman　affairs。　　And　yet　I　am　angry　at　him　for　judging
more　severely　of　Pompey　than　consists　with　the　opinion　of　those　worthy
men　who　lived　in　the　same　time；　and　had　dealings　with　him；　and　to　have
reputed　him　on　a　par　with　Marius　and　Sylla；　excepting　that　he　was　more
close。　　Other　writers　have　not　acquitted　his　intention　in　the　government
of　affairs　from　ambition　and　revenge；　and　even　his　friends　were　afraid
that　victory　would　have　transported　him　beyond　the　bounds　of　reason；　but
not　to　so　immeasurable　a　degree　as　theirs；　nothing　in　his　life　threatened
such　express　cruelty　and　tyranny。　　Neither　ought　we　to　set　suspicion
against　evidence；　and　therefore　I　do　not　believe　Plutarch　in　this　matter。
That　his　narrations　were　genuine　and　straightforward　may；　perhaps；　be
argued　from　this　very　thing；　that　they　do　not　always　apply　to　the
conclusions　of　his　judgments；　which　he　follows　according　to　the　bias　he
has　taken；　very　often　beyond　the　matter　he　presents　us　withal；　which　he
has　not　deigned　to　alter　in　the　least　degree。　　He　needs　no　excuse　for
having　approved　the　religion　of　his　time；　according　as　the　laws　enjoined；
and　to　have　been　ignorant　of　the　true；　this　was　his　misfortune；　not　his
fault。

I　have　principally　considered　his　judgment；　and　am　not　very　well
satisfied　therewith　throughout；　as　these　words　in　the　letter　that
Tiberius；　old　and　sick；　sent　to　the　senate。　〃What　shall　I　write　to　you；
sirs；　or　how　should　I　write　to　you；　or　what　should　I　not　write　to　you　at
this　time？　　May　the　gods　and　goddesses　lay　a　worse　punishment　upon　me
than　I　am　every　day　tormented　with；　if　I　know！〃　　I　do　not　see　why　he
should　so　positively　apply　them　to　a　sharp　remorse　that　tormented　the
conscience　of　Tiberius；　at　least；　when　I　was　in　the　same　condition；　I
perceived　no　such　thing。

And　this　also　seemed　to　me　a　little　mean　in　him　that；　having　to　say　that
he　had　borne　an　honourable　office　in　Rome；　he　excuses　himself　that　he
does　not　say　it　out　of　ostentation；　this　seems；　I　say；　mean　for　such　a
soul　as　his；　for　not　to　speak　roundly　of　a　man's　self　implies　some　want
of　courage；　a　man　of　solid　and　lofty　judgment；　who　judges　soundly　and
surely；　makes　use　of　his　own　example　upon　all　occasions；　as　well　as　those
of　others；　and　gives　evidence　as　freely　of　himself　as　of　a　third　person。
We　are　to　pass　by　these　common　rules　of　civility；　in　favour　of　truth　and
liberty。　　I　dare　not　only　speak　of　myself；　but　to　speak　only　of　myself：
when　I　write　of　anything　else；　I　miss　my　way　and　wander　from　my　subject。
I　am　not　so　indiscreetly　enamoured　of　myself；　so　wholly　mixed　up　with；
and　bound　to　myself；　that　I　cannot　distinguish　and　consider　myself　apart；
as　I　do　a　neighbour　or　a　tree：　'tis　equally　a　fault　not　to　discern　how
far　a　man's　worth　extends；　and　to　say　more　than　a　man　discovers　in
himself。　　We　owe　more　love　to　God　than　to　ourselves；　and　know　Him　less；
and　yet　speak　of　Him　as　much　as　we　will。

If　the　writings　of　Tacitus　indicate　anything　true　of　his　qualities；　he
was　a　great　personage；　upright　and　bold；　not　of　a　superstitious　but　of　a
philosophical　and　generous　virtue。　　One　may　think　him　bold　in　his
relations；　as　where　he　tells　us；　that　a　soldier　carrying　a　burden　of
wood；　his　hands　were　so　frozen　and　so　stuck　to　the　load　that　they　there
remained　closed　and　dead；　being　severed　from　his　arms。　　I　always　in　such
things　bow　to　the　authority　of　so　great　witnesses。

What　also　he　says；　that　Vespasian；　by　the　favour　of　the　god　Serapis；
cured　a　blind　woman　at　Alexandria　by　anointing　her　eyes　with　his　spittle；
and　I　know　not　what　other　miracle；〃　he　says　by　the　example　and　duty　of
all　his　good　historians。　　They　record　all　events　of　importance；　and
amongst　public　incidents　are　the　popular　rumours　and　opinions。　　'Tis
their　part　to　relate　common　beliefs；　not　to　regulate　them：　that　part
concerns　divines　and　philosophers；　directors　of　consciences；　and
therefore　it　was　that　this　companion　of　his；　and　a　great　man　like
himself；　very　wisely　said：

　　　　　〃Equidem　plura　transcribo；　quam　credo：　nam　nec　affirmare
　　　　　sustineo；　de　quibus　dubito；　nec　subducere　quae　accepi；〃

　　　　　＇〃Truly；　I　set　down　more　things　than　I　believe；　for　I　can　neither
　　　　　affirm　things　whereof　I　doubt；　nor　suppress　what　I　have　heard。〃
　　　　　〃Quintus　Curtius；　ix。＇

and　this　other：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Haec　neque　affirmare　neque　refellere　operae
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　pretium　est；　famae　rerum　standum　est。〃

　　　　　＇'Tis　neither　worth　the　while　to　affirm　or　to　refute　these　things；
　　　　　we　must　stand　to　report〃Livy；　i。；　Praef。；　and　viii。　6。＇

And　writing　in　an　age　wherein　the　belief　of　prodigies　began　to　decline；
he　says　he　would　not；　nevertheless；　forbear　to　insert　in　his　Annals；　and
to　give　a　relation　of　things　received　by　so　many　worthy　men；　and　with　so
great　reverence　of　antiquity；　'tis　very　well　said。　　Let　them　deliver　to
us　history；　more　as　they　receive　it　than　as　they　believe　it。　　I；　who　am
monarch　of　the　matter　whereof　I　treat；　and　who　am　accountable　to　none；　do
not；　nevertheless；　always　believe　myself；　I　often　hazard　sallies　of　my
own　wit；　wherein　I　very　much　suspect　myself；　and　certain　verbal　quibbles；
at　which　I　shake　my　ears；　but　I　let　them　go　at　a　venture。　　I　see　that
others　get　reputation　by　such　things：　'tis　not　for　me　alone　to　judge。　　I
pr