the essays of montaigne, v13-第7节

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ever　achieved　the　result　of　a　pure　and　entire　victory。




CHAPTER　XXXV

OF　THREE　GOOD　WOMEN

They　are　not　by　the　dozen；　as　every　one　knows；　and　especially　in　the
duties　of　marriage；　for　that　is　a　bargain　full　of　so　many　nice
circumstances　that　'tis　hard　a　woman's　will　should　long　endure　such　a
restraint；　men；　though　their　condition　be　something　better　under　that
tie；　have　yet　enough　to　do。　　The　true　touch　and　test　of　a　happy　marriage
have　respect　to　the　time　of　the　companionship；　if　it　has　been　constantly
gentle；　loyal；　and　agreeable。　　In　our　age；　women　commonly　reserve　the
publication　of　their　good　offices；　and　their　vehement　affection　towards
their　husbands；　until　they　have　lost　them；　or　at　least；　till　then　defer
the　testimonies　of　their　good　will；　a　too　slow　testimony　and
unseasonable。　By　it　they　rather　manifest　that　they　never　loved　them　till
dead：　their　life　is　nothing　but　trouble；　their　death　full　of　love　and
courtesy。　　As　fathers　conceal　their　affection　from　their　children；　women；
likewise；　conceal　theirs　from　their　husbands；　to　maintain　a　modest
respect。　　This　mystery　is　not　for　my　palate；　'tis　to　much　purpose　that
they　scratch　themselves　and　tear　their　hair。　　I　whisper　in　a　waiting…
woman's　or　secretary's　ear：　〃　How　were　they；　how　did　they　live　together？〃
I　always　have　that　good　saying　m　my　head：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Jactantius　moerent；　quae　minus　dolent。〃

　　　　　＇〃They　make　the　most　ado　who　are　least　concerned。〃　（Or：）
　　　　　〃They　mourn　the　more　ostentatiously；　the　less　they　grieve。〃
　　　　　Tacitus；　Annal。；　ii。　77；　writing　of　Germanicus。＇

Their　whimpering　is　offensive　to　the　living　and　vain　to　the　dead。　　We
should　willingly　give　them　leave　to　laugh　after　we　are　dead；　provided
they　will　smile　upon　us　whilst　we　are　alive。　　Is　it　not　enough　to　make　a
man　revive　in　pure　spite；　that　she；　who　spat　in　my　face　whilst　I　was　in
being；　shall　come　to　kiss　my　feet　when　I　am　no　more？　　If　there　be　any
honour　in　lamenting　a　husband；　it　only　appertains　to　those　who　smiled
upon　them　whilst　they　had　them；　let　those　who　wept　during　their　lives
laugh　at　their　deaths；　as　well　outwardly　as　within。　　Therefore；　never
regard　those　blubbered　eyes　and　that　pitiful　voice；　consider　her
deportment；　her　complexion；　the　plumpness　of　her　cheeks　under　all　those
formal　veils；　'tis　there　she　talks　plain　French。　　There　are　few　who　do
not　mend　upon't；　and　health　is　a　quality　that　cannot　lie。　　That　starched
and　ceremonious　countenance　looks　not　so　much　back　as　forward；　and　is
rather　intended　to　get　a　new　husband　than　to　lament　the　old。　　When　I　was
a　boy；　a　very　beautiful　and　virtuous　lady；　who　is　yet　living；　the　widow
of　a　prince；　wore　somewhat　more　ornament　in　her　dress　than　our　laws　of
widowhood　allow；　and　being　reproached　with　it；　she　made　answer　that　it
was　because　she　was　resolved　to　have　no　more　love　affairs；　and　would
never　marry　again。

I　have　here；　not　at　all　dissenting　from　our　customs；　made　choice　of　three
women；　who　have　also　expressed　the　utmost　of　their　goodness　and　affection
about　their　husbands'　deaths；　yet　are　they　examples　of　another　kind　than
are　now　m　use；　and　so　austere　that　they　will　hardly　be　drawn　into
imitation。

The　younger　Pliny'　had　near　a　house　of　his　in　Italy　a　neighbour　who　was
exceedingly　tormented　with　certain　ulcers　in　his　private　parts。　　His　wife
seeing　him　so　long　to　languish；　entreated　that　he　would　give　her　leave　to
see　and　at　leisure　to　consider　of　the　condition　of　his　disease；　and　that
she　would　freely　tell　him　what　she　thought。　　This　permission　being
obtained；　and　she　having　curiously　examined　the　business；　found　it
impossible　he　could　ever　be　cured；　and　that　all　he　had　to　hope　for　or
expect　was　a　great　while　to　linger　out　a　painful　and　miserable　life；　and
therefore；　as　the　most　sure　and　sovereign　remedy；　resolutely　advised　him
to　kill　himself。　　But　finding　him　a　little　tender　and　backward　in　so　rude
an　attempt：　〃Do　not　think；　my　friend；〃　said　she；　〃that　the　torments　I　see
thee　endure　are　not　as　sensible　to　me　as　to　thyself；　and　that　to　deliver
myself　from　them；　I　will　not　myself　make　use　of　the　same　remedy　I　have
prescribed　to　thee。　　I　will　accompany　thee　in　the　cure　as　I　have　done　in
the　disease；　fear　nothing；　but　believe　that　we　shall　have　pleasure　in
this　passage　that　is　to　free　us　from　so　many　miseries；　and　we　will　go
happily　together。〃　　Which　having　said；　and　roused　up　her　husband's
courage；　she　resolved　that　they　should　throw　themselves　headlong　into　the
sea　out　of　a　window　that　overlooked　it；　and　that　she　might　maintain　to
the　last　the　loyal　and　vehement　affection　wherewith　she　had　embraced　him
during　his　life；　she　would　also　have　him　die　in　her　arms；　but　lest　they
should　fail；　and　should　quit　their　hold　in　the　fall　through　fear；　she
tied　herself　fast　to　him　by　the　waist；　and　so　gave　up　her　own　life　to
procure　her　husband's　repose。　　This　was　a　woman　of　mean　condition；　and；
amongst　that　class　of　people；　'tis　no　very　new　thing　to　see　some　examples
of　rare　virtue：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Extrema　per　illos
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Justitia　excedens　terris　vestigia　fecit。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Justice；　when　she　left　the　earth；　took　her　last
　　　　　　　　　　steps　among　them。〃　Virgil；　Georg。；　ii。　　473。＇

The　other　two　were　noble　and　rich；　where　examples　of　virtue　are　rarely
lodged。

Arria；　the　wife　of　Caecina　Paetus；　a　consular　person；　was　the　mother　of
another　Arria；　the　wife　of　Thrasea　Paetus；　he　whose　virtue　was　so
renowned　in　the　time　of　Nero；　and　by　this　son…in…law；　the　grandmother　of
Fannia：　for　the　resemblance　of　the　names　of　these　men　and　women；　and
their　fortunes；　have　led　to　several　mistakes。　　This　first　Arria；　her
husband　Caecina　Paetus；　having　been　taken　prisoner　by　some　of　the　Emperor
Claudius'　people；　after　Scribonianus'　defeat；　whose　party　he　had　embraced
in　the　war；　begged　of　those　who　were　to　carry　him　prisoner　to　Rome；　that
they　would　take　her　into　their　ship；　where　she　would　be　of　much　less
charge　and　trouble　to　them　than　a　great　many　persons　they　must　otherwise
have　to　attend　her　husband；　and　that　she　alone　would　undertake　to　serve
him　in　his　chamber；　his　kitchen；　and　all　other　offices。　　They　refused；
whereupon　she　put　herself　into　a　fisher…boat　she　hired　on　the　spot；　and
in　that　manner　followed　him　from　Sclavonia。　　When　she　had　come　to　Rome；
Junia；　the　widow　of　Scribonianus；　having　one　day；　from　the　resemblance　of
their　fortune；　accosted　her　in　the　Emperor's　presence；　she　rudely
repulsed　her　with　these　words；　〃I；〃　said　she；　〃speak　to　thee；　or　give　ear
to　any　thing　thou　sayest！　to　thee　in　whose　lap　Scribonianus　was　slain；
and　thou　art　yet　alive！〃　　These　words；　with　several　other　signs；　gave　her
friends　to　understand　that　she　would　undoubtedly　despatch　herself；
impatient　of　supporting　her　husband's　misfortune。　　And　Thrasea；　her　son…
in…law；　beseeching　her　not　to　throw　away　herself；　and　saying　to　her；
〃What！　if　I　should　run　the　same　fortune　that　Caecina　has　done；　would　you
that　your　daughter；　my　wife；　should　do　the　same？〃〃　Would　I？〃　　replied
she；　〃yes；　yes；　I　would：　if　she　had　lived　as　long；　and　in　as　good
understanding　with　thee　as　I　have　done；　with　my　husband。〃　　These　answers
made　them　more　careful　of　her；　and　to　have　a　more　watchful　eye　to　her
proceedings。　　One　day；　having　said　to　those　who　looked　to　her：　〃Tis　to
much　purpose　that　you　take　all　this　pains　to　prevent　me；　you　may　indeed
make　me　die　an　ill　death；　but　to　keep　me　from　dying　is　not　in　your
power〃；　she　in　a　sudden　phrenzy　started　from　a　chair　whereon　she　sat；　and
with　all　her　force　dashed　her　head　against　the　wall；　by　which　blow　being
laid　flat　in　a　swoon；　and　very　much　wounded；　after　they　had　again　with
great　ado　brought　her　to　herself：　〃I　told　you；〃　said　she；　〃that　if　you
refused　me　some　easy　way　of　dying；　I　should　find　out　another；　how　painful
soever。〃　　The　conclusion　of　so　admirable　a　virtue　was　this：　her　husband
Paetus；　not　having　resolution　enough　of　his　own　to　despatch　himself；　as
he　was　by　the　emperor's　cruelty　enjoined；　one　day；　amongst　others；　after
having　first　employed　all　the　reasons　and　exhortations　which　she　thought
most　prevalent　to　persuade　him　to　it；　she　snatched　the　poignard　he　wore
from　his　side；　and　holding　it　ready　in　her　hand；　for　the　conclusion　of
her　admonitions；　〃Do　thus；　Paetus；〃　said　she；　and　in　the　same　instant
giving　herself　a　mortal　stab　in　the　breast；　and　then　drawing　it　out　of
the　wound；　presented　it　to　him；　ending　her　life　with　this　noble；
generous；　and　immortal　saying；　〃Paete；　non　dolet〃having　time　to
pronounce　no　more　but　those　three　never…to…be…forgotten　words：　〃Paetus；
it　is　not　painful。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Casta　suo　gladium　cum　traderet　Arria　Paeto；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Quern　de　visceribus　traxerat　ipsa　suis
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Si　qua　fides；　vulnus　quod　feci　non　dolet；　inquit；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Sed　quod　to　facies；　id　mihi；　Paete；　dolet。〃

　　　　　＇〃When　the　chaste　Arria　gave　to　Poetus　the　reeking　sword　she　had
　　　　　drawn　from　her　breast；　'If　you　believe　me；'　she　said；　'Paetus；　the
　　　　　wound　I　have　made　hurts　not；　but　'tis　that　which　thou　wilt　make　that
　　　　　hurts　me。'〃…Martial；　i。　14。＇

The　action　was　much　more　noble　in　itself；　and　of　a　braver　sense　than　the
poet　expressed　it：　for　she　was　so　far　from　be