the commonwealth of oceana-第61节

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irst　essay。　　　　　〃Every　Wednesday　next　ensuing　the　last　of　January；　the　stratiots；　assembling　at　the　hundred；　elect　their　captain　and　their　ensign；　and　fall　to　their　games　and　sports。　　　　　〃Every　Wednesday　next　ensuing　the　last　of　February　the　stratiots　are　received　by　the　lord　lieutenant；　their　commander…in…chief；　with　the　conductors　and　the　censors；　and；　having　been　disciplined　and　entertained　with　other　games；　are　called　to　the　urns；　where　they　elect　the　second　essay；　consisting　of　200　horse　and　600　foot　in　a　tribe；　that　is；　of　10；000　horse　and　30；000　foot　in　all　the　tribes；　which　is　the　standing　army　of　this　nation；　to　march　at　any　warning。　They　also　elect　at　the　same　time　a　part　of　the　third　essay；　by　the　mixture　of　balls　marked　with　the　letter　M　and　the　letter　P；　for　Marpesia　and　Panopea；　they　of　either　mark　being　ten　horse　and　fifty　foot　in　a　tribe；　that　is；　500　horse　and　2；500　foot　in　all　the　tribes；　which　are　forthwith　to　march　to　their　respective　provinces。　　　　　〃But　the　third　essay　of　this　nation　more　properly　so　called；　is　when　the　strategus　with　the　polemarchs　（the　Senate　and　the　people　or　the　Dictator　having　decreed　a　war）　receive　in　return　of　his　warrants　the　second　essay　from　the　hands　of　the　conductors　at　the　rendezvous　of　Oceana；　which　army；　marching　with　all　accommodations　provided　by　the　Council　of　War；　the　Senate　elects　a　new　strategus；　and　the　lords…lieutenant　a　new　second　essay。　　　　　〃A　youth；　except　he　be　an　only　son；　refusing　any　one　of　his　three　essays；　without　sufficient　cause　shown　to　the　phylarch　or　the　censors；　is　incapable　of　magistracy；　and　is　fined　a　fifth　part　of　his　yearly　rent；　or　of　his　estate；　for　protection。　In　case　of　invasion　the　elders　are　obliged　to　like　duty　with　the　youth；　and　upon　their　own　charge。　　　　　〃The　provincial　orb　consisting　in　part　of　the　elders；　and　in　part　of　the　youth；　is　thus　created：　　　　　〃Four　knights　out　of　the　first　region　falling；　are　elected　in　the　Senate　to　be　the　first　region　of　the　provincial　orb　of　Marpesia；　these；　being　triennial　magistrates；　take　their　places　in　the　provincial　council；　consisting　of　twelve　knights；　four　in　every　region；　each　region　choosing　their　weekly　provosts　of　the　council　thus　constituted。　One　knight　more；　chosen　out　of　the　same　region　in　the　Senate；　being　an　annual　magistrate；　is　president；　with　power　to　propose；　and　the　opinions　proposed　by　the　president；　or　any　two　of　the　provosts；　are　debated　by　the　council；　and；　if　there　be　occasion　of　further　power　or　instruction　than　they　yet　have；　transmitted　to　the　Council　of　State；　with　which　the　provincial　is　to　hold　intelligence。　　　　　〃The　president　of　this　council　is　also　strategus　or　general　of　the　provincial　army；　wherefore　the　conductors；　upon　notice　of　his　election；　and　appointment　of　his　rendezvous；　deliver　to　him　the　stratiots　of　his　letter；　which　he　takes　with　him　into　his　province；　and　the　provincial　army　having　received　the　new　strategus　with　the　third　class；　the　council　dismisses　the　old　strategus　with　the　first　class。　The　like　is　done　for　Panopea；　or　any　other　province。　　　　　〃But　whereas　the　term　of　every　other　magistracy　or　election　in　this　commonwealth；　whether　annual　or　triennial；　requires　an　equal　vacation；　the　term　of　a　provincial　councillor　or　magistrate　requires　no　vacation　at　all。　The　quorum　of　a　provincial；　as　also　that　of　every　other　council　and　assembly；　requires　two…thirds　in　a　time　of　health；　and　one…third　in　a　time　of　sickness。

　　　　〃I　think　I　have　omitted　nothing　but　the　props　and　scaffolds；　which　are　not　of　use　but　in　building。　And　how　much　is　here？　Show　me　another　commonwealth　in　this　compass？　how　many　things？　Show　me　another　entire　government　consisting　but　of　thirty　orders。　If　you　now　go　to　law　with　anybody；　there　lie　to　some　of　our　courts　200　original　writs：　if　you　stir　your　hand；　there　go　more　nerves　and　bones　to　that　motion；　if　you　play；　you　have　more　cards　in　the　pack；　nay；　you　could　not　sit　with　your　ease　in　that　chair；　if　it　consisted　not　of　more　parts。　Will　you　not　then　allow　to　your　legislator；　what　you　can　afford　your　upholsterer。　or　to　the　throne；　what　is　necessary　to　a　chair？　　　　　〃My　lords；　if　you　will　have　fewer　orders　in　a　commonwealth；　you　will　have　more；　for　where　she　is　not　perfect　at　first；　every　day；　every　hour　will　produce　a　new　order；　the　end　whereof　is　to　have　no　order　at　all；　but　to　grind　with　the　clack　of　some　demagogue。　Is　he　providing　already　for　his　golden　thumb？　Lift　up　your　heads；　away　with　ambition；　that　fulsome　complexion　of　a　statesman；　tempered；　like　Sylla's；　with　blood　and　muck。　'And　the　Lord　give　to　his　senators　wisdom；　and　make　our　faces　to　shine；　that　we　may　be　a　light　to　them　that　sit　in　darkness　and　the　shadow　of　death；　to　guide　their　feet　in　the　way　of　peace。'　　In　the　name　of　God；　what's　the　matter？〃

　　　　Philadelphus；　the　secretary　of　the　council；　having　performed　his　task　in　reading　the　several　orders　as　you　have　seen；　upon　the　receipt　of　a　packet　from　his　correspondent　Boccalini；　secretary　of　Parnassus；　in　reading　one　of　the　letters；　burst　forth　into　such　a　violent　passion　of　weeping　and　downright　howling；　that　the　legislators；　being　startled　with　the　apprehension　of　some　horrid　news；　one　of　them　had　no　sooner　snatched　the　letter　out　of　his　hand；　than　the　rest　crying；　〃Read；　read；〃　he　obeyed　in　this　manner：　　　　　〃The　3d　instant　his　Phoebean　majesty　having　taken　the　nature　of　free　states　into　his　royal　consideration；　and　being　steadily　persuaded　that　the　laws　in　such　governments　are　incomparably　better　and　more　surely　directed　to　the　good　of　mankind　than　in　any　other；　that　the　courage　of　such　a　people　is　the　aptest　tinder　to　noble　fire；　that　the　genius　of　such　a　soil　is　that　wherein　the　roots　of　good　literature　are　least　worm…eaten　with　pedantism；　and　where　their　fruits　have　ever　come　to　the　greatest　maturity　and　highest　relish；　conceived　such　a　loathing　of　their　ambition　and　tyranny；　who；　usurping　the　liberty　of　their　native　countries；　become　slaves　to　themselves；　inasmuch　as　（be　it　never　so　contrary　to　their　own　nature　or　consciences）　they　have　taken　the　earnest　of　sin；　and　are　engaged　to　persecute　all　men　that　are　good　with　the　same　or　greater　rigor　than　is　ordained　by　laws　for　the　wicked；　for　none　ever　administered　that　power　by　good　which　he　purchased　by　ill　arts　　Phoebus；　I　say；　having　considered　this；　assembled　all　the　senators　residing　in　the　learned　court　at　the　theatre　of　Melpomene；　where　he　caused　Caesar　the　Dictator　to　come　upon　the　stage；　and　his　sister　Actia；　his　nephew　Augustus；　Julia　his　daughter；　with　the　children　which　she　had　by　Marcus　Agrippa；　Lucius　and　Caius　Caesars；　Agrippa　Posthumus；　Julia；　and　Agrippina；　with　the　numerous　progeny　which　she　bore　to　her　renowned　husband　Germanicus；　to　enter。　A　miserable　scene　in　any；　but　most　deplorable　in　the　eyes　of　Caesar；　thus　beholding　what　havoc　his　prodigious　ambition；　not　satisfied　with　his　own　bloody　ghost；　had　made　upon　his　more　innocent　remains；　even　to　the　total　extinction　of　his　family。　For　it　is　（seeing　where　there　is　any　humanity；　there　must　be　some　compassion）　not　to　be　spoken　without　tears；　that　of　the　full　branches　deriving　from　Octavia　the　eldest　sister；　and　Julia　the　daughter　of　Augustus；　there　should　not　be　one　fruit　or　blossom　that　was　not　cut　off　or　blasted　by　the　sword；　famine；　or　poison。　　　　　〃Now　might　the　great　soul　of　Caesar　have　been　full；　and　yet　that　which　poured　in　as　much　or　more　was　to　behold　that　execrable　race　of　the　Claudii；　having　hunted　and　sucked　his　blood；　with　the　thirst　of　tigers；　to　be　rewarded　with　the　Roman　Empire；　and　remain　in　full　possession　of　that　famous　patrimony：　a　spectacle　to　pollute　the　light　of　heaven！　Nevertheless；　as　if　Caesar　had　not　yet　enough；　his　Phoeban　majesty　caused　to　be　introduced　on　the　other　side　of　the　theatre；　the　most　illustrious　and　happy　prince　Andrea　Doria；　with　his　dear　posterity；　embraced　by　the　soft　and　constant　arms　of　the　city　of　Genoa；　into　whose　bosom；　ever　fruitful　in　her　gratitude；　he　had　dropped　her　fair　liberty　like　the　dew　of　heaven；　which；　when　the　Roman　tyrant　beheld；　and　how　much　more　fresh　that　laurel　was　worn　with　a　firm　root　in　the　hearts　of　the　people　than　that　which　he　had　torn　off；　he　fell　into　such　a　horrid　distortion　of　limbs　and　countenance；　that　the　senators；　who　had　thought　themselves　steel　and　flint　at　such　an　object；　having　hitherto　stood　in　their　reverend　snow…like　thawing　Alps；　now　covered　their　faces　with　their　large　sleeves。〃　　　　　〃My　lords；〃　said　the　Archon；　rising；　〃witty　Philadelphus　has　given　us　grave　admonition　in　dreadful　tragedy。　Discite　justitiam　moniti；　et　non　temnere　divos。　Great　and　glorious　Caesar　the　highest　character　of　flesh；　yet　could　not　rule　but　by　that　part　of　man　which　is　the　beast；　but　a　commonwealth　is　a　monarchy；　to　her　God　is　king；　inasmuch　as　reason；　his　dictate；　is　her　sovereign　power。〃　Which　said；　he　adjourned　the　Council。　And　the　model　was　soon　after　promulgated。　Quod　bonum；　foelix；　faustumque　sit　huic　reipublicoe。　Agite　quirites；　censuere　patres；　jubeat　populus。　（The　sea　roared；　and　the　floods　clapped　their　hands。）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LIBERTAS

　The　Proclamation　of　his　Highness　the　Lord　Archon　of　Oceana　upon　Promulgation　of　the　Model

　　　　〃Whereas　his　Highness　and　the　Council；　in　the　framing　of　the　model　promulgated；　have　not　had　any　privat