the essays of montaigne, v12-第12节

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erected　for　them；　and　on　the　top　a　stately　bed；　where；　after　having
joyfully　feasted　their　friends　and　acquaintance；　they　laid　them　down　with
so　great　resolution；　that　fire　being　applied　to　it；　they　were　never　seen
to　stir　either　hand　or　foot；　and　after　this　manner；　one　of　them；　Calanus
by　name；　expired　in　the　presence　of　the　whole　army　of　Alexander　the
Great。　　And　he　was　neither　reputed　holy　nor　happy　amongst　them　who　did
not　thus　destroy　himself；　dismissing　his　soul　purged　and　purified　by　the
fire；　after　having　consumed　all　that　was　earthly　and　mortal。　　This
constant　premeditation　of　the　whole　life　is　that　which　makes　the　wonder。

Amongst　our　other　controversies；　that　of　'Fatum'　has　also　crept　in；　and
to　tie　things　to　come；　and　even　our　own　wills；　to　a　certain　and
inevitable　necessity；　we　are　yet　upon　this　argument　of　time　past：
〃Since　God　foresees　that　all　things　shall　so　fall　out；　as　doubtless　He
does；　it　must　then　necessarily　follow；　that　they　must　so　fall　out〃：　to
which　our　masters　reply：　〃that　the　seeing　anything　come　to　pass；　as　we
do；　and　as　God　Himself　also　does　（for　all　things　being　present　with　him；
He　rather　sees；　than　foresees）；　is　not　to　compel　an　event：　that　is；　we
see　because　things　do　fall　out；　but　things　do　not　fall　out　because　we
see：　events　cause　knowledge；　but　knowledge　does　not　cause　events。　　That
which　we　see　happen；　does　happen；　but　it　might　have　happened　otherwise：
and　God；　in　the　catalogue　of　the　causes　of　events　which　He　has　in　His
prescience；　has　also　those　which　we　call　accidental　and　voluntary；
depending　upon　the　liberty。　　He　has　given　our　free　will；　and　knows　that
we　do　amiss　because　we　would　do　so。〃

I　have　seen　a　great　many　commanders　encourage　their　soldiers　with　this
fatal　necessity；　for　if　our　time　be　limited　to　a　certain　hour；　neither
the　enemies'　shot　nor　our　own　boldness；　nor　our　flight　and　cowardice；
can　either　shorten　or　prolong　our　lives。　　This　is　easily　said；　but　see
who　will　be　so　easily　persuaded；　and　if　it　be　so　that　a　strong　and　lively
faith　draws　along　with　it　actions　of　the　same　kind；　certainly　this　faith
we　so　much　brag　of；　is　very　light　in　this　age　of　ours；　unless　the
contempt　it　has　of　works　makes　it　disdain　their　company。　　So　it　is；　that
to　this　very　purpose　the　Sire　de　Joinville；　as　credible　a　witness　as　any
other　whatever；　tells　us　of　the　Bedouins；　a　nation　amongst　the　Saracens；
with　whom　the　king　St。　Louis　had　to　do　in　the　Holy　Land；　that　they；　in
their　religion；　so　firmly　believed　the　number　of　every　man's　days　to　be
from　all　eternity　prefixed　and　set　down　by　an　inevitable　decree；　that
they　went　naked　to　the　wars；　excepting　a　Turkish　sword；　and　their　bodies
only　covered　with　a　white　linen　cloth：　and　for　the　greatest　curse　they
could　invent　when　they　were　angry；　this　was　always　in　their　mouths：
〃Accursed　be　thou；　as　he　that　arms　himself　for　fear　of　death。〃　　This　is　a
testimony　of　faith　very　much　beyond　ours。　　And　of　this　sort　is　that　also
that　two　friars　of　Florence　gave　in　our　fathers'　days。　　Being　engaged　in
some　controversy　of　learning；　they　agreed　to　go　both　of　them　into　the
fire　in　the　sight　of　all　the　people；　each　for　the　verification　of　his
argument；　and　all　things　were　already　prepared；　and　the　thing　just　upon
the　point　of　execution；　when　it　was　interrupted　by　an　unexpected
accident。＇7th　April　1498。　　Savonarola　issued　the　challenge。　　After　many
delays　from　demands　and　counter…demands　by　each　side　as　to　the　details　of
the　fire；　both　parties　found　that　they　had　important　business　to　transact
in　another　countyboth　just　barely　escaped　assassination　at　the　hands　of
the　disappointed　spectators。　　D。W。＇

A　young　Turkish　lord；　having　performed　a　notable　exploit　in　his　own
person　in　the　sight　of　both　armies；　that　of　Amurath　and　that　of　Huniades；
ready　to　join　battle；　being　asked　by　Amurath；　what　in　such　tender　and
inexperienced　years　（for　it　was　his　first　sally　into　arms）　had　inspired
him　with　so　brave　a　courage；　replied；　that　his　chief　tutor　for　valour　was
a　hare。　　〃For　being；〃　said　he；　〃one　day　a　hunting；　I　found　a　hare
sitting；　and　though　I　had　a　brace　of　excellent　greyhounds　with　me；　yet
methought　it　would　be　best　for　sureness　to　make　use　of　my　bow；　for　she
sat　very　fair。　　I　then　fell　to　letting　fly　my　arrows；　and　shot　forty　that
I　had　in　my　quiver；　not　only　without　hurting；　but　without　starting　her
from　her　form。　　At　last　I　slipped　my　dogs　after　her；　but　to　no　more
purpose　than　I　had　shot：　by　which　I　understood　that　she　had　been　secured
by　her　destiny；　and；　that　neither　darts　nor　swords　can　wound　without　the
permission　of　fate；　which　we　can　neither　hasten　nor　defer。〃　　This　story
may　serve；　by　the　way；　to　let　us　see　how　flexible　our　reason　is　to　all
sorts　of　images。

A　person　of　great　years；　name；　dignity；　and　learning　boasted　to　me　that
he　had　been　induced　to　a　certain　very　important　change　in　his　faith　by　a
strange　and　whimsical　incitation；　and　one　otherwise　so　inadequate；　that　I
thought　it　much　stronger；　taken　the　contrary　way：　he　called　it　a　miracle；
and　so　I　look　upon　it；　but　in　a　different　sense。　　The　Turkish　historians
say；　that　the　persuasion　those　of　their　nation　have　imprinted　in　them　of
the　fatal　and　unalterable　prescription　of　their　days；　manifestly　conduces
to　the　giving　them　great　assurance　in　dangers。　　And　I　know　a　great　prince
who　makes　very　fortunate　use　of　it；　whether　it　be　that　he　really　believes
it；　or　that　he　makes　it　his　excuse　for　so　wonderfully　hazarding　himself：
let　us　hope　Fortune　may　not　be　too　soon　weary　of　her　favour　to　him。

There　has　not　happened　in　our　memory　a　more　admirable　effect　of
resolution　than　in　those　two　who　conspired　the　death　of　the　Prince　of
Orange。

　　　　　＇The　first　of　these　was　Jehan　de　Jaureguy；　who　wounded　the　Prince
　　　　　18th　March　1582；　the　second；　by　whom　the　Prince　was　killed　10th　July
　　　　　1584。；　was　Balthazar　Gerard。＇

'Tis　marvellous　how　the　second　who　executed　it；　could　ever　be　persuaded
into　an　attempt；　wherein　his　companion；　who　had　done　his　utmost；　had　had
so　ill　success；　and　after　the　same　method；　and　with　the　same　arms；　to　go
attack　a　lord；　armed　with　so　recent　a　late　lesson　of　distrust；　powerful
in　followers　and　bodily　strength；　in　his　own　hall；　amidst　his　guards；　and
in　a　city　wholly　at　his　devotion。　　Assuredly；　he　employed　a　very　resolute
arm　and　a　courage　enflamed　with　furious　passion。　　A　poignard　is　surer　for
striking　home；　but　by　reason　that　more　motion　and　force　of　hand　is
required　than　with　a　pistol；　the　blow　is　more　subject　to　be　put　by　or
hindered。　　That　this　man　did　not　run　to　a　certain　death；　I　make　no　great
doubt；　for　the　hopes　any　one　could　flatter　him　withal；　could　not　find
place　in　any　sober　understanding；　and　the　conduct　of　his　exploit
sufficiently　manifests　that　he　had　no　want　of　that；　no　more　than　of
courage。　　The　motives　of　so　powerful　a　persuasion　may　be　diverse；　for　our
fancy　does　what　it　will；　both　with　itself　and　us。　　The　execution　that　was
done　near　Orleans　＇The　murder　of　the　Duke　of　Guise　by　Poltrot。＇was
nothing　like　this；　there　was　in　this　more　of　chance　than　vigour；　the
wound　was　not　mortal；　if　fortune　had　not　made　it　so；　and　to　attempt　to
shoot　on　horseback；　and　at　a　great　distance；　by　one　whose　body　was　in
motion　from　the　motion　of　his　horse；　was　the　attempt　of　a　man　who　had
rather　miss　his　blow　than　fail　of　saving　himself。　　This　was　apparent　from
what　followed；　for　he　was　so　astonished　and　stupefied　with　the　thought　of
so　high　an　execution；　that　he　totally　lost　his　judgment　both　to　find　his
way　to　flight　and　to　govern　his　tongue。　　What　needed　he　to　have　done　more
than　to　fly　back　to　his　friends　across　the　river？　　'Tis　what　I　have　done
in　less　dangers；　and　that　I　think　of　very　little　hazard；　how　broad　soever
the　river　may　be；　provided　your　horse　have　easy　going　in；　and　that　you
see　on　the　other　side　easy　landing　according　to　the　stream。　　The　other；
＇Balthazar　Gerard。＇　when　they　pronounced　his　dreadful　sentence；
〃I　was　prepared　for　this；〃　said　he；　〃beforehand；　and　I　will　make　you
wonder　at　my　patience。〃

The　Assassins；　a　nation　bordering　upon　Phoenicia；

　　　　　＇Or　in　Egypt；　Syria；　and　Persia。　　Derivation　of　'assassin'　is　from
　　　　　Hassan…ben…Saba；　one　of　their　early　leaders；　and　they　had　an
　　　　　existence　for　some　centuries。　　They　are　classed　among　the　secret
　　　　　societies　of　the　Middle　Ages。　　D。W。＇

are　reputed　amongst　the　Mohammedans　a　people　of　very　great　devotion　and
purity　of　manners。　　They　hold　that　the　nearest　way　to　gain　Paradise　is　to
kill　some　one　of　a　contrary　religion；　which　is　the　reason　they　have　often
been　seen；　being　but　one　or　two；　and　without　armour；　to　attempt　against
powerful　enemies；　at　the　price　of　a　certain　death　and　without　any
consideration　of　their　own　danger。　　So　was　our　Raymond；　Count　of　Tripoli；
assassinated　（which　word　is　derived　from　their　name）　in　the　heart　of　his
city；　＇in　1151＇　during　our　enterprises　of　the　Holy　War：　and　likewise
Conrad；　Marquis　of　Monteferrat；　the　murderers　at　their　execution　bearing
themselves　with　great　pride　and　glory　that　they　had　performed　so　brave　an
exploit。




CHAPTER　XXX。

OF　A　MONSTROUS　CHILD

This　story　shall　go　by　itself；　for　I　will　leave　it　to　physicians　to
discourse　of。　　Two　day