the essays of montaigne, v12-第14节

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the　writings　of　the　ancients；　that　he　who　speaks　what　he　thinks；　strikes
much　more　home　than　he　who　only　feigns。　　Hear　Cicero　speak　of　the　love　of
liberty：　hear　Brutus　speak　of　it；　the　mere　written　words　of　this　man
sound　as　if　he　would　purchase　it　at　the　price　of　his　life。　　Let　Cicero；
the　father　of　eloquence；　treat　of　the　contempt　of　death；　let　Seneca　do
the　same：　the　first　languishingly　drawls　it　out　so　you　perceive　he　would
make　you　resolve　upon　a　thing　on　which　he　is　not　resolved　himself；　he
inspires　you　not　with　courage；　for　he　himself　has　none；　the　other
animates　and　inflames　you。　　I　never　read　an　author；　even　of　those　who
treat　of　virtue　and　of　actions；　that　I　do　not　curiously　inquire　what　kind
of　a　man　he　was　himself；　for　the　Ephori　at　Sparta；　seeing　a　dissolute
fellow　propose　a　wholesome　advice　to　the　people；　commanded　him　to　hold
his　peace；　and　entreated　a　virtuous　man　to　attribute　to　himself　the
invention；　and　to　propose　it。　　Plutarch's　writings；　if　well　understood；
sufficiently　bespeak　their　author；　and　so　that　I　think　I　know　him　even
into　his　soul；　and　yet　I　could　wish　that　we　had　some　fuller　account　of
his　life。　　And　I　am　thus　far　wandered　from　my　subject；　upon　the　account
of　the　obligation　I　have　to　Aulus　Gellius；　for　having　left　us　in　writing
this　story　of　his　manners；　that　brings　me　back　to　my　subject　of　anger。
A　slave　of　his；　a　vicious；　ill…conditioned　fellow；　but　who　had　the
precepts　of　philosophy　often　ringing　in　his　ears；　having　for　some　offence
of　his　been　stript　by　Plutarch's　command；　whilst　he　was　being　whipped；
muttered　at　first；　that　it　was　without　cause　and　that　he　had　done　nothing
to　deserve　it；　but　at　last　falling　in　good　earnest　to　exclaim　against　and
rail　at　his　master；　he　reproached　him　that　he　was　no　philosopher；　as　he
had　boasted　himself　to　be：　that　he　had　often　heard　him　say　it　was
indecent　to　be　angry；　nay；　had　written　a　book　to　that　purpose；　and　that
the　causing　him　to　be　so　cruelly　beaten；　in　the　height　of　his　rage；
totally　gave　the　lie　to　all　his　writings；　to　which　Plutarch　calmly　and
coldly　answered；　〃How；　ruffian；〃　said　he；　〃by　what　dost　thou　judge　that
I　am　now　angry？　　Does　either　my　face；　my　colour；　or　my　voice　give　any
manifestation　of　my　being　moved？　　I　do　not　think　my　eyes　look　fierce；
that　my　countenance　appears　troubled；　or　that　my　voice　is　dreadful：　am　I
red；　do　I　foam；　does　any　word　escape　my　lips　I　ought　to　repent？　　Do　I
start？　　Do　I　tremble　with　fury？　　For　those；　I　tell　thee；　are　the　true
signs　of　anger。〃　　And　so；　turning　to　the　fellow　that　was　whipping　him；
〃Ply　on　thy　work；〃　said　he；　〃whilst　this　gentleman　and　I　dispute。〃　　This
is　his　story。

Archytas　Tarentinus；　returning　from　a　war　wherein　he　had　been　captain…
general；　found　all　things　in　his　house　in　very　great　disorder；　and　his
lands　quite　out　of　tillage；　through　the　ill　husbandry　of　his　receiver；
and　having　caused　him　to　be　called　to　him；　〃Go；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　were　not
in　anger　I　would　soundly　drub　your　sides。〃　　Plato　likewise；　being　highly
offended　with　one　of　his　slaves；　gave　Speusippus　order　to　chastise　him；
excusing　himself　from　doing　it　because　he　was　in　anger。　　And　Carillus；　a
Lacedaemonian；　to　a　Helot；　who　carried　himself　insolently　towards　him：
〃By　the　gods；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　was　not　angry；　I　would　immediately　cause
thee　to　be　put　to　death。〃

'Tis　a　passion　that　is　pleased　with　and　flatters　itself。　　How　often；
being　moved　under　a　false　cause；　if　the　person　offending　makes　a　good
defence　and　presents　us　with　a　just　excuse；　are　we　angry　against　truth
and　innocence　itself？　　In　proof　of　which；　I　remember　a　marvellous　example
of　antiquity。

Piso；　otherwise　a　man　of　very　eminent　virtue；　being　moved　against　a
soldier　of　his；　for　that　returning　alone　from　forage　he　could　give　him　no
account　where　he　had　left　a　companion　of　his；　took　it　for　granted　that　he
had　killed　him；　and　presently　condemned　him　to　death。　　He　was　no　sooner
mounted　upon　the　gibbet；　but；　behold；　his　wandering　companion　arrives；　at
which　all　the　army　were　exceedingly　glad；　and　after　many　embraces　of　the
two　comrades；　the　hangman　carried　both　the　one　and　the　other　into　Piso's
presence；　all　those　present　believing　it　would　be　a　great　pleasure　even
to　himself；　but　it　proved　quite　contrary；　for　through　shame　and　spite；
his　fury；　which　was　not　yet　cool；　redoubled；　and　by　a　subtlety　which　his
passion　suddenly　suggested　to　him；　he　made　three　criminals　for　having
found　one　innocent；　and　caused　them　all　to　be　despatched：　the　first
soldier；　because　sentence　had　passed　upon　him；　the　second；　who　had　lost
his　way；　because　he　was　the　cause　of　his　companion's　death；　and　the
hangman；　for　not　having　obeyed　the　order　which　had　been　given　him。
Such　as　have　had　to　do　with　testy　and　obstinate　women；　may　have
experimented　into　what　a　rage　it　puts　them　to　oppose　silence　and　coldness
to　their　fury；　and　that　a　man　disdains　to　nourish　their　anger。　　The
orator　Celius　was　wonderfully　choleric　by　nature；　and　to　one　who　supped
in　his　company；　a　man　of　a　gentle　and　sweet　conversation；　and　who；　that
he　might　not　move　him；　approved　and　consented　to　all　he　said；　he；
impatient　that　his　ill…humour　should　thus　spend　itself　without　aliment：
〃For　the　love　of　the　gods　deny　me　something；〃　said　he；　〃that　we　may　be
two。〃　　Women；　in　like　manner；　are　only　angry　that　others　may　be　angry
again；　in　imitation　of　the　laws　of　love。　　Phocion；　to　one　who　interrupted
his　speaking　by　injurious　and　very　opprobrious　words；　made　no　other
return　than　silence；　and　to　give　him　full　liberty　and　leisure　to　vent　his
spleen；　which　he　having　accordingly　done；　and　the　storm　blown　over；
without　any　mention　of　this　disturbance；　he　proceeded　in　his　discourse
where　he　had　left　off　before。　　No　answer　can　nettle　a　man　like　such　a
contempt。

Of　the　most　choleric　man　in　France　（anger　is　always　an　imperfection；　but
more　excusable　in；　a　soldier；　for　in　that　trade　it　cannot　sometimes　be
avoided）　I　often　say；　that　he　is　the　most　patient　man　that　I　know；　and
the　most　discreet　in　bridling　his　passions；　which　rise　in　him　with　so
great　violence　and　fury；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Magno　veluti　cum　flamma　sonore
　　　　　　　　　　Virgea　suggeritur　costis　undantis　ahem；
　　　　　　　　　　Exsultantque　aatu　latices；　furit　intus　aquae　vis。
　　　　　　　　　　Fumidus　atque　alte　spumis　exuberat　amnis；
　　　　　　　　　　Nec　jam　se　capit　unda；　volat　vapor　ater　ad　auras；〃

　　　　　＇〃When　with　loud　crackling　noise；　a　fire　of　sticks　is　applied　to　the
　　　　　boiling　caldron's　side；　by　the　heat　in　frisky　bells　the　liquor
　　　　　dances；　within　the　water　rages；　and　high　the　smoky　fluid　in　foam
　　　　　overflows。　　Nor　can　the　wave　now　contain　itself；　the　black　steam
　　　　　flies　all　abroad。〃AEneid；　vii。　462。＇


that　he　must　of　necessity　cruelly　constrain　himself　to　moderate　it。　　And
for　my　part；　I　know　no　passion　which　I　could　with　so　much　violence　to
myself　attempt　to　cover　and　conceal；　I　would　not　set　wisdom　at　so　high　a
price；　and　do　not　so　much　consider　what　a　man　does；　as　how　much　it　costs
him　to　do　no　worse。

Another　boasted　himself　to　me　of　the　regularity　and　gentleness　of　his
manners；　which　are　to　truth　very　singular；　to　whom　I　replied；　that　it　was
indeed　something；　especially　m　persons　of　so　eminent　a　quality　as
himself；　upon　whom　every　one　had　their　eyes；　to　present　himself　always
well…tempered　to　the　world；　but　that　the　principal　thing　was　to　make
provision　for　within　and　for　himself；　and　that　it　was　not　in　my　opinion
very　well　to　order　his　business　outwardly　well；　and　to　grate　himself
within；　which　I　was　afraid　he　did；　in　putting　on　and　maintaining　this
mask　and　external　appearance。

A　man　incorporates　anger　by　concealing　it；　as　Diogenes　told　Demosthenes；
who；　for　fear　of　being　seen　in　a　tavern；　withdrew　himself　the　more
retiredly　into　it：　〃The　more　you　retire　backward；　the　farther　you　enter
in。〃　　I　would　rather　advise　that　a　man　should　give　his　servant　a　box　of
the　ear　a　little　unseasonably；　than　rack　his　fancy　to　present　this　grave
and　composed　countenance；　and　had　rather　discover　my　passions　than　brood
over　them　at　my　own　expense；　they　grow　less　inventing　and　manifesting
themselves；　and　'tis　much　better　their　point　should　wound　others　without；
than　be　turned　towards　ourselves　within：

　　　　　〃Omnia　vitia　in　aperto　leviora　sunt：　et　tunc　perniciosissima；
　　　　　quum　simulata　sanitate　subsident。〃

　　　　　＇〃All　vices　are　less　dangerous　when　open　to　be　seen；　and　then　most
　　　　　pernicious　when　they　lurk　under　a　dissembled　good　nature。〃
　　　　　Seneca；　Ep。　56＇

I　admonish　all　those　who　have　authority　to　be　angry　in　my　family；　in　the
first　place　to　manage　their　anger　and　not　to　lavish　it　upon　every
occasion；　for　that　both　lessens　the　value　and　hinders　the　effect：　rash
and　incessant　scolding　runs　into　custom；　and　renders　itself　despised；　and
what　you　lay　out　upon　a　servant　for　a　theft　is　not　felt；　because　it　is
the　same　he　has　seen　you　a　hundred　times　employ　against　him　for　having
ill　washed　a　glass；　or　set　a　stool　out　of　place。　　Secondly；　that　they　be
not　angry　to　no　purpose；　but　make　sure　that　their　reprehension　reach　him
with　whom　they　are　offended；　for；　ordinarily；　they　rail　and　bawl　before
he　comes　into　their　presence；　and　continue　scolding　an　age　after　he　is
gone