the essays of montaigne, v12-第5节

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striking　a　blow；　and　it　was　a　very　unhappy　occurrence；　that　for　want　of　a
little　life　or　somebody　to　substitute　in　the　conduct　of　this　war　and　the
affairs　of　a　troubled　state；　he　was　compelled　to　seek　a　doubtful　and
bloody　victory；　having　another　by　a　better　and　surer　way　already　in　his
hands。　　Notwithstanding；　he　wonderfully　managed　the　continuance　of　his
sickness　in　consuming　the　enemy；　and　in　drawing　them　far　from　the
assistance　of　the　navy　and　the　ports　they　had　on　the　coast　of　Africa；
even　till　the　last　day　of　his　life；　which　he　designedly　reserved　for　this
great　battle。　　He　arranged　his　battalions　in　a　circular　form；　environing
the　Portuguese　army　on　every　side；　which　round　circle　coming　to　close　in
and　to　draw　up　close　together；　not　only　hindered　them　in　the　conflict
（which　was　very　sharp　through　the　valour　of　the　young　invading　king）；
considering　that　they　had　every　way　to　present　a　front；　but　prevented
their　flight　after　the　defeat；　so　that　finding　all　passages　possessed　and
shut　up　by　the　enemy；　they　were　constrained　to　close　up　together　again：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Coacerventurque　non　solum　caede；　sed　etiam　fuga；〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Piled　up　not　only　in　slaughter　but　in　flight。〃＇

and　there　they　were　slain　in　heaps　upon　one　another；　leaving　to　the
conqueror　a　very　bloody　and　entire　victory。　　Dying；　he　caused　himself　to
be　carried　and　hurried　from　place　to　place　where　most　need　was；　and
passing　along　the　files；　encouraged　the　captains　and　soldiers　one　after
another；　but　a　corner　of　his　main　battalions　being　broken；　he　was　not　to
be　held　from　mounting　on　horseback　with　his　sword　in　his　hand；　he　did　his
utmost　to　break　from　those　about　him；　and　to　rush　into　the　thickest　of
the　battle；　they　all　the　while　withholding　him；　some　by　the　bridle；　some
by　his　robe；　and　others　by　his　stirrups。　　This　last　effort　totally
overwhelmed　the　little　life　he　had　left；　they　again　laid　him　upon　his
bed；　but　coming　to　himself；　and　starting　as　it　were　out　of　his　swoon；　all
other　faculties　failing；　to　give　his　people　notice　that　they　were　to
conceal　his　death　the　most　necessary　command　he　had　then　to　give；　that
his　soldiers　might　not　be　discouraged　with　the　news）　he　expired　with　his
finger　upon　his　mouth；　the　ordinary　sign　of　keeping　silence。　　Who　ever
lived　so　long　and　so　far　into　death？　whoever　died　so　erect；　or　more　like
a　man？

The　most　extreme　degree　of　courageously　treating　death；　and　the　most
natural；　is　to　look　upon　it　not　only　without　astonishment　but　without
care；　continuing　the　wonted　course　of　life　even　into　it；　as　Cato　did；
who　entertained　himself　in　study；　and　went　to　sleep；　having　a　violent　and
bloody　death　in　his　heart；　and　the　weapon　in　his　hand　with　which　he　was
resolved　to　despatch　himself。




CHAPTER　XXII

OF　POSTING

I　have　been　none　of　the　least　able　in　this　exercise；　which　is　proper　for
men　of　my　pitch；　well…knit　and　short；　but　I　give　it　over；　it　shakes　us
too　much　to　continue　it　long。　　I　was　at　this　moment　reading；　　that　King
Cyrus；　the　better　to　have　news　brought　him　from　all　parts　of　the　empire；
which　was　of　a　vast　extent；　caused　it　to　be　tried　how　far　a　horse　could
go　in　a　day　without　baiting；　and　at　that　distance　appointed　men；　whose
business　it　was　to　have　horses　always　in　readiness；　to　mount　those　who
were　despatched　to　him；　and　some　say；　that　this　swift　way　of　posting　is
equal　to　that　of　the　flight　of　cranes。

Caesar　says；　that　Lucius　Vibullius　Rufus；　being　in　great　haste　to　carry
intelligence　to　Pompey；　rode　night　and　day；　still　taking　fresh　horses　for
the　greater　diligence　and　speed；　and　he　himself；　as　Suetonius　reports；
travelled　a　hundred　miles　a　day　in　a　hired　coach；　but　he　was　a　furious
courier；　for　where　the　rivers　stopped　his　way　he　passed　them　by　swimming；
without　turning　out　of　his　way　to　look　for　either　bridge　or　ford。
Tiberius　Nero；　going　to　see　his　brother　Drusus；　who　was　sick　in　Germany；
travelled　two　hundred　miles　in　four…and…twenty　hours；　having　three
coaches。　　In　the　war　of　the　Romans　against　King　Antiochus；　T。　Sempronius
Gracchus；　says　Livy：

　　　　　　　　　〃Per　dispositos　equos　prope　incredibili　celeritate
　　　　　　　　　　ab　Amphissa　tertio　die　Pellam　pervenit。〃

　　　　　＇〃By　pre…arranged　relays　of　horses；　he；　with　an　almost　incredible
　　　　　speed；　rode　in　three　days　from　Amphissa　to　Pella。〃
　　　　　Livy；　xxxvii。　7。＇

And　it　appears　that　they　were　established　posts；　and　not　horses　purposely
laid　in　upon　this　occasion。

Cecina's　invention　to　send　back　news　to　his　family　was　much　more　quick；
for　he　took　swallows　along　with　him　from　home；　and　turned　them　out
towards　their　nests　when　he　would　send　back　any　news；　setting　a　mark　of
some　colour　upon　them　to　signify　his　meaning；　according　to　what　he　and
his　people　had　before　agreed　upon。

At　the　theatre　at　Rome　masters　of　families　carried　pigeons　in　their
bosoms　to　which　they　tied　letters　when　they　had　a　mind　to　send　any　orders
to　their　people　at　home；　and　the　pigeons　were　trained　up　to　bring　back　an
answer。　　D。　Brutus　made　use　of　the　same　device　when　besieged　in　Modena；
and　others　elsewhere　have　done　the　same。

In　Peru　they　rode　post　upon　men；　who　took　them　upon　their　shoulders　in　a
certain　kind　of　litters　made　for　that　purpose；　and　ran　with　such　agility
that；　in　their　full　speed；　the　first　couriers　transferred　their　load　to
the　second　without　making　any　stop。

I　understand　that　the　Wallachians；　the　grand　Signior's　couriers；　perform
wonderful　journeys；　by　reason　they　have　liberty　to　dismount　the　first
person　they　meet　upon　the　road；　giving　him　their　own　tired　horses；　and
that　to　preserve　themselves　from　being　weary；　they　gird　themselves
straight　about　the　middle　with　a　broad　girdle；　　but　I　could　never　find
any　benefit　from　this。




CHAPTER　XXIII

OF　ILL　MEANS　EMPLOYED　TO　A　GOOD　END

There　is　wonderful　relation　and　correspondence　in　this　universal
government　of　the　works　of　nature；　which　very　well　makes　it　appear　that
it　is　neither　accidental　nor　carried　on　by　divers　masters。　　The　diseases
and　conditions　of　our　bodies　are；　in　like　manner；　manifest　in　states　and
governments；　kingdoms　and　republics　are　founded；　flourish；　and　decay　with
age　as　we　do。　　We　are　subject　to　a　repletion　of　humours；　useless　and
dangerous：　whether　of　those　that　are　good　（for　even　those　the　physicians
are　afraid　of；　and　seeing　we　have　nothing　in　us　that　is　stable；　they　say
that　a　too　brisk　and　vigorous　perfection　of　health　must　be　abated　by　art；
lest　our　nature；　unable　to　rest　in　any　certain　condition；　and　not　having
whither　to　rise　to　mend　itself；　make　too　sudden　and　too　disorderly　a
retreat；　and　therefore　prescribe　wrestlers　to　purge　and　bleed；　to　qualify
that　superabundant　health）；　or　else　a　repletion　of　evil　humours；　which　is
the　ordinary　cause　of　sickness。　　States　are　very　often　sick　of　the　like
repletion；　and　various　sorts　of　purgations　have　commonly　been　applied。
Some　times　a　great　multitude　of　families　are　turned　out　to　clear　the
country；　who　seek　out　new　abodes　elsewhere　and　encroach　upon　others。
After　this　manner　our　ancient　Franks　came　from　the　remotest　part　of
Germany　to　seize　upon　Gaul；　and　to　drive　thence　the　first　inhabitants；
so　was　that　infinite　deluge　of　men　made　up　who　came　into　Italy　under　the
conduct　of　Brennus　and　others；　so　the　Goths　and　Vandals；　and　also　the
people　who　now　possess　Greece；　left　their　native　country　to　go　settle
elsewhere；　where　they　might　have　more　room；　and　there　are　scarce　two　or
three　little　corners　in　the　world　that　have　not　felt　the　effect　of　such
removals。　　The　Romans　by　this　means　erected　their　colonies；　for；
perceiving　their　city　to　grow　immeasurably　populous；　they　eased　it　of　the
most　unnecessary　people；　and　sent　them　to　inhabit　and　cultivate　the　lands
conquered　by　them；　sometimes　also　they　purposely　maintained　wars　with
some　of　their　enemies；　not　only　to　keep　their　own　men　in　action；　for　fear
lest　idleness；　the　mother　of　corruption；　should　bring　upon　them　some
worse　inconvenience：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Et　patimur　longae　pacis　mala；　saevior　armis
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Luxuria　incumbit。〃

　　　　　＇〃And　we　suffer　the　ills　of　a　long　peace；　luxury　is　more　pernicious
　　　　　than　war。〃Juvenal；　vi。　291。＇

but　also　to　serve　for　a　blood…letting　to　their　Republic；　and　a　little　to
evaporate　the　too　vehement　heat　of　their　youth；　to　prune　and　clear　the
branches　from　the　stock　too　luxuriant　in　wood；　and　to　this　end　it　was
that　they　maintained　so　long　a　war　with　Carthage。

In　the　treaty　of　Bretigny；　Edward　III。；　king　of　England；　would　not；　in
the　general　peace　he　then　made　with　our　king；　comprehend　the　controversy
about　the　Duchy　of　Brittany；　that　he　might　have　a　place　wherein　to
discharge　himself　of　his　soldiers；　and　that　the　vast　number　of　English　he
had　brought　over　to　serve　him　in　his　expedition　here　might　not　return
back　into　England。　　And　this　also　was　one　reason　why　our　King　Philip
consented　to　send　his　son　John　upon　a　foreign　expedition；　that　he　might
take　along　with　him　a　great　number　of　hot　young　men　who　were　then　in　his
pay。

Thereare　many　in　our　times　who　talk　at　this　rate；　wishing　that　this　hot
emotion　that　is　now　amongst　us　might　discharge　itself　in　some
neighbouring　war；　for　fear　lest　all　the　peccant　humours　that　now　reign　in