the essays of montaigne, v15-第13节

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care　for　the　interment。　　Periander　did　more　wonderfully；　who　extended　his
conjugal　affection　（more　regular　and　legitimate）　to　the　enjoyment　of　his
wife　Melissa　after　she　was　dead。　　Does　it　not　seem　a　lunatic　humour　in
the　Moon；　seeing　she　could　no　otherwise　enjoy　her　darling　Endymion；　to
lay…him　for　several　months　asleep；　and　to　please　herself　with　the
fruition　of　a　boy　who　stirred　not　but　in　his　sleep？　　I　likewise　say　that
we　love　a　body　without　a　soul　or　sentiment　when　we　love　a　body　without
its　consent　and　desire。　　All　enjoyments　are　not　alike：　there　are　some
that　are　hectic　and　languishing：　a　thousand　other　causes　besides　good…
will　may　procure　us　this　favour　from　the　ladies；　this　is　not　a　sufficient
testimony　of　affection：　treachery　may　lurk　there；　as　well　as　elsewhere：
they　sometimes　go　to't　by　halves：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Tanquam　thura　merumque　parent
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Absentem　marmoreamve　putes：〃

　　　　　＇〃As　if　they　are　preparing　frankincense　and　wine　。　　。　　。　you　might
　　　　　think　her　absent　or　marble。〃Martial；　xi。　103；　12；　and　59；　8。＇

I　know　some　who　had　rather　lend　that　than　their　coach；　and　who　only
impart　themselves　that　way。　　You　are　to　examine　whether　your　company
pleases　them　upon　any　other　account；　or；　as　some　strong…chined　groom；
for　that　only；　in　what　degree　of　favour　and　esteem　you　are　with　them：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Tibi　si　datur　uni；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Quem　lapide　illa　diem　candidiore　notat。〃

　　　　　＇〃Wherefore　that　is　enough；　if　that　day　alone　is　given　us　which　she
　　　　　marks　with　a　whiter　stone。〃Catullus；　lxviii。　147。＇

What　if　they　eat　your　bread　with　the　sauce　of　a　more　pleasing
imagination。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Te　tenet；　absentes　alios　suspirat　amores。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　＇〃She　has　you　in　her　arms；　her　thoughts　are　with
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　other　absent　lovers。〃Tibullus；　i。　6；　35。＇

What？　have　we　not　seen　one　in　these　days　of　ours　who　made　use　of　this　act
for　the　purpose　of　a　most　horrid　revenge；　by　that　means　to　kill　and
poison；　as　he　did；　a　worthy　lady？

Such　as　know　Italy　will　not　think　it　strange　if；　for　this　subject；　I　seek
not　elsewhere　for　examples；　for　that　nation　may　be　called　the　regent　of
the　world　in　this。　　They　have　more　generally　handsome　and　fewer　ugly
women　than　we；　but　for　rare　and　excellent　beauties　we　have　as　many　as
they。　　I　think　the　same　of　their　intellects：　of　those　of　the　common　sort；
they　have　evidently　far　more　brutishness　is　immeasurably　rarer　there；
but　in　individual　characters　of　the　highest　form；　we　are　nothing　indebted
to　them。　　If　I　should　carry　on　the　comparison；　I　might　say；　as　touching
valour；　that；　on　the　contrary；　it　is；　to　what　it　is　with　them；　common　and
natural　with　us；　but　sometimes　we　see　them　possessed　of　it　to　such　a
degree　as　surpasses　the　greatest　examples　we　can　produce：　The　marriages
of　that　country　are　defective　in　this；　their　custom　commonly　imposes　so
rude　and　so　slavish　a　law　upon　the　women；　that　the　most　distant
acquaintance　with　a　stranger　is　as　capital　an　offence　as　the　most
intimate；　so　that　all　approaches　being　rendered　necessarily　substantial；
and　seeing　that　all　comes　to　one　account；　they　have　no　hard　choice　to
make；　and　when　they　have　broken　down　the　fence；　we　may　safely　presume
they　get　on　fire：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Luxuria　ipsis　vinculis；　sicut　fera　bestia；
　　　　　　　　　　irritata；　deinde　emissa。〃

　　　　　＇〃Lust；　like　a　wild　beast；　being　more　excited　by　being　bound；
　　　　　breaks　from　his　chains　with　greater　wildness。〃Livy；　xxxiv。　4。＇

They　must　give　them　a　little　more　rein：

　　　　　　　　　〃Vidi　ego　nuper　equum；　contra　sua　frena　tenacem；
　　　　　　　　　　Ore　reluctanti　fulminis　ire　modo〃：

　　　　　＇〃I　saw；　the　other　day；　a　horse　struggling　against　his　bit；
　　　　　rush　like　a　thunderbolt。〃Ovid；　Amor。；　iii。　4；　13。＇

the　desire　of　company　is　allayed　by　giving　it　a　little　liberty。　　We　are
pretty　much　in　the　same　case　they　are　extreme　in　constraint；　we　in
licence。　　'Tis　a　good　custom　we　have　in　France　that　our　sons　are　received
into　the　best　families；　there　to　be　entertained　and　bred　up　pages；　as　in
a　school　of　nobility；　and　'tis　looked　upon　as　a　discourtesy　and　an
affront　to　refuse　this　to　a　gentleman。　　I　have　taken　notice　（for；　so　many
families；　so　many　differing　forms）　that　the　ladies　who　have　been
strictest　with　their　maids　have　had　no　better　luck　than　those　who　allowed
them　a　greater　liberty。　　There　should　be　moderation　in　these　things；　one
must　leave　a　great　deal　of　their　conduct　to　their　own　discretion；　for；
when　all　comes　to　all；　no　discipline　can　curb　them　throughout。　　But　it　is
true　withal　that　she　who　comes　off　with　flying　colours　from　a　school　of
liberty；　brings　with　her　whereon　to　repose　more　confidence　than　she　who
comes　away　sound　from　a　severe　and　strict　school。

Our　fathers　dressed　up　their　daughters'　looks　in　bashfulness　and　fear
（their　courage　and　desires　being　the　same）；　we　ours　in　confidence　and
assurance；　we　understand　nothing　of　the　matter；　we　must　leave　it　to　the
Sarmatian　women；　who　may　not　lie　with　a　man　till　with　their　own　hands
they　have　first　killed　another　in　battle。　　For　me；　who　have　no　other
title　left　me　to　these　things　but　by　the　ears；　'tis　sufficient　if；
according　to　the　privilege　of　my　age；　they　retain　me　for　one　of　their
counsel。　I　advise　them　then；　and　us　men　too；　to　abstinence；　but　if　the
age　we　live　in　will　not　endure　it；　at　least　modesty　and　discretion。　　For；
as　in　the　story　of　Aristippus；　who；　speaking　to　some　young　men　who
blushed　to　see　him　go　into　a　scandalous　house；　said　〃the　vice　is　in　not
coming　out；　not　in　going　in；〃　let　her　who　has　no　care　of　her　conscience
have　yet　some　regard　to　her　reputation；　and　though　she　be　rotten　within；
let　her　carry　a　fair　outside　at　least。

I　commend　a　gradation　and　delay　in　bestowing　their　favours：　Plato
'declares　that；　in　all　sorts　of　love；　facility　and　promptness　are
forbidden　to　the　defendant。　　'Tis　a　sign　of　eagerness　which　they　ought　to
disguise　with　all　the　art　they　have；　so　rashly；　wholly；　and　hand…over…
hand　to　surrender　themselves。　　In　carrying　themselves　orderly　and
measuredly　in　the　granting　their　last　favours；　they　much　more　allure　our
desires　and　hide　their　own。　　Let　them　still　fly　before　us；　even　those　who
have　most　mind　to　be　overtaken：　they　better　conquer　us　by　flying；　as　the
Scythians　did。　　To　say　the　truth；　according　to　the　law　that　nature　has
imposed　upon　them；　it　is　not　properly　for　them　either　to　will　or　desire；
their　part　is　to　suffer；　obey；　and　consent　and　for　this　it　is　that　nature
has　given　them　a　perpetual　capacity；　which　in　us　is　but　at　times　and
uncertain；　they　are　always　fit　for　the　encounter；　that　they　may　be　always
ready　when　we　are　so　〃Pati　natee。〃…＇〃Born　to　suffer。〃…Seneca；　Ep。；　95。＇
And　whereas　she　has　ordered　that　our　appetites　shall　be　manifest　by　a
prominent　demonstration；　she　would　have　theirs　to　be　hidden　and　concealed
within；　and　has　furnished　them　with　parts　improper　for　ostentation；　and
simply　defensive。　　Such　proceedings　as　this　that　follows　must　be　left　to
the　Amazonian　licence：　Alexander　marching　his　army　through　Hyrcania；
Thalestris；　Queen　of　the　Amazons；　came　with　three　hundred　light　horse　of
her　own…sex；　well　mounted；　and　armed；　having　left　the　remainder　of　a　very
great；　army　that　followed　her　behind　the　neighbouring　mountains　to　give
him　a　visit；　where　she　publicly　and　in　plain　terms　told　him　that　the　fame
of　his　valour　and　victories　had　brought　her　thither　to　see　him；　and　to
make　him　an　offer　of　her　forces　to　assist　him　in　the　pursuit　of　his
enterprises；　and　that；　finding　him　so　handsome；　young；　and　vigorous；　she；
who　was　also　perfect　in　all　those　qualities；　advised　that　they　might　lie
together；　to　the　end　that　from　the　most　valiant　woman　of　the　world　and
the　bravest　man　then　living；　there　might　spring　some　great　and　wonderful
issue　for　the　time　to　come。　　Alexander　returned　her　thanks　for　all　the
rest；　but；　to　give　leisure　for　the　accomplishment　of　her　last　demand；
he　detained　her　thirteen　days　in　that　place；　which　were　spent　in　royal
feasting　and　jollity；　for　the　welcome　of　so　courageous　a　princess。

We　are；　almost　throughout；　unjust　judges　of　their　actions；　as　they　are　of
ours。　　I　confess　the　truth　when　it　makes　against　me；　as　well　as　when　'tis
on　my　side。　　'Tis　an　abominable　intemperance　that　pushes　them　on　so　often
to　change；　and　that　will　not　let　them　limit　their　affection　to　any　one
person　whatever；　as　is　evident　in　that　goddess　to　whom　are　attributed　so
many　changes　and　so　many　lovers。　　But　'tis　true　withal　that　'tis　contrary
to　the　nature　of　love　if　it　be；　not　violent；　and　contrary　to　the　nature
of　violence　if　it　be　constant。　　And　they　who　wonder；　exclaim；　and　keep
such　a　clutter　to　find　out　the　causes　of　this　frailty　of　theirs；　as
unnatural　and　not　to　be　believed；　how　comes　it　to　pass　they　do　not
discern　how　often　they　are　themselves　guilty　of　the　same；　without　any
astonishment　or　miracle　at　all？　　It　would；　peradventure；　be　more　strange
to　see　the　passion　fixed；　'tis　not　a　simply　corporeal　passion。　　If　there
be　no　end　to　avarice　and　ambition；　there　is　doubtless　no　more　in　desire；
it　still　lives　after　satiety；　and　'tis　impossible　to　prescribe　either
constant　satisfaction　or　end；　it　ever　goes　beyond　its　possession。　　A