LA plus commune façon d’amollir les cœurs de ceux qu’on a offencez, lors qu’ayans la vengeance en main, ils nous tiennent à leur mercy, c’est de les esmouuoir par submission, à commiseration et à pitié: toutesfois la brauerie, la constance, et la resolution, moyens tous contraires, ont quelquesfois seruy à ce mesme effect.
The most common way of softening the hearts of those we have offended, when they hold vengeance in their hands and have us at their mercy, is to move them to commiseration and pity by submission. Yet defiance, steadfastness and resolution, means quite the opposite, have sometimes served to the same effect.
Edouard Prince de Galles, celuy qui regenta si long temps nostre Guienne: personnage duquel les conditions et la fortune ont beaucoup de notables parties de grandeur; ayant esté bien fort offencé par les Limosins, et prenant leur ville par force, ne peut estre arresté par les cris du peuple, et des femmes, et enfans abandonnez à la boucherie, luy criants mercy, et se iettans à ses pieds: iusqu’à ce que passant tousiours outre dans la ville, il apperçeut trois Gentilshommes François, qui d’vne hardiesse incroyable soustenoient seuls l’effort de son armee victorieuse. La consideration et le respect d’vne si notable vertu, reboucha premierement la pointe de sa cholere: et commença par ces trois, à faire misericorde à tous les autres habitans de la ville.
Edward, Prince of Wales, the one who governed our Guyenne for so long—a man whose character and fortune have many notable elements of greatness—having been very gravely offended by the people of Limoges, and taking their town by force, could not be stopped by the cries of the people, or of the women and children abandoned to the slaughter, who cried to him for mercy and threw themselves at his feet. That lasted until, pressing on ever farther into the town, he caught sight of three French gentlemen who, with incredible daring, were holding out alone against the onslaught of his victorious army. Consideration and respect for such remarkable valor first blunted the edge of his anger; and, beginning with these three, he showed mercy to all the other inhabitants of the town.
Scanderberch, Prince de l’Epire, suyuant vn soldat des siens pour le tuer, et ce soldat ayant essayé par toute espece d’humilité et de supplication de l’appaiser, se resolut à toute extremité de l’attendre l’espee au poing: cette sienne resolution arresta sus bout la furie de son maistre, qui pour luy auoir veu prendre vn si honorable party, le reçeut en grace. Cet exemple pourra souffrir autre interpretation de ceux, qui n’auront leu la prodigieuse force et vaillance de ce Prince là.
Scanderbeg, prince of Epirus, was pursuing one of his soldiers to kill him; and the soldier, having tried every kind of humility and supplication to appease him, resolved as a last resort to await him sword in hand. This resolution stopped his master’s fury dead, and Scanderbeg, having seen him take so honorable a course, received him back into favor. This example may admit of another interpretation from those who have not read of the prodigious strength and valor of that prince.
L’Empereur Conrad troisiesme, ayant assiegé Guelphe Duc de Bauieres, ne voulut condescendre à plus douces conditions, quelques viles et lasches satisfactions qu’on luy offrist, que de permettre seulement aux gentils-femmes qui estoient assiegees auec le Duc, de sortir leur honneur sauue, à pied, auec ce qu’elles pourroient emporter sur elles. Elles d’vn cœur magnanime, s’aduiserent de charger sur leurs espaules leurs maris, leurs enfans, et le Duc mesme. L’Empereur print si grand plaisir à voir la gentillesse de leur courage, qu’il en pleura d’aise, et amortit toute cette aigreur d’inimitié mortelle et capitale qu’il auoit portee contre ce Duc: et dés lors en auant traita humainement luy et les siens.
The Emperor Conrad III, having besieged Welf, Duke of Bavaria, would not stoop to milder terms, however base and cowardly the amends offered him, than merely to allow the gentlewomen besieged with the Duke to come out with their honor safe, on foot, with whatever they could carry on their persons. They, with magnanimous hearts, hit upon the idea of carrying on their shoulders their husbands, their children, and the Duke himself. The Emperor took such pleasure in seeing the nobility of their courage that he wept for joy, and quenched all the bitterness of the mortal and capital enmity he had borne against this Duke; and from then on he treated him and his people humanely.
L’vn et l’autre de ces deux moyens m’emporteroit aysement: car i’ay vne merueilleuse lascheté vers la misericorde et mansuetude: tant y a, qu’à mon aduis, ie serois pour me rendre plus naturellement à la compassion, qu’à l’estimation. Si est la pitié passion vitieuse aux Stoiques: ils veulent qu’on secoure les affligez, mais non pas qu’on flechisse et compatisse auec eux. Or ces exemples me semblent plus à propos, d’autant qu’on voit ces ames assaillies et essayees par ces deux moyens, en soustenir l’vn sans s’esbranler, et courber sous l’autre.
Either of these two means would easily carry me away, for I have a wonderful weakness toward mercy and gentleness. So much so that, in my opinion, I would be likely to surrender more naturally to compassion than to esteem. Yet to the Stoics pity is a vicious passion: they want us to help the afflicted, but not to bend and suffer along with them. Now these examples seem to me the more to the point because we see these souls, assailed and tested by these two means, withstand one without wavering and bow beneath the other.
Il se peut dire, que de rompre son cœur à la commiseration, c’est l’effet de la facilité, debonnaireté, et mollesse: d’où il aduient que les natures plus foibles, comme celles des femmes, des enfans, et du vulgaire, y sont plus subiettes: mais ayant eu à desdaing les larmes et les pleurs, de se rendre à la seule reuerence de la saincte image de la vertu, que c’est l’effect d’vne ame forte et imployable, ayant en affection et en honneur vne vigueur masle, et obstinee.
It may be said that to let one’s heart break into commiseration is the effect of easygoingness, good nature and softness; whence it comes that the weaker natures, such as those of women, children and the common people, are more subject to it. But to have disdained tears and weeping, and to yield solely to reverence for the sacred image of virtue—that, it may be said, is the effect of a strong and unbending soul, one that holds in affection and honor a manly and stubborn vigor.
Toutesfois és ames moins genereuses, l’estonnement et l’admiration peuuent faire naistre vn pareil effect: tesmoin le peuple Thebain, lequel ayant mis en Iustice d’accusation capitale, ses Capitaines, pour auoir continué leur charge outre le temps qui leur auoit esté prescript et preordonné, absolut à toute peine Pelopidas, qui plioit sous le faix de telles obiections, et n’employoit à se garantir que requestes et supplications: et au contraire Epaminondas, qui vint à raconter magnifiquement les choses par luy faites, et à les reprocher au peuple d’vne façon fiere et arrogante, il n’eut pas le cœur de prendre seulement les balotes en main, et se departit: l’assemblee louant grandement la hautesse du courage de ce personnage.
Yet in less noble souls, amazement and admiration can give rise to a similar effect. Witness the people of Thebes. They had put their captains on trial on a capital charge for continuing in their command beyond the time prescribed and appointed for it. They barely acquitted Pelopidas, who bowed under the weight of such accusations and used only petitions and supplications to defend himself. Epaminondas, on the contrary, came forward to recount in grand style the things he had done and to throw them in the people’s face in a proud and arrogant manner; and they did not have the heart even to take the ballots in hand, but broke up, the assembly greatly praising the loftiness of this man’s spirit.
Dionysius le vieil, apres des longueurs et difficultés extremes, ayant prins la ville de Rege, et en icelle le Capitaine Phyton, grand homme de bien, qui l’auoit si obstinéement defendue, voulut en tirer vn tragique exemple de vengeance. Il luy dict premierement, comment le iour auant, il auoit faict noyer son fils, et tous ceux de sa parenté. A quoy Phyton respondit seulement, qu’ils en estoient d’vn iour plus heureux que luy. Apres il le fit despouiller, et saisir à des Bourreaux, et le trainer par la ville, en le fouëttant tres ignominieusement et cruellement: et en outre le chargeant de felonnes parolles et contumelieuses. Mais il eut le courage tousiours constant, sans se perdre.
Dionysius the Elder, having taken the city of Rhegium after extreme delays and difficulties, and in it the captain Phyton, a very good man, who had defended it so stubbornly, wanted to make a tragic example of vengeance out of him. First he told him how, the day before, he had had his son drowned, and all his kinsmen. To which Phyton replied only that they were happier than he by one day. Then he had him stripped and seized by executioners and dragged through the city, whipping him most ignominiously and cruelly, and heaping cruel and insulting words on him besides. But Phyton kept his courage constant throughout, never losing himself.
Et d’vn visage ferme, alloit au contraire ramenteuant à haute voix, l’honorable et glorieuse cause de sa mort, pour n’auoir voulu rendre son païs entre les mains d’vn tyran: le menaçant d’vne prochaine punition des dieux. Dionysius, lisant dans les yeux de la commune de son armee, qu’au lieu de s’animer des brauades de cet ennemy vaincu, au mespris de leur chef, et de son triomphe, elle alloit s’amollissant par l’estonnement d’vne si rare vertu, et marchandoit de se mutiner, et mesmes d’arracher Phyton d’entre les mains de ses sergens, feit cesser ce martyre: et à cachettes l’enuoya noyer en la mer.
And with a steady face he went on, on the contrary, recalling in a loud voice the honorable and glorious cause of his death—that he had refused to deliver his country into the hands of a tyrant—and threatening Dionysius with swift punishment from the gods. Dionysius read in the eyes of the rank and file of his army that, instead of being roused by the defiance of this defeated enemy, in contempt of their leader and his triumph, they were softening in their amazement at such rare valor, and were on the verge of mutiny, even of snatching Phyton from the hands of his guards. So he put an end to this martyrdom and had him secretly drowned in the sea.
Certes c’est vn subiect merueilleusement vain, diuers, et ondoyant, que l’homme: il est malaisé d’y fonder iugement constant et vniforme. Voyla Pompeius qui pardonna à toute la ville des Mamertins, contre laquelle il estoit fort animé, en consideration de la vertu et magnanimité du citoyen Zenon, qui se chargeoit seul de la faute publique, et ne requeroit autre grace que d’en porter seul la peine. Et l’hoste de Sylla, ayant vsé en la ville de Peruse de semblable vertu, n’y gaigna rien, ny pour soy, ny pour les autres.
Truly, man is a marvelously vain, diverse and wavering subject; it is hard to found any constant and uniform judgment on him. Here is Pompey, who pardoned the whole city of the Mamertines, against which he was greatly incensed, in consideration of the virtue and magnanimity of the citizen Zeno, who took the public fault upon himself alone and asked no other favor than to bear the punishment for it alone. And Sulla’s host, having shown similar virtue in the city of Perusia, gained nothing by it, either for himself or for the others.
Et directement contre mes premiers exemples, le plus hardy des hommes et si gratieux aux vaincus Alexandre, forçant apres beaucoup de grandes difficultez la ville de Gaza, rencontra Betis qui y commandoit, de la valeur duquel il auoit, pendant ce siege, senty des preuues merueilleuses, lors seul, abandonné des siens, ses armes despecees, tout couuert de sang et de playes, combatant encores au milieu de plusieurs Macedoniens, qui le chamailloient de toutes parts: et luy dit, tout piqué d’vne si chere victoire: car entre autres dommages, il auoit receu deux fresches blessures sur sa personne: Tu ne mourras pas comme tu as voulu, Betis: fais estat qu’il te faut souffrir toutes les sortes de tourmens qui se pourront inuenter contre un captif.
And directly contrary to my first examples, Alexander, the boldest of men and so gracious to the vanquished, storming the city of Gaza after many great difficulties, came upon Betis, who commanded there and whose valor he had experienced in marvelous proofs during that siege. Betis was then alone, deserted by his men, his armor hacked to pieces, covered all over with blood and wounds, still fighting in the midst of a number of Macedonians who were hammering at him from every side. And Alexander, stung by so costly a victory—for among other losses he had received two fresh wounds on his own person—said to him: “You shall not die as you wished, Betis. Make up your mind that you must suffer every kind of torment that can be devised against a captive.”
L’autre, d’vne mine non seulement asseuree, mais rogue et altiere, se tint sans mot dire à ces menaces. Lors Alexandre voyant l’obstination à se taire: A il flechy vn genouil? luy est-il eschappé quelque voix suppliante? Vrayement ie vainqueray ce silence: et si ie n’en puis arracher parole, i’en arracheray au moins du gemissement. Et tournant sa cholere en rage, commanda qu’on luy perçast les talons, et le fit ainsi trainer tout vif, deschirer et desmembrer au cul d’vne charrette. Seroit-ce que la force de courage luy fust si naturelle et commune, que pour ne l’admirer point, il la respectast moins?
The other, with a countenance not only assured but haughty and disdainful, stood without a word in the face of these threats. Then Alexander, seeing his stubborn silence: “Has he bent a knee? Has any suppliant cry escaped him? Truly I will conquer this silence; and if I cannot wring a word from it, I will at least wring a groan.” And turning his anger into rage, he ordered his heels to be pierced, and had him dragged alive in this way behind a cart, torn and dismembered. Could it be that strength of courage was so natural and commonplace to him that, not admiring it, he respected it the less?
ou qu’il l’estimast si proprement sienne, qu’en cette hauteur il ne peust souffrir de la veoir en vn autre, sans le despit d’vne passion enuieuse? ou que l’impetuosité naturelle de sa cholere fust incapable d’opposition? De vray, si elle eust receu bride, il est à croire, qu’en la prinse et desolation de la ville de Thebes elle l’eust receue: à veoir cruellement mettre au fil de l’espee tant de vaillans hommes, perdus, et n’ayans plus moyen de defence publique. Car il en fut tué bien six mille, desquels nul ne fut veu ny fuiant, ny demandant mercy: au rebours cerchans, qui çà, qui là, par les rues, à affronter les ennemis victorieux: les prouoquans à les faire mourir d’vne mort honorable.
Or that he considered it so peculiarly his own that he could not bear to see it at such a height in another without the spite of an envious passion? Or that the natural impetuosity of his anger could brook no opposition? Indeed, if it could ever have been bridled, it is likely that it would have been at the capture and destruction of the city of Thebes, at the sight of so many valiant men, lost and with no further means of common defense, being cruelly put to the sword. For a good six thousand of them were killed, of whom not one was seen fleeing or begging for mercy; on the contrary, they sought, some here, some there, through the streets, to confront the victorious enemy, provoking them to grant them an honorable death.
Nul ne fut veu, qui n’essaiast en son dernier souspir, de se venger encores: et à tout les armes du desespoir consoler sa mort en la mort de quelque ennemy. Si ne trouua l’affliction de leur vertu aucune pitié: et ne suffit la longueur d’vn iour à assouuir sa vengeance. Ce carnage dura iusques à la derniere goute de sang espandable: et ne s’arresta qu’aux personnes desarmées, vieillards, femmes et enfants, pour en tirer trente mille esclaues.
Not one was seen who did not try, with his last breath, to avenge himself still, and with the weapons of despair to console his own death with the death of some enemy. Yet the affliction of their valor found no pity, and the length of a day was not enough to sate his vengeance. This carnage lasted to the last drop of blood that could be shed, and stopped only at the unarmed—old men, women and children—so that thirty thousand slaves might be taken from among them.