FORTIS imaginatio generat casum, disent les clercs. Ie suis de ceux qui sentent tresgrand effort de l’imagination. Chacun en est heurté, mais aucuns en sont renuersez. Son impression me perse; et mon art est de luy eschapper, par faute de force à luy resister. Ie viuroye de la seule assistance de personnes saines et gaies. La veuë des angoisses d’autruy m’angoisse materiellement: et a mon sentiment souuent vsurpé le sentiment d’vn tiers. Vn tousseur continuel irrite mon poulmon et mon gosier. Ie visite plus mal volontiers les malades, ausquels le deuoir m’interesse, que ceux ausquels ie m’attens moins, et que ie considere moins. Ie saisis le mal, que i’estudie, et le couche en moy.
A strong imagination produces the event, say the learned. I am one of those who feel the very great force of the imagination. Everyone is jolted by it, but some are knocked flat. Its impression pierces me; and my art is to escape it, for lack of strength to resist it. I would like to live in the company of none but healthy and cheerful people. The sight of other people’s anguish causes me real physical anguish, and my senses have often usurped the sensations of someone else. A man who coughs constantly irritates my lungs and my throat. I visit more reluctantly the sick to whom duty binds me than those I am less attached to and care less about. I catch the illness I study and lodge it in myself.
Ie ne trouue pas estrange qu’elle donne et les fieures, et la mort, à ceux qui la laissent faire, et qui luy applaudissent. Simon Thomas estoit vn grand medecin de son temps. Il me souuient que me rencontrant vn iour à Thoulouse chez vn riche vieillard pulmonique, et traittant auec luy des moyens de sa guarison, il luy dist, que c’en estoit l’vn, de me donner occasion de me plaire en sa compagnie: et que fichant ses yeux sur la frescheur de mon visage, et sa pensée sur cette allegresse et vigueur, qui regorgeoit de mon adolescence: et remplissant tous ses sens de cet estat florissant en quoy i’estoy lors, son habitude s’en pourroit amender: mais il oublioit à dire, que la mienne s’en pourroit empirer aussi.
I do not find it strange that imagination brings on fevers and even death in those who give it free rein and encourage it. Simon Thomas was a great physician in his day. I remember that one day, when he met me in Toulouse at the house of a rich old man with a lung disease, and was discussing with him the means of curing him, he told him that one of them was to give me reason to enjoy his company: by fixing his eyes on the freshness of my face and his thoughts on the cheerfulness and vigor overflowing from my youth, and filling all his senses with the flourishing state I was then in, his condition might improve. But he forgot to say that mine might get worse as well.
Gallus Vibius banda si bien son ame, à comprendre l’essence et les mouuemens de la folie, qu’il emporta son iugement hors de son siege, si qu’onques puis il ne l’y peut remettre: et se pouuoit vanter d’estre deuenu fol par sagesse. Il y en a, qui de frayeur anticipent la main du bourreau; et celuy qu’on debandoit pour luy lire sa grace, se trouua roide mort sur l’eschaffaut du seul coup de son imagination. Nous tressuons, nous tremblons, nous pallissons, et rougissons aux secousses de nos imaginations; et renuersez dans la plume sentons nostre corps agité à leur bransle, quelques-fois iusques à en expirer. Et la ieunesse bouillante s’eschauffe si auant en son harnois toute endormie, qu’elle assouuit en songe ses amoureux desirs.
Vibius Gallus strained his mind so hard to understand the essence and the impulses of madness that he carried his judgment off its seat, so that he could never put it back again; he could boast of having gone mad through wisdom. There are some who, out of fright, forestall the executioner’s hand; and one man, whose blindfold was being removed so that his pardon could be read to him, was found stone dead on the scaffold, struck down by his imagination alone. We sweat, we tremble, we turn pale and we blush at the jolts of our imaginings; and lying back in our feather beds we feel our bodies shaken by their agitation, sometimes to the point of dying of it. And hot-blooded youth gets so heated in its harness, fast asleep, that it satisfies its amorous desires in dreams.
Vt quasi transactis sæpe omnibus rebu’ profundant / Fluminis ingentes fluctus, vestémque cruentent.
So that often, as though the whole business were accomplished, they pour out / Great floods in a stream and stain their clothes.
Et encore qu’il ne soit pas nouueau de voir croistre la nuict des cornes à tel, qui ne les auoit pas en se couchant: toutesfois l’euenement de Cyppus Roy d’Italie est memorable, lequel pour auoir assisté le iour auec grande affection au combat des taureaux, et avoir eu en songe toute la nuict des cornes en la teste, les produisit en son front par la force de l’imagination. La passion donna au fils de Crœsus la voix, que nature luy auoit refusée. Et Antiochus print la fieure, par la beauté de Stratonicé trop viuement empreinte en son ame. Pline dit auoir veu Lucius Cossitius, de femme changé en homme le iour de ses nopces.
And although it is nothing new to see someone sprout horns in the night who did not have them when he went to bed, still the case of Cippus, king of Italy, is memorable: having watched a bullfight with great excitement during the day, and having had horns on his head in his dreams all night, he produced them on his forehead by the power of imagination. Passion gave the son of Croesus the voice that nature had denied him. And Antiochus caught a fever from the beauty of Stratonice, too vividly imprinted on his soul. Pliny says he saw Lucius Cossitius changed from a woman into a man on his wedding day.
Pontanus et d’autres racontent pareilles metamorphoses aduenuës en Italie ces siecles passez: et par vehement desir de luy et de sa mere, Vota puer soluit, quæ fæmina vouerat Iphis.
Pontanus and others tell of similar metamorphoses that occurred in Italy in past centuries; and through his own and his mother’s vehement desire, Iphis paid as a boy the vows he had made as a girl.
Passant à Vitry le François ie peu voir vn homme que l’Euesque de Soissons auoit nommé Germain en confirmation, lequel tous les habitans de là ont cogneu, et veu fille, iusques à l’aage de vingt deux ans, nommée Marie. Il estoit à cette heure là fort barbu, et vieil, et point marié. Faisant, dit-il, quelque effort en saultant, ses membres virils se produisirent: et est encore en vsage entre les filles de là, vne chanson, par laquelle elles s’entraduertissent de ne faire point de grandes eniambees, de peur de deuenir garçons, comme Marie Germain.
Passing through Vitry-le-François, I was able to see a man whom the Bishop of Soissons had named Germain at his confirmation. All the inhabitants there had known him, and seen him as a girl named Marie, until the age of twenty-two. He was by then heavily bearded, and old, and not married. He said that as he was straining in a jump, his male organs came out. And there is still a song current among the girls there in which they warn one another not to take long strides, for fear of becoming boys, like Marie Germain.
Ce n’est pas tant de merueille que cette sorte d’accident se rencontre frequent: car si l’imagination peut en telles choses, elle est si continuellement et si vigoureusement attachée à ce subiect, que pour n’auoir si souuent à rechoir en mesme pensée et aspreté de desir, elle a meilleur compte d’incorporer, vne fois pour toutes, cette virile partie aux filles.
It is not so very surprising that this sort of accident happens often. For if imagination has power in such matters, it is so continually and so vigorously fixed on this subject that, rather than having to fall back so often into the same thought and the same sharpness of desire, it finds it simpler to incorporate this male part into girls once and for all.
Les vns attribuent à la force de l’imagination les cicatrices du Roy Dagobert et de Sainct François. On dit que les corps s’en-enleuent telle fois de leur place. Et Celsus recite d’vn Prestre, qui rauissoit son ame en telle extase, que le corps en demeuroit longue espace sans respiration et sans sentiment. Sainct Augustin en nomme vn autre, à qui il ne falloit que faire ouïr des cris lamentables et plaintifs: soudain il defailloit, et s’emportoit si viuement hors de soy, qu’on auoit beau le tempester, et hurler, et le pincer, et le griller, iusques à ce qu’il fust resuscité: lors il disoit auoir ouy des voix, mais comme venant de loing: et s’aperceuoit de ses eschaudures et meurtrisseures.
Some attribute to the power of imagination the scars of King Dagobert and of Saint Francis. It is said that bodies are sometimes lifted from their place by it. And Celsus tells of a priest who would carry his soul off into such an ecstasy that his body remained for a long time without breath or sensation. Saint Augustine names another who had only to hear cries of lament and grief to faint at once, and to go so completely out of himself that it was no use storming at him and yelling, pinching him and burning him, until he came back to life. Then he would say he had heard voices, but as if from far away; and he would notice his burns and bruises.
Et que ce ne fust vne obstination apostée contre son sentiment, cela le montroit, qu’il n’auoit ce pendant ny poulx ny haleine. Il est vraysemblable, que le principal credit des visions, des enchantemens, et de tels effects extraordinaires, vienne de la puissance de l’imagination, agissant principalement contre les ames du vulgaire, plus molles. On leur a si fort saisi la creance, qu’ils pensent voir ce qu’ils ne voyent pas.
And that this was not a stubbornness put on in defiance of his feelings was shown by the fact that meanwhile he had neither pulse nor breath. It is likely that visions, enchantments and such extraordinary effects owe most of their credit to the power of imagination, acting chiefly on the souls of the common people, which are softer. Their belief has been so firmly seized that they think they see what they do not see.
Spells of impotence
Fear and imagination cause the failures blamed on knotting spells; a playful counter-charm cures one.
Ie suis encore en ce doubte, que ces plaisantes liaisons dequoy nostre monde se voit si entraué qu’il ne se parle d’autre chose, ce sont volontiers des impressions de l’apprehension et de la crainte. Car ie sçay par experience, que tel de qui ie puis respondre, comme de moy-mesme, en qui il ne pouuoit choir soupçon aucun de foiblesse, et aussi peu d’enchantement, ayant ouy faire le conte à vn sien compagnon d’vne defaillance extraordinaire, en quoy il estoit tombé sur le point qu’il en auoit le moins de besoin, se trouuant en pareille occasion, l’horreur de ce conte luy vint à coup si rudement frapper l’imagination, qu’il en courut vne fortune pareille.
I am still inclined to suspect that those comical spells of tying, which hamper our world so much that people talk of nothing else, are usually the effects of apprehension and fear. For I know from experience that a certain man, for whom I can answer as for myself, and on whom no suspicion of weakness could fall, and just as little of enchantment, had heard one of his companions tell of an extraordinary failure that had come over him at the very moment he could least afford it. Finding himself in a similar situation, the horror of this story suddenly struck his imagination so hard that he met with the same fate.
Et de là en hors fut subiect à y renchoir: ce villain souuenir de son inconuenient le gourmandant et tyrannisant. Il trouua quelque remede à cette resuerie, par vne autre resuerie. C’est qu’aduouant luy mesme, et preschant auant la main, cette sienne subiection, la contention de son ame se soulageoit, sur ce, qu’apportant ce mal comme attendu, son obligation en amoindrissoit, et luy en poisoit moins. Quand il a eu loy, à son chois (sa pensée desbrouillée et desbandée, son corps se trouuant en son deu) de le faire lors premierement tenter, saisir, et surprendre à la cognoissance d’autruy, il s’est guari tout net. A qui on a esté vne fois capable, on n’est plus incapable, sinon par iuste foiblesse.
And from then on he was liable to relapse, that wretched memory of his mishap bullying and tyrannizing him. He found some remedy for this fancy in another fancy. By admitting and announcing this weakness of his in advance, he relieved the strain on his soul, because by presenting the trouble as something expected, he lessened his obligation and it weighed on him less. When he had the opportunity, at a time of his own choosing—his mind clear and relaxed, his body in proper order—to let it first be tried, taken hold of and caught unawares, with the other person’s knowledge, he was completely cured. With a woman toward whom one has once been capable, one is never again incapable, except through genuine weakness.
Ce malheur n’est à craindre qu’aux entreprinses, où nostre ame se trouue outre mesure tendue de desir et de respect; et notamment où les commoditez se rencontrent improuueues et pressantes. On n’a pas moyen de se rauoir de ce trouble. I’en sçay, à qui il a seruy d’y apporter le corps mesme, demy rassasié d’ailleurs, pour endormir l’ardeur de cette fureur, et qui par l’aage, se trouue moins impuissant, de ce qu’il est moins puissant: et tel autre, à qui il a serui aussi qu’vn amy l’ayt asseuré d’estre fourni d’vne contrebatterie d’enchantemens certains, à le preseruer. Il vaut mieux, que ie die comment ce fut.
This misfortune is only to be feared in undertakings where our soul is strained beyond measure with desire and respect, and particularly where the opportunity comes unexpectedly and urgently. There is no way to recover from that disturbance. I know one man who found it helpful to bring to the task a body already half sated elsewhere, to dull the heat of that frenzy, and who with age finds himself less impotent for being less potent; and another who was also helped when a friend assured him that he was supplied with a counter-battery of sure enchantments to protect him. I had better tell how that came about.
Vn Comte de tresbon lieu, de qui i’estoye fort priué, se mariant auec vne belle dame, qui auoit esté poursuiuie de tel qui assistoit à la feste, mettoit en grande peine ses amis: et nommément vne vieille dame sa parente, qui presidoit à ces nopces, et les faisoit chez elle, craintiue de ces sorcelleries: ce qu’elle me fit entendre. Ie la priay s’en reposer sur moy. I’auoye de fortune en mes coffres, certaine petite piece d’or platte, où estoient grauées quelques figures celestes, contre le coup du Soleil, et pour oster la douleur de teste, la logeant à point, sur la cousture du test: et pour l’y tenir, elle estoit cousuë à vn ruban propre à rattacher souz le menton.
A count of very good family, with whom I was on very intimate terms, was marrying a beautiful lady who had been courted by a man present at the festivities. This caused his friends great anxiety, and especially an old lady, a relative of his, who was presiding over the wedding and holding it at her house, and who feared these sorceries; she told me so. I asked her to leave it to me. I happened to have in my coffers a certain small flat piece of gold engraved with some celestial figures, good against sunstroke and for taking away headaches when placed exactly on the suture of the skull; and to keep it there, it was sewn to a ribbon meant to be tied under the chin.
Resuerie germaine à celle dequoy nous parlons. Iacques Peletier, viuant chez moy, m’auoit faict ce present singulier. I’aduisay d’en tirer quelque vsage, et dis au Comte, qu’il pourroit courre fortune comme les autres, y ayant là des hommes pour luy en vouloir prester vne; mais que hardiment il s’allast coucher: que ie luy feroy vn tour d’amy: et n’espargneroys à son besoin, vn miracle, qui estoit en ma puissance: pourueu que sur son honneur, il me promist de le tenir tresfidelement secret. Seulement, comme sur la nuict on iroit luy porter le resueillon, s’il luy estoit mal allé, il me fist vn tel signe.
A fancy akin to the one we are talking about. Jacques Peletier, when he was living at my house, had made me this singular present. I thought of putting it to some use, and told the count that he might run the same risk as others, since there were men present who would like to play such a trick on him; but that he should go boldly to bed: I would do him a friend’s turn, and would not withhold, if he needed it, a miracle that was in my power, provided he promised me on his honor to keep it most faithfully secret. Only, when they came during the night to bring him the late-night collation, if things had gone badly for him, he was to give me such-and-such a sign.
Il avoit eu l’ame et les oreilles si battues, qu’il se trouua lié du trouble de son imagination: et me feit son signe à l’heure susditte. Ie luy dis lors à l’oreille, qu’il se leuast, souz couleur de nous chasser, et prinst en se iouant la robbe de nuict, que i’auoye sur moy (nous estions de taille fort voisine) et s’en vestist, tant qu’il auroit executé mon ordonnance, qui fut; Quand nous serions sortis, qu’il se retirast à tomber de l’eaue: dist trois fois telles parolles: et fist tels mouuements. Qu’à chascune de ces trois fois, il ceignist le ruban, que ie luy mettoys en main, et couchast bien soigneusement la medaille qui y estoit attachée, sur ses roignons: la figure en telle posture.
His mind and ears had been so battered that he found himself tied up by the agitation of his imagination, and he gave me his sign at the appointed time. Then I whispered to him to get up, on the pretext of chasing us out, and playfully take the dressing gown I had on (we were very close in size) and put it on until he had carried out my prescription, which was this: when we had gone out, he was to withdraw to pass water, say such-and-such words three times, and make such-and-such movements. Each of those three times he was to tie around himself the ribbon I was putting into his hand, and very carefully place the medal attached to it over his loins, with the figure in such-and-such a position.
Cela faict, ayant à la derniere fois bien estreint ce ruban, pour qu’il ne se peust ny desnouer, ny mouuoir de sa place, qu’en toute asseurance il s’en retournast à son prix faict: et n’oubliast de reietter ma robbe sur son lict, en maniere qu’elle les abriast tous deux. Ces singeries sont le principal de l’effect. Nostre pensée ne se pouuant desmesler, que moyens si estranges ne viennent de quelque abstruse science. Leur inanité leur donne poids et reuerence. Somme il fut certain, que mes characteres se trouuerent plus Veneriens que Solaires, plus en action qu’en prohibition. Ce fut vne humeur prompte et curieuse, qui me conuia à tel effect, esloigné de ma nature.
That done, and having tied the ribbon tight the last time so that it could neither come undone nor slip from its place, he was to go back to his appointed task with complete confidence, and not forget to throw my gown over his bed so that it covered them both. These monkey tricks are the main part of the effect, since our minds cannot rid themselves of the idea that such strange means must come from some abstruse science. Their very inanity gives them weight and reverence. In short, it was certain that my figures proved more Venusian than solar, more for action than for prohibition. It was a sudden and curious whim that led me to such a deed, so far removed from my nature.
Ie suis ennemy des actions subtiles et feintes: et hay la finesse, en mes mains, non seulement recreatiue, mais aussi profitable. Si l’action n’est vicieuse, la routte l’est.
I am an enemy of subtle and feigned actions, and I hate trickery in my own hands, not only when it is for amusement but even when it is profitable. If the action is not wicked, the way to it is.
Amasis Roy d’Ægypte, espousa Laodice tresbelle fille Grecque: et luy, qui se montroit gentil compagnon par tout ailleurs, se trouua court à iouïr d’elle: et menaça de la tuer, estimant que ce fust quelque sorcerie. Comme és choses qui consistent en fantasie, elle le reietta à la deuotion: et ayant faict ses vœus et promesses à Venus, il se trouua diuinement remis, dés la premiere nuict, d’apres ses oblations et sacrifices. Or elles ont tort de nous recueillir de ces contenances mineuses, querelleuses et fuyardes, qui nous esteignent en nous allumant. La bru de Pythagoras, disoit, que la femme qui se couche auec vn homme, doit auec sa cotte laisser quant et quant la honte, et la reprendre auec sa cotte.
Amasis, king of Egypt, married Laodice, a very beautiful Greek girl; and he, who showed himself a lusty fellow everywhere else, found himself falling short when it came to enjoying her, and threatened to kill her, thinking it was some sorcery. As is usual in things that consist in fancy, she referred him to devotion; and having made his vows and promises to Venus, he found himself divinely restored from the very first night after his offerings and sacrifices. Now women are wrong to receive us with those coy, quarrelsome, evasive airs that put out our fire while kindling it. The daughter-in-law of Pythagoras used to say that a woman who goes to bed with a man should put off her modesty along with her petticoat, and put it back on with her petticoat.
L’ame de l’assaillant troublée de plusieurs diuerses allarmes, se perd aisement. Et à qui l’imagination a faict vne fois souffrir cette honte (et elle ne la fait souffrir qu’aux premieres accointances, d’autant qu’elles sont plus ardantes et aspres; et aussi qu’en cette premiere cognoissance qu’on donne de soy, on craint beaucoup plus de faillir) ayant mal commencé, il entre en fieure et despit de cet accident, qui luy dure aux occasions suiuantes.
The soul of the assailant, troubled by many different alarms, is easily lost. And when imagination has once made a man suffer this shame—and it does so only in first encounters, since these are more ardent and eager, and also because in this first acquaintance one gives of oneself one is far more afraid of failing—having begun badly, he falls into a fever of vexation over the accident, which stays with him on later occasions.
Les mariez, le temps estant tout leur, ne doiuent ny presser ny taster leur entreprinse, s’ils ne sont prests. Et vault mieux faillir indecemment, à estreiner la couche nuptiale, pleine d’agitation et de fieure, attendant vne et vne autre commodité plus priuée et moins allarmée, que de tomber en vne perpetuelle misere, pour s’estre estonné et desesperé du premier refus. Auant la possession prinse, le patient se doibt à saillies et diuers temps, legerement essayer et offrir, sans se piquer et opiniastrer, à se conuaincre definitiuement soy-mesme. Ceux qui sçauent leurs membres de nature dociles, qu’ils se soignent seulement de contre-pipper leur fantasie.
Married couples, who have all the time in the world, should neither press nor attempt their undertaking if they are not ready. It is better to fail, however unseemly, to christen the marriage bed while it is full of agitation and fever, and to wait for some other, more private and less anxious opportunity, than to fall into perpetual misery from having been stunned and driven to despair by the first refusal. Before taking possession, the patient should try and offer himself lightly, in sallies and at various times, without getting stubborn and insisting on convincing himself once and for all. Those who know their members to be naturally docile need only take care to outwit their own fancy.
In defense of an unruly member
Every part of the body, and the will most of all, disobeys us as often as this one.
On a raison de remarquer l’indocile liberté de ce membre, s’ingerant si importunément lors que nous n’en auons que faire, et defaillant si importunément lors que nous en auons le plus affaire: et contestant de l’authorité, si imperieusement, auec nostre volonté, refusant auec tant de fierté et d’obstination noz solicitations et mentales et manuelles. Si toutesfois en ce qu’on gourmande sa rebellion, et qu’on en tire preuue de sa condemnation, il m’auoit payé pour plaider sa cause: à l’aduenture mettroy-ie en souspeçon noz autres membres ses compagnons, de luy estre allé dresser par belle enuie, de l’importance et douceur de son vsage, cette querelle apostée, et auoir par complot, armé le monde à l’encontre de luy, le chargeant malignement seul de leur faute commune.
People are right to note the unruly freedom of this member, thrusting itself forward so inopportunely when we have no use for it, and failing so inopportunely when we have most use for it, contesting authority so imperiously with our will, and refusing with such pride and obstinacy our solicitations both mental and manual. Yet if, when its rebellion is being scolded and used as proof for its condemnation, it had paid me to plead its cause, I might perhaps cast suspicion on our other members, its fellows, of having trumped up this quarrel against it out of sheer envy of the importance and sweetness of its function, and of having conspired to arm the world against it, maliciously charging it alone with their common fault.
Car ie vous donne à penser, s’il y a vne seule des parties de nostre corps, qui ne refuse à nostre volonté souuent son operation, et qui souuent ne s’exerce contre nostre volonté: elles ont chacune des passions propres, qui les esueillent et endorment, sans nostre congé. A quant de fois tesmoignent les mouuements forcez de nostre visage, les pensées que nous tenions secrettes, et nous trahissent aux assistants? Cette mesme cause qui anime ce membre, anime aussi sans nostre sceu, le cœur, le poulmon, et le pouls: la veue d’vn obiect agreable, respandant imperceptiblement en nous la flamme d’vne emotion fieureuse.
For I leave you to consider whether there is a single part of our body that does not often refuse to work at our will, and that does not often act against our will. Each of them has passions of its own that rouse it and put it to sleep without our leave. How often do the involuntary movements of our face bear witness to thoughts we were keeping secret, and betray us to those around us? The same cause that animates this member also animates, without our knowledge, the heart, the lungs and the pulse, the sight of a pleasing object imperceptibly spreading through us the flame of a feverish emotion.
N’y a-il que ces muscles et ces veines, qui s’eleuent et se couchent, sans l’adueu non seulement de nostre volonté, mais aussi de notre pensée? Nous ne commandons pas à noz cheueux de se herisser, et à nostre peau de fremir de desir ou de crainte. La main se porte souuent où nous ne l’enuoyons pas. La langue se transit, et la voix se fige à son heure. Lors mesme que n’ayans de quoy frire, nous le luy deffendrions volontiers, l’appetit de manger et de boire ne laisse pas d’emouuoir les parties, qui luy sont subiettes, ny plus ny moins que cet autre appetit: et nous abandonne de mesme, hors de propos, quand bon luy semble.
Is it only these muscles and veins that rise and lie down without the consent not only of our will but even of our thought? We do not command our hair to stand on end, or our skin to quiver with desire or fear. Our hand often goes where we do not send it. Our tongue goes numb and our voice freezes when they please. Even when we have nothing to put in the pan and would gladly forbid it, the appetite for eating and drinking does not fail to stir the parts subject to it, just like that other appetite; and it likewise deserts us, at the wrong moment, whenever it likes.
Les vtils qui seruent à descharger le ventre, ont leurs propres dilatations et compressions, outre et contre nostre aduis, comme ceux-cy destinés à descharger les roignons. Et ce que pour autorizer la puissance de nostre volonté, Sainct Augustin allegue auoir veu quelqu’vn, qui commandoit à son derriere autant de pets qu’il en vouloit: et que Viues encherit d’vn autre exemple de son temps, de pets organizez, suiuants le ton des voix qu’on leur prononçoit, ne suppose non plus pure l’obeissance de ce membre. Car en est-il ordinairement de plus indiscret et tumultuaire?
The organs that serve to empty the bowels have their own dilations and contractions, beyond and against our wishes, just like those meant to empty the kidneys. And when, to vindicate the power of our will, Saint Augustine claims to have seen a man who could command his backside to produce as many farts as he wanted, and Vives caps this with another example from his own time, of farts arranged to follow the tone of words spoken to them, that does not imply any more perfect obedience in this member. For is there any member ordinarily more indiscreet and unruly?
Ioint que i’en cognoy vn, si turbulent et reuesche, qu’il y a quarante ans, qu’il tient son maistre à peter d’vne haleine et d’vne obligation constante et irremittente, et le menne ainsin à la mort. Et pleust à Dieu, que ie ne le sceusse que par les histoires, combien de fois nostre ventre par le refus d’vn seul pet, nous menne iusques aux portes d’vne mort tres-angoisseuse: et que l’Empereur qui nous donna liberté de peter par tout, nous en eust donné le pouuoir.
Besides, I know of one so turbulent and unruly that for forty years it has kept its master farting with a constant and unremitting wind and compulsion, and is thus leading him to his death. And I wish to God I knew only from history books how often our belly, by refusing a single fart, brings us to the very gates of an agonizing death; and that the emperor who gave us the freedom to fart anywhere had given us the power to do so!
Mais nostre volonté, pour les droits de qui nous mettons en auant ce reproche, combien plus vray-semblablement la pouuons nous marquer de rebellion et sedition, par son des-reglement et desobeissance? Veut elle tousiours ce que nous voudrions qu’elle voulsist? Ne veut elle pas souuent ce que nous luy prohibons de vouloir; et à nostre euident dommage? se laisse elle non plus mener aux conclusions de nostre raison?
But our will, on behalf of whose rights we bring this reproach—how much more plausibly can we brand it with rebellion and sedition for its unruliness and disobedience! Does it always will what we would like it to will? Does it not often will what we forbid it to will, and to our evident harm? Does it let itself be led any better by the conclusions of our reason?
En fin, ie diroy pour monsieur ma partie, que plaise à considerer, qu’en ce fait sa cause estant inseparablement coniointe à vn consort, et indistinctement, on ne s’adresse pourtant qu’à luy, et par les arguments et charges qui ne peuuent appartenir à sondit consort. Car l’effect d’iceluy est bien de conuier inopportunement par fois, mais refuser, iamais: et de conuier encore tacitement et quietement. Partant se void l’animosité et illegalité manifeste des accusateurs. Quoy qu’il en soit, protestant, que les Aduocats et Iuges ont beau quereller et sentencier: nature tirera cependant son train: qui n’auroit faict que raison, quand elle auroit doüé ce membre de quelque particulier priuilege. Autheur du seul ouurage immortel, des mortels.
Finally, I would say on behalf of the gentleman my client: may it please the court to consider that in this matter, although his case is inseparably and indistinguishably joined with that of an associate, it is he alone who is accused, and with arguments and charges that cannot apply to his said associate. For the latter’s action is indeed sometimes to invite inopportunely, but never to refuse; and to invite, moreover, silently and quietly. Hence the animosity and manifest illegality of the accusers is plain to see. Be that as it may, I protest that lawyers and judges may wrangle and pass sentence as they please: nature will meanwhile go her own way. And she would only have done right had she endowed this member with some special privilege, as the author of the only immortal work of mortals.
Ouurage diuin selon Socrates: et Amour desir d’immortalité, et Dæmon immortel luy mesmes.
A divine work, according to Socrates; and Love is a desire for immortality, and himself an immortal daemon.
Tel à l’aduenture par cet effect de l’imagination, laisse icy les escrouëlles, que son compagnon reporte en Espaigne. Voyla pourquoy en telles choses l’on a accoustumé de demander vne ame preparée. Pourquoy praticquent les Medecins auant main, la creance de leur patient, auec tant de fausses promesses de sa guerison: si ce n’est afin que l’effect de l’imagination supplee l’imposture de leur aposéme? Ils sçauent qu’vn des maistres de ce mestier leur a laissé par escrit, qu’il s’est trouué des hommes à qui la seule veuë de la medecine faisoit l’operation.
One man, perhaps, through this effect of imagination, leaves his scrofula behind here, while his companion carries his back to Spain. That is why, in such matters, it is customary to require a soul that is prepared. Why do doctors work on their patient’s credulity beforehand with so many false promises of a cure, if not so that the effect of imagination may make up for the imposture of their potion? They know that one of the masters of their profession has left it in writing that there have been men on whom the mere sight of medicine did the work.
Et tout ce caprice m’est tombé presentement en main, sur le conte que me faisoit vn domestique apotiquaire de feu mon pere, homme simple et Souysse, nation peu vaine et mensongiere: d’auoir cogneu long temps vn marchand à Toulouse maladif et subiect à la pierre qui auoit, souuent besoing de clysteres, et se les faisoit diuersement ordonner aux Medecins, selon l’occurrence de son mal: apportez qu’ils estoyent, il n’y auoit rien obmis des formes accoustumées: souuent il tastoit s’ils estoyent trop chauds: le voyla couché, renuersé, et toutes les approches faictes, sauf qu’il ne s’y faisoit aucune iniection. L’apotiquaire retiré apres cette ceremonie, le patient accommodé, comme s’il auoit veritablement pris le clystere, il en sentoit pareil effect à ceux qui les prennent.
And this whole fancy has just come to hand from a story told me by an apothecary in my late father’s household, a simple man and a Swiss, a nation little given to vanity and lying. He had long known a merchant in Toulouse, sickly and subject to the stone, who often needed enemas and had his doctors prescribe them in various forms according to the course of his illness. When they were brought, none of the usual formalities was left out; he would often feel them to see if they were too hot; there he lay, turned over, with all the preliminaries done—except that no injection was given. The apothecary having withdrawn after this ceremony, and the patient settled as if he had really taken the enema, he felt the same effect from it as those who actually take them.
Et si le Medecin n’en trouuoit l’operation suffisante, il luy en redonnoit deux ou trois autres, de mesme forme. Mon tesmoin iure, que pour espargner la despence, car il les payoit, comme s’il les eut receus, la femme de ce malade ayant quelquefois essayé d’y faire seulement mettre de l’eau tiede, l’effect en descouurit la fourbe; et pour auoir trouué ceux-la inutiles, qu’il faulsit reuenir à la premiere façon.
And if the doctor did not find its effect sufficient, he would give him two or three more of the same kind. My witness swears that when the sick man’s wife, to save expense (for he paid for them as if he had received them), sometimes tried having just warm water put in, the effect gave away the trick; and since those proved useless, they had to go back to the first method.
Vne femme pensant auoir aualé vne espingle auec son pain, crioit et se tourmentoit comme ayant vne douleur insupportable au gosier, où elle pensoit la sentir arrestée: mais par ce qu’il n’y auoit ny enfleure ny alteration par le dehors, vn habil’homme ayant iugé que ce n’estoit que fantasie et opinion, prise de quelque morceau de pain qui l’auoit picquée en passant, la fit vomir, et ietta à la desrobée dans ce qu’elle rendit, vne espingle tortue. Cette femme cuidant l’auoir rendue, se sentit soudain deschargée de sa douleur.
A woman who thought she had swallowed a pin with her bread was crying out and tormenting herself as if she had an unbearable pain in her throat, where she thought she felt it stuck. But because there was no swelling or change on the outside, a clever man judged that it was only fancy and imagination, caused by some piece of bread that had scratched her on the way down. He made her vomit, and slipped a bent pin into what she brought up. The woman, believing she had got rid of it, felt suddenly relieved of her pain.
Ie sçay qu’vn Gentil’homme ayant traicté chez luy vne bonne compagnie, se vanta trois ou quatre iours apres par maniere de ieu, car il n’en estoit rien, de leur auoir faict manger vn chat en paste: dequoy vne damoyselle de la troupe print telle horreur, qu’en estant tombée en vn grand déuoyement d’estomac et fieure, il fut impossible de la sauuer.
I know of a gentleman who, having entertained a good company at his house, boasted three or four days later, as a joke (for there was nothing to it), that he had made them eat a cat baked in a pie. A young lady of the party was seized with such horror at this that she fell into a severe stomach disorder and fever, and it proved impossible to save her.
Les bestes mesmes se voyent comme nous, subiectes à la force de l’imagination: tesmoings les chiens, qui se laissent mourir de dueil de la perte de leurs maistres: nous les voyons aussi iapper et tremousser en songe, hannir les cheuaux et se debatre.
Even animals are seen to be subject, as we are, to the power of imagination: witness dogs that let themselves die of grief at the loss of their masters. We also see them yap and twitch in their dreams, and horses whinny and thrash about.
Mais tout cecy se peut rapporter à l’estroite cousture de l’esprit et du corps s’entre-communiquants leurs fortunes. C’est autre chose; que l’imagination agisse quelque fois, non contre son corps seulement, mais contre le corps d’autruy. Et tout ainsi qu’vn corps reiette son mal à son voisin, comme il se voit en la peste, en la verolle, et au mal des yeux, qui se chargent de l’vn à l’autre: Dum spectant oculi læsos, læduntur et ipsi: / Multáque corporibus transitione nocent. pareillement l’imagination esbranlée auecques vehemence, eslance des traits, qui puissent offencer l’obiect estrangier. L’ancienneté a tenu de certaines femmes en Scythie, qu’animées et courroussées contre quelqu’vn, elles le tuoient du seul regard.
But all this may be put down to the close seam between mind and body, which share their fortunes with each other. It is another matter for the imagination sometimes to act not only on its own body but on someone else’s. And just as a body passes its illness on to its neighbor, as is seen with the plague, the pox and sore eyes, which are caught from one person to another—Eyes that look on sore eyes grow sore themselves; / And many ills pass from body to body by contagion—so the imagination, when violently stirred, shoots out darts that can strike an outside object. Antiquity held that certain women in Scythia, when roused and angry with someone, could kill him with a look alone.
Les tortues, et les autruches couuent leurs œufs de la seule veuë, signe qu’ils y ont quelque vertu eiaculatrice. Et quant aux sorciers, on les dit auoir des yeux offensifs et nuisans. Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos. Ce sont pour moy mauuais respondans que magiciens. Tant y a que nous voyons par experience, les femmes enuoyer aux corps des enfans, qu’elles portent au ventre, des marques de leurs fantasies: tesmoin celle qui engendra le More. Et il fut presenté à Charles Roy de Boheme et Empereur, vne fille d’aupres de Pise toute velue et herissée, que sa mere disoit auoir esté ainsi conceuë, à cause d’vn’ image de Sainct Iean Baptiste pendue en son lict.
Tortoises and ostriches hatch their eggs by sight alone, a sign that there is some ejaculatory power in their eyes. And as for sorcerers, they are said to have harmful and baneful eyes. Some eye or other is bewitching my tender lambs. Magicians are poor guarantors, as far as I am concerned. Be that as it may, we see by experience that women transmit marks of their fancies to the bodies of the children they carry in their wombs: witness the woman who gave birth to the dark-skinned child. And there was presented to Charles, king of Bohemia and emperor, a girl from near Pisa, all hairy and bristly, whose mother said she had been conceived that way because of an image of Saint John the Baptist hanging by her bed.
Des animaux il en est de mesmes: tesmoing les brebis de Iacob, et les perdris et lieures, que la neige blanchit aux montaignes. On vit dernierement chez moy vn chat guestant vn oyseau au hault d’vn arbre, et s’estans fichez la veuë ferme l’vn contre l’autre, quelque espace de temps, l’oyseau s’estre laissé choir comme mort entre les pates du chat, ou enyuré par sa propre imagination, ou attiré par quelque force attractiue du chat.
The same is true of animals: witness Jacob’s sheep, and the partridges and hares that the snow turns white in the mountains. Recently at my house a cat was seen watching a bird at the top of a tree; and after they had fixed their eyes firmly on each other for some time, the bird let itself drop as if dead between the cat’s paws, either intoxicated by its own imagination or drawn by some power of attraction in the cat.
True stories and possible ones
Montaigne borrows tales on others’ word, since even possible examples show what humans can do.
Ceux qui ayment la volerie ont ouy faire le conte du fauconnier, qui arrestant obstinément sa veuë contre vn milan en l’air, gageoit, de la seule force de sa veuë le ramener contrebas: et le faisoit, à ce qu’on dit. Car les histoires que i’emprunte, ie les renuoye sur la conscience de ceux de qui ie les prens. Les discours sont à moy, et se tiennent par la preuue de la raison, non de l’experience; chacun y peut ioindre ses exemples: et qui n’en a point, qu’il ne laisse pas de croire qu’il en est assez, veu le nombre et varieté des accidens. Si ie ne comme bien, qu’vn autre comme pour moy.
Those who love falconry have heard the story of the falconer who, fixing his gaze stubbornly on a kite in the air, wagered that by the sole force of his gaze he would bring it down; and he did, so they say. For the stories I borrow, I leave them on the conscience of those I take them from. The reasonings are mine, and they stand by the proof of reason, not of experience; anyone can add his own examples to them; and whoever has none, let him not stop believing that there are plenty, given the number and variety of things that happen. If my comparisons are not apt, let someone else make them for me.
Aussi en l’estude que ie traitte, de noz mœurs et mouuements, les tesmoignages fabuleux, pourueu qu’ils soient possibles, y seruent comme les vrais. Aduenu ou non aduenu, à Rome ou à Paris, à Iean ou à Pierre, c’est tousiours vn tour de l’humaine capacité: duquel ie suis vtilement aduisé par ce recit. Ie le voy, et en fay mon profit, egalement en vmbre qu’en corps. Et aux diuerses leçons, qu’ont souuent les histoires, ie prens à me seruir de celle qui est la plus rare et memorable. Il y a des autheurs, desquels la fin c’est dire les euenements. La mienne, si i’y scauoye aduenir, seroit dire sur ce qui peut aduenir.
Besides, in the study I am engaged in, of our ways and impulses, fabulous testimonies, provided they are possible, serve as well as true ones. Whether it happened or not, in Rome or in Paris, to John or to Peter, it is always a turn of human capability, of which this account usefully informs me. I see it and profit from it as much in shadow as in substance. And of the various versions that stories often have, I make a point of using the rarest and most memorable. There are authors whose aim is to relate what happened. Mine, if I could achieve it, would be to speak about what can happen.
Il est justement permis aux Escholes, de supposer des similitudes, quand ilz n’en ont point. Ie n’en fay pas ainsi pourtant, et surpasse de ce costé là, en religion superstitieuse, toute foy historiale. Aux exemples que ie tire ceans, de ce que i’ay leu, ouï, faict, ou dict, ie me suis defendu d’oser alterer iusques aux plus legeres et inutiles circonstances, ma conscience ne falsifie pas vn iota, mon inscience ie ne sçay.
The schools are rightly allowed to invent illustrations when they have none. I do not do so, however, and in that respect I surpass all historical fidelity in superstitious scrupulousness. In the examples I bring in here from what I have read, heard, done or said, I have forbidden myself to dare to alter even the slightest and most useless circumstances. My conscience does not falsify one iota; my ignorance—I don’t know.
Sur ce propos, i’entre par fois en pensée, qu’il puisse asses bien conuenir à vn Theologien, à vn Philosophe, et telles gens d’exquise et exacte conscience et prudence, d’escrire l’histoire. Comment peuuent-ils engager leur foy sur vne foy populaire? comment respondre des pensées de personnes incognues; et donner pour argent contant leurs coniectures? Des actions à diuers membres, qui se passent en leur presence, ils refuseroient d’en rendre tesmoignage, assermentez par vn iuge. Et n’ont homme si familier, des intentions duquel ils entreprennent de pleinement respondre. Ie tien moins hazardeux d’escrire les choses passées, que presentes: d’autant que l’escriuain n’a à rendre compte que d’vne verité empruntée.
On this subject, I sometimes find myself wondering whether it is quite fitting for a theologian, a philosopher and such people of exquisite and exact conscience and prudence to write history. How can they stake their good faith on popular belief? How can they answer for the thoughts of people they do not know, and pass off their conjectures as ready cash? Of actions involving many parties that take place in their presence, they would refuse to bear witness if put under oath by a judge; and they know no man so intimately that they would undertake to answer fully for his intentions. I consider it less hazardous to write of things past than of things present, inasmuch as the writer has only to account for a borrowed truth.
Aucuns me conuient d’escrire les affaires de mon temps: estimants que ie les voy d’vne veuë moins blessée de passion, qu’vn autre, et de plus pres, pour l’accés que fortune m’a donné aux chefs de diuers partis. Mais ils ne disent pas, que pour la gloire de Salluste ie n’en prendroys pas la peine: ennemy iuré d’obligation, d’assiduité, de constance: qu’il n’est rien si contraire à mon stile, qu’vne narration estendue. Ie me recouppe si souuent, à faute d’haleine. Ie n’ay ny composition ny explication, qui vaille. Ignorant au delà d’vn enfant, des frases et vocables, qui seruent aux choses plus communes. Pourtant ay-ie prins à dire ce que ie sçay dire: accommodant la matiere à ma force.
Some people urge me to write the history of my own times, believing that I see things with an eye less wounded by passion than another man’s, and from closer up, because of the access fortune has given me to the leaders of various parties. But they do not mention that I would not take the trouble even for the glory of Sallust, sworn enemy that I am of obligation, assiduity and constancy; and that nothing is so contrary to my style as an extended narrative. I cut myself short so often, for lack of breath. I have neither composition nor exposition worth anything. I am more ignorant than a child of the phrases and words used for the commonest things. That is why I have undertaken to say what I know how to say, fitting the matter to my strength.
Si i’en prenois qui me guidast, ma mesure pourroit faillir à la sienne. Que ma liberté, estant si libre, i’eusse publié des iugements, à mon gré mesme, et selon raison, illegitimes et punissables.
If I took a subject that led me, my measure might fall short of its own. And my freedom being so free, I might have published judgments that, even in my own opinion and according to reason, were unlawful and punishable.
Plutarche nous diroit volontiers de ce qu’il en a faict, que c’est l’ouurage d’autruy, que ses exemples soient en tout et par tout veritables: qu’ils soient vtiles à la posterité, et presentez d’vn lustre, qui nous esclaire à la vertu, que c’est son ouurage. Il n’est pas dangereux, comme en vne drogue medicinale, en vn compte ancien, qu’il soit ainsin ou ainsi.
Plutarch would readily tell us, of what he has done, that if his examples are true in every respect and every detail, that is the work of others; that if they are useful to posterity, and presented with a luster that lights our way to virtue, that is his own work. In an old tale, unlike a medicinal drug, there is no danger whether it is this way or that.