CELVY me semble auoir tres-bien conceu la force de la coustume, qui premier forgea ce compte, qu’vne femme de village ayant appris de caresser et porter entre ses bras vn veau des l’heure de sa naissance, et continuant tousiours à ce faire, gaigna cela par l’accoustumance, que tout grand beuf qu’il estoit, elle le portoit encore. Car c’est à la verité vne violente et traistresse maistresse d’escole, que la coustume. Elle establit en nous, peu à peu, à la desrobée, le pied de son authorité: mais par ce doux et humble commencement, l’ayant rassis et planté auec l’ayde du temps, elle nous descouure tantost vn furieux et tyrannique visage, contre lequel nous n’auons plus la liberté de hausser seulement les yeux.
He seems to me to have grasped very well the power of custom who first made up this story: that a village woman, having learned to pet a calf and carry it in her arms from the hour of its birth, and continuing always to do so, gained this by habit, that even when it was a great ox she could still carry it. For custom is in truth a violent and treacherous schoolmistress. Little by little, by stealth, she establishes the foothold of her authority in us; but having by this gentle and humble beginning settled and planted it with the help of time, she soon reveals to us a furious and tyrannical face, against which we no longer have the freedom even to raise our eyes.
Nous luy voyons forcer tous les coups les regles de nature: Vsus efficacissimus rerum omnium magister. I’en croy l’antre de Platon en sa republique, et les Medecins, qui quittent si souuent à son authorité les raisons de leur art: et ce Roy qui par son moyen rangea son estomac à se nourrir de poison: et la fille qu’Albert recite s’estre accoustumée à viure d’araignées: et en ce monde des Indes nouuelles on trouua des grands peuples, et en fort diuers climats, qui en viuoient, en faisoient prouision, et les appastoient: comme aussi des sauterelles, formiz, laizards, chauuesouriz, et fut vn crapault vendu six escus en vne necessité de viures: ils les cuisent et apprestent à diuerses sauces.
We see her force the rules of nature at every turn. Custom is the most effective teacher of all things. I take as witness Plato’s cave in his Republic; and the doctors, who so often abandon the reasonings of their art in favor of her authority; and that king who by her means trained his stomach to feed on poison; and the girl Albert tells of, who accustomed herself to live on spiders. And in that world of the new Indies, great peoples were found, in very different climates, who lived on spiders, laid in stores of them and fattened them; and also on grasshoppers, ants, lizards and bats; and a toad was sold for six crowns in a time of food shortage. They cook them and serve them with various sauces.
Il en fut trouué d’autres ausquels noz chairs et noz viandes estoyent mortelles et venimeuses. Consuetudinis magna vis est. Pernoctant venatores in niue: in montibus vri se patiuntur: Pugiles, cœstibus contusi, ne ingemiscunt quidem.
Others were found to whom our meats and our foods were deadly and poisonous. Great is the power of custom. Hunters spend the night in the snow; they let themselves be scorched in the mountains. Boxers, bruised by the cestus, do not even groan.
Ces exemples estrangers ne sont pas estranges, si nous considerons ce que nous essayons ordinairement; combien l’accoustumance hebete noz sens. Il ne nous faut pas aller cercher ce qu’on dit des voisins des cataractes du Nil: et ce que les Philosophes estiment de la musicque celeste; que les corps de ces cercles, estants solides, polis, et venants à se lescher et frotter l’vn à l’autre en roullant, ne peuuent faillir de produire vne merueilleuse harmonie: aux couppures et muances de laquelle se manient les contours et changements des caroles des astres. Mais qu’vniuersellement les ouïes des creatures de çà bas, endormies, comme celles des Ægyptiens, par la continuation de ce son, ne le peuuent apperceuoir, pour grand qu’il soit.
These foreign examples are not strange if we consider what we commonly experience: how much habit dulls our senses. We need not go looking for what is said of the people who live near the cataracts of the Nile, or for what the philosophers think about the music of the heavens: that the bodies of those spheres, being solid and polished, and touching and rubbing against one another as they roll, cannot fail to produce a wonderful harmony, to whose cadences and modulations the turns and changes of the stars’ round dances are measured; but that the hearing of all creatures here below, lulled to sleep, like that of the Egyptians, by the unbroken continuity of this sound, cannot perceive it, however loud it may be.
Les mareschaux, meulniers, armuriers, ne sçauroient demeurer au bruit, qui les frappe, s’il les perçoit comme nous. Mon collet de fleurs sert à mon nez: mais apres que ie m’en suis vestu trois iours de suitte, il ne sert qu’aux nez assistants. Cecy est plus estrange, que, nonobstant les longs interualles et intermissions, l’accoustumance puisse ioindre et establir l’effect de son impression sur noz sens: comme essayent les voysins des clochiers. Ie loge chez moy en vne tour, où à la diane et à la retraitte vne forte grosse cloche sonne tous les iours l’Aué Maria.
Blacksmiths, millers and armorers could not stand the noise that strikes them if it pierced them as it does us. My perfumed collar serves my nose; but after I have worn it three days in a row, it serves only the noses of those around me. What is stranger is that, despite long intervals and interruptions, habit can join together and establish the effect of its impression on our senses, as people who live near belfries find. At home I lodge in a tower where at dawn and at dusk a very big bell rings the Ave Maria every day.
Ce tintamarre estonne ma tour mesme: et aux premiers iours me semblant insupportable, en peu de temps m’appriuoise de maniere que ie l’oy sans offense, et souuent sans m’en esueiller.
This din shakes my very tower; and though in the first days it seemed unbearable to me, in a short time it so tamed me that I hear it without annoyance, and often without being woken by it.
Platon tansa vn enfant, qui iouoit aux noix. Il luy respondit: Tu me tanses de peu de chose. L’accoustumance, repliqua Platon, n’est pas chose de peu. Ie trouue que noz plus grands vices prennent leur ply des nostre plus tendre enfance, et que nostre principal gouuernement est entre les mains des nourrices. C’est passetemps aux meres de veoir vn enfant tordre le col à vn poulet, et s’esbatre à blesser vn chien et vn chat. Et tel pere est si sot, de prendre à bon augure d’vne ame martiale, quand il voit son fils gourmer iniurieusement vn païsant, ou vn laquay, qui ne se defend point: et à gentillesse, quand il le void affiner son compagnon par quelque malicieuse desloyauté, et tromperie.
Plato once scolded a child who was playing at nuts. The child answered, “You scold me over a small thing.” “Habit,” Plato replied, “is no small thing.” I find that our greatest vices take their bent from our tenderest childhood, and that our upbringing is chiefly in the hands of nurses. Mothers find it amusing to watch a child wring a chicken’s neck, or enjoy himself hurting a dog or a cat. And many a father is foolish enough to take it as a good omen of a martial spirit when he sees his son insolently beating a peasant or a lackey who does not defend himself, and as a sign of cleverness when he sees him get the better of a playmate by some spiteful disloyalty and deceit.
Ce sont pourtant les vrayes semences et racines de la cruauté, de la tyrannie, de la trahyson. Elles se germent là, et s’esleuent apres gaillardement, et profittent à force entre les mains de la coustume. Et est vne tres-dangereuse institution, d’excuser ces villaines inclinations, par la foiblesse de l’aage, et legereté du subiect. Premierement c’est nature qui parle; de qui la voix est lors plus pure et plus naifue, qu’elle est plus gresle et plus neufue. Secondement, la laideur de la piperie ne depend pas de la difference des escutz aux espingles: elle depend de soy. Ie trouue bien plus iuste de conclurre ainsi: Pourquoy ne tromperoit il aux escutz, puis qu’il trompe aux espingles?
Yet these are the true seeds and roots of cruelty, tyranny and treachery. They sprout there, then shoot up vigorously and thrive mightily in the hands of custom. And it is a very dangerous way to bring up children to excuse these vile inclinations on the grounds of the child’s tender age and the triviality of the matter. In the first place, it is nature speaking, and her voice is all the purer and more unaffected for being still thin and new. In the second place, the ugliness of cheating does not depend on the difference between crowns and pins; it depends on itself. I think it far more right to reason like this: “Why should he not cheat for crowns, since he cheats for pins?”
que, comme ils font; Ce n’est qu’aux espingles: il n’auroit garde de le faire aux escutz. Il faut apprendre soigneusement aux enfants de haïr les vices de leur propre contexture, et leur en faut apprendre la naturelle difformité, à ce qu’ils les fuient non en leur action seulement, mais sur tout en leur cœur: que la pensee mesme leur en soit odieuse, quelque masque qu’ils portent.
rather than, as people do: “It is only for pins; he would never do it for crowns.” Children must be carefully taught to hate vices for what they are in themselves, and must be taught their natural deformity, so that they shun them not only in their actions but above all in their hearts, and the very thought of them is odious to them, whatever mask the vices wear.
Ie sçay bien, que pour m’estre duict en ma puerilité, de marcher tousiours mon grand et plain chemin, et auoir eu à contrecœur de mesler ny tricotterie ny finesse à mes ieux enfantins, (comme de vray il faut noter, que les ieux des enfants ne sont pas ieux: et les faut iuger en eux, comme leurs plus serieuses actions) il n’est passetemps si leger, où ie n’apporte du dedans, et d’vne propension naturelle, et sans estude, vne extreme contradiction à tromper. Ie manie les chartes pour les doubles, et tien compte, comme pour les doubles doublons, lors que le gaigner et le perdre, contre ma femme et ma fille, m’est indifferent, comme lors qu’il va de bon.
I know very well that, because I was trained in childhood always to walk my own broad, open road, and had a strong distaste for mixing any trickery or slyness into my childish games (and indeed it should be noted that children’s games are not games, and must be judged in children as their most serious actions), there is no pastime so trivial that I do not bring to it, from within, from a natural inclination and without any effort, an extreme aversion to cheating. I play cards for pennies and keep score as if for double doubloons, when winning or losing against my wife and daughter makes no difference to me, just as I do when the stakes are real.
En tout et par tout, il y a assés de mes yeux à me tenir en office: il n’y en a point, qui me veillent de si pres, ny que ie respecte plus.
In everything and everywhere, my own eyes are enough to keep me to my duty; there are none that watch me so closely, and none that I respect more.
Ie viens de voir chez moy vn petit homme natif de Nantes, né sans bras, qui a si bien façonné ses pieds, au seruice que luy deuoient les mains, qu’ils en ont à la verité à demy oublié leur office naturel. Au demourant il les nomme ses mains, il trenche, il charge vn pistolet et le lasche, il enfille son eguille, il coud, il escrit, il tire le bonnet, il se peigne, il iouë aux cartes et aux dez, et les remue auec autant de dexterité que sçauroit faire quelqu’autre: l’argent que luy ay donné, il l’a emporté en son pied, comme nous faisons en nostre main.
I have just seen at my house a little man, a native of Nantes, born without arms, who has trained his feet so well to do the service his hands owed him that his feet have, in truth, half forgotten their natural function. What is more, he calls them his hands. He cuts his food, he loads a pistol and fires it, he threads his needle, he sews, he writes, he doffs his hat, he combs his hair, he plays cards and dice and handles them with as much dexterity as anyone could; the money I gave him he carried away in his foot, as we do in our hand.
I’en vy vn autre estant enfant, qui manioit vn’ espee à deux mains, et vn’ hallebarde, du ply du col à faute de mains, les iettoit en l’air et les reprenoit, lançoit vne dague, et faisoit craqueter vn fouët aussi bien que charretier de France.
When I was a child I saw another who, for want of hands, wielded a two-handed sword and a halberd in the crook of his neck, threw them into the air and caught them again, hurled a dagger, and cracked a whip as well as any carter in France.
Mais on descouure bien mieux ses effets aux estranges impressions, qu’elle faict en nos ames, où elle ne trouue pas tant de resistance. Que ne peut elle en nos iugemens et en nos creances? y a il opinion si bizarre: ie laisse à part la grossiere imposture des religions, dequoy tant de grandes nations, et tant de suffisants personnages se sont veuz enyurez: car cette partie estant hors de nos raisons humaines, il est plus excusable de s’y perdre, à qui n’y est extraordinairement esclairé par faueur diuine: mais d’autres opinions y en a il de si estranges, qu’elle n’aye planté et estably par loix és regions que bon luy a semblé?
But custom’s effects are discovered far better in the strange impressions it makes on our souls, where it meets less resistance. What can it not do with our judgments and our beliefs? Is there any opinion so bizarre—I leave aside the gross imposture of religions, with which so many great nations and so many able persons have been seen intoxicated; for since that matter lies outside our human reasoning, it is more excusable for anyone to lose his way in it who is not extraordinarily enlightened by divine favor—but among other opinions, are there any so strange that custom has not planted them and established them by law in whatever regions it saw fit?
Et est tres-iuste cette ancienne exclamation: Non pudet physicum, id est speculatorem venatorémque naturæ, ab animis consuetudine imbutis quærere testimonium veritatis?
And this ancient exclamation is very just: Is it not shameful for a natural philosopher, that is, an observer and hunter of nature, to seek testimony of the truth from minds steeped in custom?
A catalog of strange customs
Every notion, however wild, is somewhere a public custom: a long list of peoples’ practices.
I’estime qu’il ne tombe en l’imagination humaine aucune fantasie si forcenee qui ne rencontre l’exemple de quelque vsage public, et par consequent que nostre raison n’estaye et ne fonde. Il est des peuples où on tourne le doz à celuy qu’on saluë, et ne regarde l’on iamais celuy qu’on veut honorer. Il en est où quand le Roy crache, la plus fauorie des dames de sa Cour tend la main: et en autre nation les plus apparents qui sont autour de luy se baissent à terre, pour amasser en du linge son ordure. Desrobons icy la place d’vn compte.
I believe that no notion so mad can enter the human imagination that it does not find an example in some public practice, and consequently that our reason does not prop up and give a foundation to. There are peoples among whom you turn your back on the person you greet, and never look at the one you wish to honor. There are some among whom, when the king spits, the most favored of the ladies of his court holds out her hand; and in another nation the most eminent persons around him stoop to the ground to gather up his filth in a cloth. Let me steal room here for a story.
Vn Gentil-homme François se mouchoit tousiours de sa main, chose tres-ennemie de nostre vsage, defendant là dessus son faict: et estoit fameux en bonnes rencontres. Il me demanda, quel priuilege auoit ce salle excrement, que nous allassions luy apprestant vn beau linge delicat à le receuoir; et puis, qui plus est, à l’empaqueter et serrer soigneusement sur nous. Que cela deuoit faire plus de mal au cœur, que de le voir verser où que ce fust: comme nous faisons toutes nos autres ordures. Ie trouuay, qu’il ne parloit pas du tout sans raison: et m’auoit la coustume osté l’apperceuance de cette estrangeté, laquelle pourtant nous trouuons si hideuse, quand elle est recitee d’vn autre païs.
A French gentleman always blew his nose with his hand, a thing very much against our usage, and he defended his practice on this point; he was famous for his witty sallies. He asked me what privilege this dirty excrement had, that we should go and prepare a fine, delicate linen to receive it, and then, what is more, wrap it up and carry it carefully about on our persons. That ought to turn the stomach more, he said, than seeing it dropped anywhere at all, as we do with all our other filth. I found that he was not speaking altogether without reason; custom had taken from me any perception of this strangeness, which we nevertheless find so hideous when it is reported of another country.
Les miracles sont, selon l’ignorance en quoy nous sommes de la nature, non selon l’estre de la nature. L’assuefaction endort la veuë de nostre iugement. Les Barbares ne nous sont de rien plus merueilleux que nous sommes à eux: ny auec plus d’occasion, comme chascun aduoüeroit, si chascun sçauoit, apres s’estre promené par ces loingtains exemples, se coucher sur les propres, et les conferer sainement. La raison humaine est vne teinture infuse enuiron de pareil pois à toutes nos opinions et mœurs, de quelque forme qu’elles soient: infinie en matiere, infinie en diuersité. Ie m’en retourne.
Miracles exist according to our ignorance of nature, not according to the being of nature. Habituation puts the eye of our judgment to sleep. Barbarians are no more a marvel to us than we are to them, nor with more cause—as everyone would admit if, after strolling among these far-off examples, each knew how to come back and settle on his own and compare them soundly. Human reason is a dye infused in roughly equal measure into all our opinions and customs, whatever their form: infinite in matter, infinite in diversity. I return to my subject.
Il est des peuples, où sauf sa femme et ses enfans aucun ne parle au Roy que par sarbatane. En vne mesme nation et les vierges montrent à decouuert leurs parties honteuses, et les mariees les couurent et cachent soigneusement. A quoy cette autre coustume qui est ailleurs a quelque relation: la chasteté n’y est en prix que pour le seruice du mariage: car les filles se peuuent abandonner à leur poste, et engroissees se faire auorter par medicamens propres, au veu d’vn chascun.
There are peoples among whom no one but his wife and children speaks to the king except through a speaking tube. In one and the same nation the virgins show their private parts uncovered, and the married women cover and hide them carefully. To this another custom found elsewhere bears some relation: there chastity is prized only for the purposes of marriage, for girls may give themselves as they please and, when pregnant, may have themselves aborted with suitable drugs in full view of everyone.
Et ailleurs si c’est vn marchant qui se marie, tous les marchans conuiez à la nopce, couchent auec l’espousee auant luy: et plus il y en a, plus a elle d’honneur et de recommandation de fermeté et de capacité: si vn officier se marie, il en va de mesme; de mesme si c’est vn noble; et ainsi des autres: sauf si c’est vn laboureur ou quelqu’vn du bas peuple: car lors c’est au Seigneur à faire: et si on ne laisse pas d’y recommander estroitement la loyauté, pendant le mariage.
And elsewhere, if it is a merchant who marries, all the merchants invited to the wedding sleep with the bride before he does; and the more of them there are, the more honor she has and the greater her reputation for stamina and capacity. If an official marries, it is the same; the same if it is a noble; and so with the rest—unless it is a laborer or someone of the common people, for then it falls to the lord to do it. And yet they do not fail to enjoin strict fidelity during the marriage.
Il en est, où il se void des bordeaux publics de masles, voire et des mariages: où les femmes vont à la guerre quand et leurs maris, et ont rang, non au combat seulement, mais aussi au commandement. Où non seulement les bagues se portent au nez, aux leures, aux ioues, et aux orteils des pieds: mais des verges d’or bien poisantes au trauers des tetins et des fesses. Où en mangeant on s’essuye les doigts aux cuisses, et à la bourse des genitoires, et à la plante des pieds. Où les enfans ne sont pas heritiers, ce sont les freres et nepueux: et ailleurs les nepueux seulement: sauf en la succession du Prince.
There are some where one sees public brothels of males, and even marriages between them; where the women go to war alongside their husbands and hold rank not only in combat but also in command. Where rings are worn not only in the nose, the lips, the cheeks and the toes, but very heavy rods of gold through the nipples and buttocks. Where, while eating, they wipe their fingers on their thighs, on the purse of their genitals and on the soles of their feet. Where children are not the heirs, but brothers and nephews; and elsewhere nephews only, except in the succession of the prince.
Où pour regler la communauté des biens, qui s’y obserue, certains Magistrats souuerains ont charge vniuerselle de la culture des terres, et de la distribution des fruicts, selon le besoing d’vn chacun. Où l’on pleure la mort des enfans, et festoye l’on celle des vieillarts. Où ils couchent en des licts dix ou douze ensemble auec leurs femmes. Où les femmes qui perdent leurs maris par mort violente, se peuuent remarier, les autres non. Où l’on estime si mal de la condition des femmes, que l’on y tuë les femelles qui y naissent, et achepte l’on des voisins, des femmes pour le besoing. Où les maris peuuent repudier sans alleguer aucune cause, les femmes non pour cause quelconque.
Where, to regulate the community of goods that is observed there, certain sovereign magistrates have universal charge of cultivating the land and distributing the produce according to each person’s need. Where they mourn the death of children and celebrate that of old men. Where they sleep ten or twelve to a bed together with their wives. Where women who lose their husbands by violent death may remarry, and the others may not. Where they think so poorly of the condition of women that they kill the girls born there and buy women from their neighbors as needed. Where husbands can repudiate their wives without giving any reason, and wives cannot repudiate their husbands for any reason whatever.
Où les maris ont loy de les vendre, si elles sont steriles. Où ils font cuire le corps du trespassé, et puis piler, iusques à ce qu’il se forme comme en bouillie, laquelle ils meslent à leur vin, et la boiuent. Où la plus desirable sepulture est d’estre mangé des chiens: ailleurs des oyseaux. Où l’on croit que les ames heureuses viuent en toute liberté, en des champs plaisans, fournis de toutes commoditez: et que ce sont elles qui font cet echo que nous oyons. Où ils combattent en l’eau, et tirent seurement de leurs arcs en nageant. Où pour signe de subiection il faut hausser les espaules, et baisser la teste: et deschausser ses souliers quand on entre au logis du Roy.
Where husbands have the right to sell their wives if they are barren. Where they cook the body of the dead man and then pound it until it turns into a kind of pulp, which they mix into their wine and drink. Where the most desirable burial is to be eaten by dogs; elsewhere, by birds. Where they believe that happy souls live in complete freedom in pleasant fields furnished with every comfort, and that it is they who make the echo we hear. Where they fight in the water and shoot accurately with their bows while swimming. Where, as a sign of submission, one must raise one’s shoulders and lower one’s head, and take off one’s shoes on entering the king’s dwelling.
Où les unuques qui ont les femmes religieuses en garde, ont encore le nez et leures à dire, pour ne pouuoir estre aymez: et les prestres se creuent les yeux pour accointer les demons, et prendre les oracles. Où chacun faict vn Dieu de ce qu’il luy plaist, le chasseur d’vn lyon ou d’vn renard, le pescheur de certain poisson: et des idoles de chaque action ou passion humaine: le soleil, la lune, et la terre, sont les Dieux principaux: la forme de iurer, c’est toucher la terre regardant le soleil: et y mange l’on la chair et le poisson crud.
Where the eunuchs who guard the women vowed to religion are also without nose and lips, so that they cannot be loved; and the priests put out their own eyes in order to commune with demons and receive oracles. Where each man makes a god of whatever he pleases—the hunter of a lion or a fox, the fisherman of a certain fish—and idols of every human action or passion; the sun, the moon and the earth are the chief gods; the way to swear an oath is to touch the earth while looking at the sun; and there they eat meat and fish raw.
Où le grand serment, c’est iurer le nom de quelque homme trespassé, qui a esté en bonne reputation au païs, touchant de la main sa tumbe. Où les estrenes que le Roy enuoye aux Princes ses vassaux, tous les ans, c’est du feu, lequel apporté, tout le vieil feu est esteint: et de ce nouueau sont tenus les peuples voisins venir puiser chacun pour soy, sur peine de crime de leze maiesté. Où, quand le Roy pour s’adonner du tout à la deuotion, se retire de sa charge, ce qui auient souuent, son premier successeur est obligé d’en faire autant: et passe le droict du Royaume au troisiéme successeur.
Where the great oath is to swear by the name of some dead man who was held in good repute in the country, touching his tomb with one’s hand. Where the New Year’s gift the king sends every year to the princes who are his vassals is fire; when it is brought, all the old fire is put out, and the neighboring peoples are bound to come and draw from this new fire, each for himself, on pain of high treason. Where, when the king retires from his office to give himself wholly to devotion, which often happens, his first successor is obliged to do the same, and the right to the kingdom passes to the third successor.
Où lon diuersifie la forme de la police, selon que les affaires semblent le requerir: on depose le Roy quand il semble bon: et luy substitue lon des anciens à prendre le gouuernail de l’Estat: et le laisse lon par fois aussi és mains de la commune. Où hommes et femmes sont circoncis, et pareillement baptisés. Où le soldat, qui en vn ou diuers combats, est arriué à presenter à son Roy sept testes d’ennemis, est faict noble. Où lon vit soubs cette opinion si rare et insociable de la mortalité des ames. Où les femmes s’accouchent sans pleincte et sans effroy.
Where they vary the form of government as affairs seem to require: they depose the king when it seems good, put elders in his place to take the helm of state, and sometimes also leave it in the hands of the common people. Where men and women are circumcised, and likewise baptized. Where a soldier who, in one battle or several, has managed to present seven enemy heads to his king is made a noble. Where they live under that rare and unsociable belief in the mortality of souls. Where women give birth without complaint and without fear.
Où les femmes en l’vne et l’autre iambe portent des greues de cuiure: et si vn pouil les mord, sont tenues par deuoir de magnanimité de le remordre: et n’osent espouser, qu’elles n’ayent offert à leur Roy, s’il le veut, leur pucellage. Où l’on saluë mettant le doigt à terre: et puis le haussant vers le ciel. Où les hommes portent les charges sur la teste, les femmes sur les espaules: elles pissent debout, les hommes, accroupis. Où ils enuoient de leur sang en signe d’amitié, et encensent comme les Dieux, les hommes qu’ils veulent honnorer. Où non seulement iusques au quatriesme degré, mais en aucun plus esloigné, la parenté n’est soufferte aux mariages.
Where the women wear copper greaves on both legs, and if a louse bites them they are bound by a duty of magnanimity to bite it back; and they dare not marry until they have offered their virginity to their king, if he wants it. Where people greet one another by touching a finger to the ground and then raising it toward the sky. Where men carry loads on their heads and women on their shoulders; the women urinate standing, the men squatting. Where they send some of their blood as a token of friendship, and burn incense, as to the gods, to the men they wish to honor. Where kinship is a bar to marriage not only up to the fourth degree but at any more distant degree.
Où les enfans sont quatre ans à nourrisse, et souuent douze: et là mesme il est estimé mortel de donner à l’enfant à tetter tout le premier iour. Où les peres ont charge du chastiment des masles, et les meres à part, des femelles: et est le chastiment de les fumer pendus par les pieds. Où on faict circoncire les femmes. Où lon mange toute sorte d’herbes sans autre discretion, que de refuser celles qui leur semblent auoir mauuaise senteur. Où tout est ouuert: et les maisons pour belles et riches qu’elles soyent sans porte, sans fenestre, sans coffre qui ferme: et sont les larrons doublement punis qu’ailleurs.
Where children are nursed for four years, and often twelve; and in that same place it is thought fatal to give the child the breast at any time on its first day. Where fathers are in charge of punishing the boys, and mothers, separately, the girls; and the punishment is to smoke them while they hang by the feet. Where they circumcise the women. Where they eat every kind of plant with no other discrimination than to refuse those that seem to them to smell bad. Where everything is open, and the houses, however fine and rich, have no doors, no windows, no chests that lock; and thieves are punished twice as severely as elsewhere.
Où ils tuent les pouils auec les dents comme les Magots, et trouuent horrible de les voir escacher soubs les ongles. Où lon ne couppe en toute la vie ny poil ny ongle: ailleurs où lon ne couppe que les ongles de la droicte, celles de la gauche se nourrissent par gentillesse. Où ils nourrissent tout le poil du costé droict, tant qu’il peut croistre: et tiennent raz le poil de l’autre cousté. Et en voisines prouinces, celle icy nourrit le poil de deuant, celle là le poil de derriere: et rasent l’oposite. Où les peres prestent leurs enfans, les maris leurs femmes, à iouyr aux hostes, en payant.
Where they kill lice with their teeth, like apes, and find it horrible to see them crushed under the fingernails. Where in all their lives they cut neither hair nor nails; elsewhere, where they cut only the nails of the right hand, letting those of the left grow long out of refinement. Where they let all the hair on the right side grow as long as it will, and keep the hair on the other side close-shaven. And in neighboring provinces, one grows the hair in front and the other the hair behind, and each shaves the opposite part. Where fathers lend their children, and husbands their wives, to guests to enjoy, for payment.
Où on peut honnestement faire des enfans à sa mere, les peres se mesler à leurs filles, et à leurs fils. Où aux assemblees des festins ils s’entreprestent sans distinction de parenté les enfans les vns aux autres. Icy on vit de chair humaine: là c’est office de pieté de tuer son pere en certain aage: ailleurs les peres ordonnent des enfans encore au ventre des meres, ceux qu’ils veulent estre nourriz et conseruez, et ceux qu’ils veulent estre abandonnez et tuez: ailleurs les vieux maris prestent leurs femmes à la ieunesse pour s’en seruir: et ailleurs elles sont communes sans peché: voire en tel païs portent pour marque d’honneur autant de belles houpes frangees au bord de leurs robes, qu’elles ont accointé de masles.
Where one may honorably have children by one’s mother, and fathers may lie with their daughters and with their sons. Where at gatherings for feasts they lend their children to one another without regard to kinship. Here they live on human flesh; there it is an act of piety to kill one’s father at a certain age; elsewhere fathers decide, while the children are still in their mothers’ wombs, which they want reared and kept and which they want abandoned and killed; elsewhere old husbands lend their wives to young men to make use of; and elsewhere women are held in common without sin—indeed, in one such country they wear, as a mark of honor, as many fine fringed tassels on the hems of their robes as they have known men.
N’a pas faict la coustume encore vne chose publique de femmes à part? leur a elle pas mis les armes à la main? faict dresser des armees, et liurer des batailles? Et ce que toute la philosophie ne peut planter en la teste des plus sages, ne l’apprend elle pas de sa seule ordonnance au plus grossier vulgaire? car nous sçauons des nations entieres, où non seulement la mort estoit mesprisee, mais festoyee: où les enfans de sept ans souffroient à estre foüettez iusques à la mort, sans changer de visage: où la richesse estoit en tel mespris, que le plus chetif citoyen de la ville n’eust daigné baisser le bras pour amasser vne bource d’escus.
Has custom not even made a commonwealth of women on their own? Has it not put weapons in their hands, made them raise armies and fight battles? And what all philosophy cannot plant in the heads of the wisest, does custom not teach by its decree alone to the crudest common people? For we know of whole nations where death was not only scorned but celebrated; where children of seven endured being whipped to death without changing expression; where wealth was held in such contempt that the poorest citizen in the city would not have deigned to reach down to pick up a purse full of crowns.
Et sçauons des regions tres-fertiles en toutes façons de viures, où toutesfois les plus ordinaires més et les plus sauoureux, c’estoient du pain, du nasitort et de l’eau. Fit elle pas encore ce miracle en Cio, qu’il s’y passa sept cens ans, sans memoire que femme ny fille y eust faict faute à son honneur?
And we know of regions very rich in every kind of food where, nevertheless, the most ordinary and the most savory dishes were bread, cress and water. Did custom not also work this miracle on Chios: that seven hundred years passed there without any record of a woman or girl failing in her honor?
Et somme, à ma fantasie, il n’est rien qu’elle ne face, ou qu’elle ne puisse: et auec raison l’appelle Pindarus, à ce qu’on m’a dict, la Royne et Emperiere du monde. Celuy qu’on rencontra battant son pere, respondit, que c’estoit la coustume de sa maison: que son pere auoit ainsi batu son ayeul; son ayeul son bisayeul: et montrant son fils: Cettuy cy me battra quand il sera venu au terme de l’aage où ie suis. Et le pere que le fils tirassoit et sabouloit emmy la ruë, luy commanda de s’arrester à certain huis; car luy, n’auoit trainé son pere que iusques là: que c’estoit la borne des iniurieux traittements hereditaires, que les enfants auoient en vsage faire aux peres en leur famille.
In short, to my mind, there is nothing custom does not do, or cannot do; and Pindar, so I am told, rightly calls it the queen and empress of the world. The man who was found beating his father replied that it was the custom of his house: his father had beaten his grandfather that way, and his grandfather his great-grandfather; and pointing to his son, he said, “This one will beat me when he reaches my age.” And the father whom his son was dragging and knocking about in the middle of the street ordered him to stop at a certain doorway, for he himself had dragged his father only that far: that was the limit of the hereditary abuse that the children of their family were in the habit of inflicting on their fathers.
Par coustume, dit Aristote, aussi souuent que par maladie, des femmes s’arrachent le poil, rongent leurs ongles, mangent des charbons et de la terre: et plus par coustume que par nature les masles se meslent aux masles.
Out of custom, says Aristotle, as often as out of illness, women pull out their hair, bite their nails, and eat coal and earth; and males couple with males more from custom than from nature.
Conscience born of custom
What we call the laws of conscience come from custom, which keeps us from reasoning about it.
Les loix de la conscience, que nous disons naistre de nature, naissent de la coustume: chacun ayant en veneration interne les opinions et mœurs approuuees et receuës autour de luy, ne s’en peut desprendre sans remors, ny s’y appliquer sans applaudissement. Quand ceux de Crete vouloient au temps passé maudire quelqu’vn, ils prioient les Dieux de l’engager en quelque mauuaise coustume. Mais le principal effect de sa puissance, c’est de nous saisir et empieter de telle sorte, qu’à peine soit-il en nous, de nous r’auoir de sa prinse, et de r’entrer en nous, pour discourir et raisonner de ses ordonnances.
The laws of conscience, which we say are born of nature, are born of custom. Each man, holding in inward veneration the opinions and ways approved and accepted around him, cannot break away from them without remorse, nor apply himself to them without self-approval. When the Cretans of old wished to curse someone, they prayed the gods to entangle him in some bad habit. But the principal effect of custom’s power is to seize us and grip us so tightly that it is scarcely in our power to free ourselves from its grasp and return to ourselves, to reflect and reason about its decrees.
De vray, parce que nous les humons auec le laict de nostre naissance, et que le visage du monde se presente en cet estat à nostre premiere veuë, il semble que nous soyons naiz à la condition de suyure ce train. Et les communes imaginations, que nous trouuons en credit autour de nous, et infuses en nostre ame par la semence de nos peres, il semble que ce soyent les generalles et naturelles. Par où il aduient, que ce qui est hors les gonds de la coustume, on le croid hors les gonds de la raison: Dieu sçait combien desraisonnablement le plus souuent.
Indeed, because we suck them in with our first milk, and because the face of the world presents itself in that state to our first sight, it seems that we are born on condition of following that course. And the common notions that we find in credit around us, infused into our soul with our fathers’ seed, seem to be the universal and natural ones. Hence it comes about that whatever is off the hinges of custom is believed to be off the hinges of reason—God knows how unreasonably, most of the time.
Si comme nous, qui nous estudions, auons apprins de faire, chascun qui oid vne iuste sentence, regardoit incontinent par où elle luy appartient en son propre: chascun trouueroit, que cette cy n’est pas tant vn bon mot comme vn bon coup de fouet à la bestise ordinaire de son iugement. Mais on reçoit les aduis de la verité et ses preceptes, comme adressés au peuple, non iamais à soy: et au lieu de les coucher sur ses mœurs, chascun les couche en sa memoire, tres-sottement et tres-inutilement. Reuenons à l’empire de la coustume.
If, as we who study ourselves have learned to do, everyone who hears a sound maxim looked at once to see how it applies to him personally, each would find that this one is not so much a witty saying as a sharp lash of the whip at the habitual stupidity of his own judgment. But people take the counsels and precepts of truth as addressed to the public, never to themselves; and instead of laying them up in their conduct, each lays them up in his memory, very foolishly and very uselessly. Let us return to the empire of custom.
Les peuples nourris à la liberté et à se commander eux mesmes, estiment toute autre forme de police monstrueuse et contre nature. Ceux qui sont duits à la monarchie en font de mesme. Et quelque facilité que leur preste fortune au changement, lors mesme qu’ils se sont auec grandes difficultez deffaitz de l’importunité d’vn maistre, ils courent à en replanter vn nouueau auec pareilles difficultez, pour ne se pouuoir resoudre de prendre en haine la maistrise. C’est par l’entremise de la coustume que chascun est contant du lieu où nature l’a planté: et les [montagnards] d’Escosse n’ont que faire de la Touraine, ny les Scythes de la Thessalie.
Peoples brought up in freedom and self-government consider every other form of government monstrous and against nature. Those accustomed to monarchy do the same. And whatever opportunity for change fortune offers them, even when they have rid themselves, with great difficulty, of a troublesome master, they rush to set up a new one with equal difficulty, because they cannot bring themselves to hate mastery. It is through the agency of custom that each man is content with the place where nature has planted him: the Highlanders of Scotland have no use for Touraine, nor the Scythians for Thessaly.
Darius demandoit à quelques Grecs, pour combien ils voudroient prendre la coustume des Indes, de manger leurs peres trespassez (car c’estoit leur forme, estimans ne leur pouuoir donner plus fauorable sepulture, que dans eux-mesmes) ils luy respondirent que pour chose du monde ils ne le feroient: mais s’estant aussi essayé de persuader aux Indiens de laisser leur façon, et prendre celle de Grece, qui estoit de brusler les corps de leurs peres, il leur fit encore plus d’horreur. Chacun en fait ainsi, d’autant que l’vsage nous desrobbe le vray visage des choses. Nil adeo magnum, nec tam mirabile quicquam / Principio, quod non minuant mirarier omnes / Paulatim.
Darius asked some Greeks how much they would take to adopt the custom of the Indians and eat their dead fathers (for that was their practice, since they thought they could give them no more favorable burial than within themselves). They answered that they would not do it for anything in the world. But when he also tried to persuade the Indians to give up their way and adopt that of Greece, which was to burn the bodies of their fathers, he horrified them even more. Everyone does likewise, since usage robs us of the true face of things. Nothing is so great, nothing so marvelous / At first, that all men do not, little by little, / Come to marvel at it less.
Autrefois ayant à faire valoir quelqu’vne de nos obseruations, et receuë auec resoluë authorité bien loing autour de nous: et ne voulant point, comme il se fait, l’establir seulement par la force des loix et des exemples, mais questant tousiours iusques à son origine, i’y trouuay le fondement si foible, qu’à peine que ie ne m’en degoustasse, moy, qui auois à la confirmer en autruy. C’est cette recepte, par laquelle Platon entreprend de chasser les des-naturees et preposteres amours de son temps: qu’il estime souueraine et principale: assauoir, que l’opinion publique les condamne: que les Poëtes, que chacun en face de mauuais comptes.
Once, when I had to justify one of our observances, accepted with firm authority far and wide around us, and did not want merely to establish it, as is usually done, by the force of laws and examples, but kept tracing it back to its origin, I found its foundation so weak that I nearly lost my taste for it—I, who was supposed to confirm it in others. This is the remedy by which Plato undertakes to drive out the unnatural and perverse loves of his time, and which he considers sovereign and principal: namely, that public opinion should condemn them, and that the poets, and everyone, should tell bad stories about them.
Recepte, par le moyen de laquelle, les plus belles filles n’attirent plus l’amour des peres, ny les freres plus excellents en beauté, l’amour des sœurs. Les fables mesmes de Thyestes, d’Oedipus, de Macareus, ayant, auec le plaisir de leur chant, infus cette vtile creance, en la tendre ceruelle des enfants. De vray, la pudicité est vne belle vertu, et de laquelle l’vtilité est assez connuë: mais de la traitter et faire valoir selon nature, il est autant mal-aysé, comme il est aysé de la faire valoir selon l’vsage, les loix, et les preceptes. Les premieres et vniuerselles raisons sont de difficile perscrutation.
A remedy by means of which the most beautiful daughters no longer attract their fathers’ love, nor the most handsome brothers their sisters’ love, since the very fables of Thyestes, Oedipus and Macareus, along with the pleasure of their song, have instilled this useful belief into the tender brains of children. Indeed, chastity is a fine virtue, and its usefulness is well enough known; but to treat it and justify it according to nature is as hard as it is easy to justify it according to usage, laws and precepts. First and universal reasons are difficult to search out.
Et les passent noz maistres en escumant, ou en ne les osant pas seulement taster, se iettent d’abordee dans la franchise de la coustume: là ils s’enflent, et triomphent à bon compte. Ceux qui ne se veulent laisser tirer hors cette originelle source, faillent encore plus: et s’obligent à des opinions sauuages, tesmoin Chrysippus: qui sema en tant de lieux de ses escrits, le peu de compte en quoy il tenoit les conionctions incestueuses, quelles qu’elles fussent.
And our masters skim over them, or, not even daring to touch them, throw themselves straight into the sanctuary of custom, where they puff themselves up and triumph cheaply. Those who will not let themselves be drawn away from that original source go even further astray and commit themselves to uncouth opinions—witness Chrysippus, who scattered through so many places in his writings how little account he made of incestuous unions, of whatever kind.
Laws nobody can read
Laws sold and kept in a foreign tongue, and two codes of justice and honor, show custom’s absurdity.
Qui voudra se deffaire de ce violent preiudice de la coustume, il trouuera plusieurs choses receuës d’vne resolution indubitable, qui n’ont appuy qu’en la barbe chenüe et rides de l’vsage, qui les accompaigne: mais ce masque arraché, rapportant les choses à la verité et à la raison, il sentira son iugement, comme tout bouleuersé, et remis pourtant en bien plus seur estat. Pour exemple, ie luy demanderay lors, quelle chose peut estre plus estrange, que de voir vn peuple obligé à suiure des loix qu’il n’entendit oncques: attaché en tous ses affaires domesticques, mariages, donations, testaments, ventes, et achapts, à des regles qu’il ne peut sçauoir, n’estans escrites ny publiees en sa langue, et desquelles par necessité il luy faille acheter l’interpretation et l’vsage.
Whoever wishes to rid himself of this violent prejudice of custom will find many things accepted with unquestioning resolve that have no support but the gray beard and wrinkles of the usage that goes with them. But once this mask is torn off and things are referred to truth and reason, he will feel his judgment as if turned upside down, and yet set back on a much surer footing. For example, I shall then ask him what can be stranger than to see a people obliged to follow laws it never understood; bound in all its domestic affairs—marriages, gifts, wills, sales and purchases—by rules it cannot know, since they are neither written nor published in its own language, and whose interpretation and application it must of necessity buy.
Non selon l’ingenieuse opinion d’Isocrates, qui conseille à son Roy de rendre les trafiques et negociations de ses subiects libres, franches, et lucratiues; et leurs debats et querelles, onereuses, chargees de poisans subsides: mais selon vne opinion prodigieuse, de mettre en trafique, la raison mesme, et donner aux loix cours de marchandise. Ie sçay bon gré à la fortune, dequoy, comme disent nos historiens, ce fut vn Gentil-homme Gascon et de mon pays, qui le premier s’opposa à Charlemaigne, nous voulant donner les loix Latines et imperiales.
Not according to the ingenious opinion of Isocrates, who advises his king to make the trade and dealings of his subjects free, unhampered and profitable, and their disputes and quarrels costly, burdened with heavy taxes; but according to a monstrous opinion: to make reason itself an article of trade and give laws the currency of merchandise. I am grateful to fortune that, as our historians say, it was a Gascon gentleman from my own region who first opposed Charlemagne when he wanted to give us Latin and imperial laws.
Qu’est-il plus farouche que de voir vne nation, où par legitime coustume la charge de iuger se vende; et les iugements soyent payez à purs deniers contans; et où legitimement la iustice soit refusee à qui n’a dequoy la payer: et aye cette marchandise si grand credit, qu’il se face en vne police vn quatriéme estat, de gens manians les procés, pour le ioindre aux trois anciens, de l’Église, de la Noblesse, et du Peuple:
What is more shocking than to see a nation where, by lawful custom, the office of judge is sold and judgments are paid for in ready cash; where justice is lawfully refused to anyone who has not the means to pay for it; and where this merchandise has such credit that there forms within the state a fourth estate, of people who handle lawsuits, to join the three ancient ones of the Church, the Nobility and the People;
lequel estat ayant la charge des loix et souueraine authorité des biens et des vies, face vn corps à part de celuy de la noblesse: d’où il aduienne qu’il y ayt doubles loix, celles de l’honneur, et celles de la iustice, en plusieurs choses fort contraires: aussi rigoureusement condamnent celles-là vn demanti souffert, comme celles icy vn demanti reuanché: par le deuoir des armes, celuy-là soit degradé d’honneur et de noblesse qui souffre vn’ iniure, et par le deuoir ciuil, celuy qui s’en venge encoure vne peine capitale?
an estate which, having charge of the laws and sovereign authority over property and lives, forms a body separate from that of the nobility; with the result that there are two sets of laws, those of honor and those of justice, in many things quite contrary? The former condemn a man who puts up with being called a liar as severely as the latter condemn one who takes revenge for it: by the code of arms, a man who swallows an insult is stripped of honor and nobility, and by civil duty, a man who avenges it incurs capital punishment.
qui s’adresse aux loix pour auoir raison d’vne offense faicte à son honneur, il se deshonnore: et qui ne s’y adresse, il en est puny et chastié par les loix: et de ces deux pieces si diuerses, se rapportans toutesfois à vn seul chef, ceux-là ayent la paix, ceux-cy la guerre en charge: ceux-là ayent le gaing, ceux-cy l’honneur: ceux-là le sçauoir, ceux-cy la vertu: ceux-là la parole, ceux-cy l’action: ceux-là la iustice, ceux-cy la vaillance: ceux-là la raison, ceux-cy la force: ceux-là la robbe longue, ceux-cy la courte en partage.
He who goes to the law for satisfaction for an offense to his honor dishonors himself; and he who does not is punished and chastised by the law. And of these two so different parts, which nevertheless answer to a single head, the one has charge of peace, the other of war; the one has gain for its share, the other honor; the one knowledge, the other virtue; the one words, the other action; the one justice, the other valor; the one reason, the other force; the one the long robe, the other the short.
Quant aux choses indifferentes, comme vestemens, qui les voudra ramener à leur vraye fin, qui est le seruice et commodité du corps, d’où depend leur grace et bien-seance originelle, pour les plus fantasticques à mon gré qui se puissent imaginer, ie luy donray entre autres nos bonnets carrez: cette longue queuë de veloux plissé, qui pend aux testes de nos femmes, auec son attirail bigarré: et ce vain modelle et inutile, d’vn membre que nous ne pouuons seulement honnestement nommer, duquel toutesfois nous faisons montre et parade en public.
As for indifferent things such as clothes, if anyone wants to bring them back to their true purpose, which is the service and comfort of the body, on which their original grace and seemliness depend, then for the most fantastic I think one could imagine, I will offer him, among others, our square caps; that long tail of pleated velvet hanging from our women’s heads, with its motley trappings; and that vain and useless model of a member we cannot even decently name, which we nevertheless show off and parade in public.
Ces considerations ne destournent pourtant pas vn homme d’entendement de suiure le stile commun. Ains au rebours, il me semble que toutes façons escartees et particulieres partent plustost de folie, ou d’affectation ambitieuse, que de vraye raison: et que le sage doit au dedans retirer son ame de la presse, et la tenir en liberté et puissance de iuger librement des choses: mais quant au dehors, qu’il doit suiure entierement les façons et formes receuës.
These considerations do not, however, turn a man of understanding away from following the common style. On the contrary, it seems to me that all eccentric and peculiar ways spring from folly or ambitious affectation rather than from true reason; and that the wise man should inwardly withdraw his soul from the crowd and keep it free and able to judge things freely, but outwardly he should follow the accepted fashions and forms entirely.
La societé publique n’a que faire de nos pensees: mais le demeurant, comme nos actions, nostre trauail, nos fortunes et nostre vie, il la faut prester et abandonner à son seruice et aux opinions communes: comme ce bon et grand Socrates refusa de sauuer sa vie par la desobeissance du magistrat, voire d’vn magistrat tres-iniuste et tres-inique. Car c’est la regle des regles, et generale loy des loix, que chacun obserue celles du lieu où il est: νομοις ἑπεσθαι τοισιν εγχωριοις αλον.
Public society has no business with our thoughts; but the rest—our actions, our labor, our fortunes and our life—we must lend and surrender to its service and to common opinion, as the good and great Socrates refused to save his life by disobeying the magistrate, even a very unjust and very iniquitous magistrate. For it is the rule of rules and the universal law of laws that each should observe those of the place where he is: It is good to obey the laws of one’s country.
Against changing accepted laws
Changing a received law usually does more harm than good; the novelty of our time proves it.
En voicy d’vne autre cuuee. Il y a grand doute, s’il se peut trouuer si euident profit au changement d’vne loy receüe telle qu’elle soit, qu’il y a de mal à la remuer: d’autant qu’vne police, c’est comme vn bastiment de diuerses pieces ioinctes ensemble d’vne telle liaison, qu’il est impossible d’en esbranler vne que tout le corps ne s’en sente. Le legislateur des Thuriens ordonna, que quiconque voudroit ou abolir vne des vieilles loix, ou en establir vne nouuelle, se presenteroit au peuple la corde au col: afin que si la nouuelleté n’estoit approuuee d’vn chacun, il fust incontinent estranglé. Et celuy de Lacedemone employa sa vie pour tirer de ses citoyens vne promesse asseuree, de n’enfraindre aucune de ses ordonnances.
Here is one of another vintage. It is very doubtful whether there can be such evident profit in changing an accepted law, whatever it may be, as there is harm in disturbing it; for a government is like a building made of various parts joined together so closely that it is impossible to shake one without the whole structure feeling it. The lawgiver of the Thurians decreed that anyone who wanted either to abolish one of the old laws or to establish a new one should come before the people with a rope around his neck, so that if the novelty was not approved by everyone, he could be strangled on the spot. And the lawgiver of Sparta spent his life extracting from his citizens a firm promise not to break any of his ordinances.
L’Ephore qui coupa si rudement les deux cordes que Phrinys auoit adiousté à la musique, ne s’esmoie pas, si elle en vaut mieux, ou si les accords en sont mieux remplis: il luy suffit pour les condamner, que ce soit vne alteration de la vieille façon. C’est ce que signifioit cette espee rouillee de la Iustice de Marseille.
The ephor who so roughly cut the two strings that Phrynis had added to music does not trouble himself whether music is the better for them or its harmonies the fuller: it is enough for him, to condemn them, that they are a change from the old way. That is what the rusty sword of the court of justice at Marseille signified.
Ie suis desgousté de la nouuelleté, quelque visage qu’elle porte; et ay raison, car i’en ay veu des effets tres-dommageables. Celle qui nous presse depuis tant d’ans, elle n’a pas tout exploicté: mais on peut dire auec apparence, que par accident, elle a tout produict et engendré; voire et les maux et ruines, qui se font depuis sans elle, et contre elle: c’est à elle à s’en prendre au nez, Heu patior telis vulnera facta meis! Ceux qui donnent le branle à vn Estat, sont volontiers les premiers absorbez en sa ruine. Le fruict du trouble ne demeure guere à celuy qui l’a esmeu; il bat et brouille l’eaue pour d’autres pescheurs.
I am sick of novelty, whatever face it wears, and with reason, for I have seen its very harmful effects. The one that has been oppressing us for so many years has not achieved everything; but one may plausibly say that it has, incidentally, produced and engendered everything—even the evils and ruins that have since been wrought without it and against it. It has only itself to blame: Alas, I suffer wounds made by my own arrows! Those who set a state in motion are usually the first to be swallowed up in its ruin. The fruits of disorder seldom go to the man who stirred it up; he beats and muddies the water for other fishermen.
La liaison et contexture de cette monarchie et ce grand bastiment, ayant esté desmis et dissout, notamment sur ses vieux ans par elle, donne tant qu’on veut d’ouuerture et d’entree à pareilles iniures. La maiesté royalle s’auale plus difficilement du sommet au milieu, qu’elle ne se precipite du milieu à fons. Mais si les inuenteurs sont plus dommageables, les imitateurs sont plus vicieux, de se ietter en des exemples, desquels ils ont senti et puni l’horreur et le mal. Et s’il y a quelque degré d’honneur, mesmes au mal faire, ceux cy doiuent aux autres, la gloire de l’inuention, et le courage du premier effort.
Since the bond and fabric of this monarchy, this great building, has been loosened and dissolved by it, especially in its old age, it lies as open as anyone could wish to similar injuries. Royal majesty comes down from the summit to the middle with more difficulty than it plunges from the middle to the bottom. But if the inventors do more harm, the imitators are more wicked, for rushing into examples whose horror and harm they have themselves felt and punished. And if there is any degree of honor even in wrongdoing, the imitators owe the others the glory of invention and the courage of the first attempt.
Toutes sortes de nouuelle desbauche puysent heureusement en cette premiere et fœconde source, les images et patrons à troubler nostre police. On lit en nos loix mesmes, faictes pour le remede de ce premier mal, l’apprentissage et l’excuse de toutes sortes de mauuaises entreprises. Et nous aduient ce que Thucydides dit des guerres ciuiles de son temps, qu’en faueur des vices publiques, on les battisoit de mots nouueaux plus doux pour leur excuse, abastardissant et amollissant leurs vrais titres. C’est pourtant, pour reformer nos consciences et nos creances, honesta oratio est.
All kinds of new disorder happily draw from this first and fertile source the models and patterns for disturbing our state. In our very laws, made to remedy this first evil, one reads the apprenticeship and the excuse for every kind of wicked enterprise. And what Thucydides says of the civil wars of his time happens to us: that to favor public vices, people baptized them with new and gentler words to excuse them, debasing and softening their true names. And yet it is all to reform our consciences and our beliefs: the pretext is honorable.
Mais le meilleur pretexte de nouuelleté est tres-dangereux. Adeo nihil motum ex antiquo probabile est. Si me semble-il, à le dire franchement, qu’il y a grand amour de soy et presomption, d’estimer ses opinions iusques-là, que pour les establir, il faille renuerser vne paix publique, et introduire tant de maux ineuitables, et vne si horrible corruption de mœurs que les guerres ciuiles apportent, et les mutations d’Estat, en chose de tel pois, et les introduire en son pays propre. Est-ce pas mal mesnagé, d’aduancer tant de vices certains et cognus, pour combattre des erreurs contestees et debatables? Est-il quelque pire espece de vices, que ceux qui choquent la propre conscience et naturelle cognoissance?
But the best pretext for novelty is very dangerous. So true is it that no change from ancient ways deserves approval. Indeed, it seems to me, to speak frankly, that there is great self-love and presumption in valuing one’s opinions so highly that, to establish them, one must overturn public peace and bring in so many inevitable evils and so horrible a corruption of morals as civil wars and changes of state bring with them, in a matter of such weight—and bring them into one’s own country. Is it not poor management to promote so many certain and known vices in order to combat disputed and debatable errors? Is there any worse kind of vice than those that offend one’s own conscience and natural knowledge?
Le Senat osa donner en payement cette deffaitte, sur le different d’entre luy et le peuple, pour le ministere de leur religion: Ad deos, id magis quàm ad se pertinere, ipsos visuros, ne sacra sua polluantur: conformément à ce que respondit l’oracle à ceux de Delphes, en la guerre Medoise, craignans l’inuasion des Perses. Ils demanderent au Dieu, ce qu’ils auoient à faire des tresors sacrez de son temple, ou les cacher, ou les emporter. Il leur respondit, qu’ils ne bougeassent rien, qu’ils se souciassent d’eux: qu’il estoit suffisant pour prouuoir à ce qui luy estoit propre.
The Senate dared to offer this evasion by way of payment in its dispute with the people over the ministry of their religion: That this concerned the gods more than themselves; the gods would see to it that their rites were not profaned. This agrees with the oracle’s answer to the people of Delphi in the Median War, when they feared the Persian invasion. They asked the god what they should do with the sacred treasures of his temple—hide them or carry them away. He answered that they should move nothing and look after themselves: he was quite able to provide for what belonged to him.
La religion Chrestienne a toutes les marques d’extreme iustice et vtilité: mais nulle plus apparente, que l’exacte recommandation de l’obeïssance du magistrat, et manutention des polices. Quel merueilleux exemple nous en a laissé la sapience diuine; qui pour establir le salut du genre humain, et conduire cette sienne glorieuse victoire contre la mort et le peché, ne l’a voulu faire qu’à la mercy de nostre ordre politique: et a soubsmis son progrez et la conduicte d’vn si haut effet et si salutaire, à l’aueuglement et iniustice de nos obseruations et vsances: y laissant courir le sang innocent de tant d’esleuz ses fauoriz, et souffrant vne longue perte d’années à meurir ce fruict inestimable?
The Christian religion has all the marks of supreme justice and usefulness, but none more evident than its strict injunction to obey the magistrate and uphold governments. What a marvelous example of this divine wisdom has left us! To establish the salvation of the human race and carry through its glorious victory over death and sin, it chose to act only at the mercy of our political order, and submitted the progress and conduct of so lofty and so saving an effect to the blindness and injustice of our customs and practices—letting the innocent blood of so many of its chosen favorites flow, and suffering many long years to be lost in ripening this priceless fruit.
Il y a grand à dire entre la cause de celuy qui suit les formes et les loix de son pays, et celuy qui entreprend de les regenter et changer. Celuy là allegue pour son excuse, la simplicité, l’obeissance et l’exemple: quoy qu’il face ce ne peut estre malice, c’est pour le plus malheur. Quis est enim, quem non moueat clarissimis monimentis testata consignatàque antiquitas? Outre ce que dit Isocrates, que la defectuosité a plus de part à la moderation, que n’a l’exces. L’autre est en bien plus rude party. Car qui se mesle de choisir et de changer, vsurpe l’authorité de iuger: et se doit faire fort, de voir la faute de ce qu’il chasse, et le bien de ce qu’il introduit.
There is a great difference between the case of a man who follows the forms and laws of his country and that of one who undertakes to dictate to them and change them. The first pleads as his excuse simplicity, obedience and example; whatever he does cannot be malice; at worst it is misfortune. For who is there who is not moved by antiquity attested and sealed by the most illustrious monuments? Besides, as Isocrates says, deficiency has more in common with moderation than excess has. The other is in a much harder position. For whoever takes it upon himself to choose and change usurps the authority to judge, and must be sure that he sees the fault in what he drives out and the good in what he brings in.
Cette si vulgaire consideration m’a fermy en mon siege: et tenu ma ieunesse mesme, plus temeraire, en bride: de ne charger mes espaules d’vn si lourd faix, que de me rendre respondant d’vne science de telle importance. Et oser en cette cy, ce qu’en sain iugement, ie ne pourroy oser en la plus facile de celles ausquelles on m’auoit instruit, et ausquelles la temerité de iuger est de nul preiudice. Me semblant tres-inique, de vouloir sousmettre les constitutions et obseruances publiques et immobiles, à l’instabilité d’vne priuée fantasie (la raison priuée n’a qu’vne iurisdiction priuée) et entreprendre sur les loix diuines, ce que nulle police ne supporteroit aux ciuiles.
This very commonplace consideration has kept me firmly in my seat, and held even my youth, which was more reckless, in check: not to load my shoulders with so heavy a burden as making myself answerable for a science of such importance, and not to dare in this one what, in sound judgment, I could not dare in the easiest of those I had been taught, where rashness of judgment does no harm. For it seems to me very unjust to want to subject public and unchanging institutions and observances to the instability of a private fancy (private reason has only a private jurisdiction), and to attempt against divine laws what no government would tolerate against civil ones.
Ausquelles, encore que l’humaine raison aye beaucoup plus de commerce, si sont elles souuerainement iuges de leurs iuges: et l’extreme suffisance sert à expliquer et estendre l’vsage, qui en est receu, non à le destourner et innouer. Si quelques fois la prouidence diuine a passé par dessus les regles, ausquelles elle nous a necessairement astreints: ce n’est pas pour nous en dispenser.
Although human reason has much more to do with civil laws, they are still the supreme judges of their judges; and the greatest ability serves to explain and extend their accepted use, not to divert it or make innovations. If divine providence has sometimes passed over the rules to which it has necessarily bound us, it is not in order to release us from them.
Ce sont coups de sa main diuine: qu’il nous faut, non pas imiter, mais admirer: et exemples extraordinaires, marques d’vn expres et particulier adueu: du genre des miracles, qu’elle nous offre, pour tesmoignage de sa toute puissance, au dessus de noz ordres et de noz forces: qu’il est folie et impieté d’essayer à representer: et que nous ne deuons pas suiure, mais contempler auec estonnement. Actes de son personnage, non pas du nostre. Cotta proteste bien opportunément: Quum de religione agitur, T. Coruncanum, P. Scipionem, P. Scæuolam, pontifices maximos, non Zenonem, aut Cleanthem, aut Chrysippum, sequor.
These are strokes of its divine hand, which we must not imitate but admire; extraordinary examples, marks of an express and particular sanction, of the same kind as the miracles it offers us as testimony to its omnipotence, beyond our orders and our powers; which it is folly and impiety to try to reproduce, and which we must not follow but contemplate with astonishment. They are acts proper to its role, not to ours. Cotta declares very aptly: When it is a question of religion, I follow Tiberius Coruncanius, Publius Scipio and Publius Scaevola, chief pontiffs, not Zeno, Cleanthes or Chrysippus.
Dieu le sçache en nostre presente querelle, où il y a cent articles à oster et remettre, grands et profonds articles, combien ils sont qui se puissent vanter d’auoir exactement recogneu les raisons et fondements de l’vn et l’autre party. C’est vn nombre, si c’est nombre, qui n’auroit pas grand moyen de nous troubler. Mais toute cette autre presse où va elle? soubs quelle enseigne se iette elle à quartier? Il aduient de la leur, comme des autres medecines foibles et mal appliquees: les humeurs qu’elle vouloit purger en nous, elle les a eschauffées, exasperees et aigries par le conflit, et si nous est demeurée dans le corps.
God knows, in our present quarrel, where there are a hundred articles to remove and restore—great and deep articles—how many can boast of having precisely grasped the reasons and foundations of either side. It is a number, if it is a number at all, that would hardly be able to trouble us. But all this other crowd—where is it going? Under what banner does it break ranks? Their medicine has fared like other weak and badly administered remedies: the humors it meant to purge from us it has heated, inflamed and soured by the conflict, and it has stayed in our body all the same.
Elle n’a sçeu nous purger par sa foiblesse, et nous a cependant affoiblis: en maniere que nous ne la pouuons vuider non plus, et ne receuons de son operation que des douleurs longues et intestines.
It was too weak to purge us, and meanwhile it has weakened us, so that we cannot void it either, and get nothing from its action but long, intestine pains.
When necessity overrides the law
In extreme crises it may be wiser to bend the laws than to let violence trample them.
Si est-ce que la fortune reseruant tousiours son authorité au dessus de nos discours, nous presente aucunes-fois la necessité si vrgente, qu’il est besoin que les loix luy facent quelque place. Et quand on resiste à l’accroissance d’vne innouation qui vient par violence à s’introduire, de se tenir en tout et par tout en bride et en regle contre ceux qui ont la clef des champs, ausquels tout cela est loisible qui peut auancer leur dessein, qui n’ont ny loy ny ordre que de suiure leur aduantage, c’est vne dangereuse obligation et inequalité.
Still, fortune, always keeping its authority above our reasonings, sometimes confronts us with a necessity so urgent that the laws must make some room for it. And when one is resisting the growth of an innovation that is forcing its way in by violence, to keep oneself bridled and bound by rules in everything and everywhere against those who have free rein—to whom anything is permissible that can advance their design, and who have no law or order but to follow their own advantage—is a dangerous obligation and an unequal contest.
Aditum nocendi perfido præstat fides. D’autant que la discipline ordinaire d’vn Estat qui est en sa santé, ne pouruoit pas à ces accidens extraordinaires: elle presuppose vn corps qui se tient en ses principaux membres et offices, et vn commun consentement à son obseruation et obeissance. L’aller legitime, est vn aller froid, poisant et contraint: et n’est pas pour tenir bon, à vn aller licencieux et effrené.
Trust gives the treacherous the opportunity to do harm. For the ordinary discipline of a state in good health does not provide for these extraordinary accidents: it presupposes a body that holds together in its principal members and functions, and a common consent to observe and obey it. The lawful pace is cold, heavy and constrained, and it is not made to hold its own against a licentious and unbridled one.
On sçait qu’il est encore reproché à ces deux grands personnages, Octauius et Caton, aux guerres ciuiles, l’vn de Sylla, l’autre de Cæsar, d’auoir plustost laissé encourir toutes extremitez à leur patrie, que de la secourir aux despens de ses loix, et que de rien remuer. Car à la verité en ces dernieres necessitez, où il n’y a plus que tenir, il seroit à l’auanture plus sagement fait, de baisser la teste et prester vn peu au coup, que s’ahurtant outre la possibilité à ne rien relascher, donner occasion à la violance de fouler tout aux pieds: et vaudroit mieux faire vouloir aux loix ce qu’elles peuuent, puis qu’elles ne peuuent ce qu’elles veulent.
We know that those two great men, Octavius and Cato, are still reproached—in the civil wars, the one of Sulla, the other of Caesar—for having let their country suffer every extremity rather than help it at the expense of its laws and change anything. For in truth, in these final necessities, where there is nothing left to hold on to, it would perhaps be wiser to bow one’s head and yield a little to the blow than, by striving beyond what is possible to concede nothing, to give violence occasion to trample everything underfoot; and it would be better to make the laws will what they can do, since they cannot do what they will.
Ainsi fit celuy qui ordonna qu’elles dormissent vingt quatre heures: et celuy qui remua pour cette fois vn iour du calendrier: et cet autre qui du mois de Iuin fit le second May. Les Lacedemoniens mesmes, tant religieux obseruateurs des ordonnances de leur païs, estans pressez de leur loy, qui deffendoit d’eslire par deux fois Admiral vn mesme personnage, et de l’autre part leurs affaires requerans de toute necessité, que Lysander prinst de rechef cette charge, ils firent bien vn Aracus Admiral, mais Lysander surintendant de la marine.
So did the man who ordered the laws to sleep for twenty-four hours, and the one who moved a day of the calendar just that once, and that other who made the month of June into a second May. Even the Spartans, such scrupulous observers of their country’s ordinances, being pressed on one side by their law, which forbade electing the same man admiral twice, and on the other by their affairs, which absolutely required that Lysander take that office again, did indeed make one Aracus admiral—but Lysander superintendent of the navy.
Et de mesme subtilité, vn de leurs Ambassadeurs estant enuoyé vers les Atheniens, pour obtenir le changement de quelque ordonnance, et Pericles luy alleguant qu’il estoit deffendu d’oster le tableau, où vne loy estoit vne fois posée, luy conseilla de le tourner seulement, d’autant que cela n’estoit pas deffendu. C’est ce dequoy Plutarque loüe Philopœmen, qu’estant né pour commander, il sçauoit non seulement commander selon les loix, mais aux loix mesmes, quand la necessité publique le requeroit.
And with the same subtlety, when one of their ambassadors was sent to the Athenians to obtain the change of some ordinance, and Pericles objected that it was forbidden to take down the tablet on which a law had once been set up, the ambassador advised him simply to turn it around, since that was not forbidden. This is what Plutarch praises in Philopoemen: that, being born to command, he knew how to command not only according to the laws but the laws themselves, when public necessity required it.