L’EMPEREVR Vespasien estant malade de la maladie, dont il mourut, ne laissoit pas de vouloir entendre l’estat de l’Empire: et dans son lict mesme, despeschoit sans cesse plusieurs affaires de consequence: et son medecin l’en tançant, comme de chose nuisible à sa santé: Il faut, disoit-il, qu’vn Empereur meure debout. Voilà vn beau mot, à mon gré, et digne d’vn grand Prince.
The Emperor Vespasian, sick with the illness that killed him, still insisted on hearing the state of the Empire; even in his bed he kept dispatching many matters of consequence. When his physician scolded him for it as harmful to his health, he said: “An emperor must die standing.” That, to my mind, is a fine saying, and worthy of a great prince.
Adrian l’Empereur s’en seruit depuis à ce mesme propos: et le deuroit on souuent ramenteuoir aux Roys, pour leur faire sentir, que cette grande charge, qu’on leur donne du commandement de tant d’hommes, n’est pas vne charge oisiue; et qu’il n’est rien qui puisse si iustement desgouster vn subject, de se mettre en peine et en hasard pour le seruice de son Prince, que de le voir appoltronny cependant luy-mesme, à des occupations lasches et vaines: et d’auoir soing de sa conseruation, le voyant si nonchalant de la nostre.
The Emperor Hadrian later used it for the same purpose. It ought often to be recalled to kings, to make them feel that this great charge they are given, the command of so many men, is not an idle charge. Nothing can so justly discourage a subject from taking pains and running risks in his prince’s service as seeing the prince himself meanwhile sunk in sloth, in lax and futile occupations—nor from caring for his safety, when he sees him so careless of ours.
Quand quelqu’vn voudra maintenir, qu’il vaut mieux que le Prince conduise ses guerres par autre que par soy: la Fortune luy fournira assez d’exemples de ceux, à qui leurs lieutenans ont mis à chef des grandes entreprises: et de ceux encore desquels la presence y eust esté plus nuisible, qu’vtile. Mais nul Prince vertueux et courageux pourra souffrir, qu’on l’entretienne de si honteuses instructions. Soubs couleur de conseruer sa teste, comme la statue d’vn sainct, à la bonne fortune de son estat, ils le degradent de son office, qui est tout en action militaire, et l’en declarent incapable.
If someone wants to maintain that it is better for a prince to conduct his wars through others than in person, Fortune will supply him with plenty of examples of princes whose lieutenants brought great enterprises to completion, and also of princes whose presence would have done more harm than good. But no virtuous and courageous prince could bear to be fed such shameful instruction. Under color of preserving his head, like a saint’s statue, for the good fortune of his state, they demote him from his office, which consists entirely in military action, and declare him incapable of it.
I’en sçay vn, qui aymeroit bien mieux estre battu, que de dormir, pendant qu’on se battroit pour luy: et qui ne vid iamais sans ialousie, ses gents mesmes, faire quelque chose de grand en son absence. Et Selym premier disoit auec raison, ce me semble, que les victoires, qui se gaignent sans le maistre, ne sont pas completes. De tant plus volontiers eust-il dit, que ce maistre deuroit rougir de honte, d’y pretendre part pour son nom, n’y ayant embesongné que sa voix et sa pensée. Ny cela mesme, veu qu’en telle besongne, les aduis et commandemens, qui apportent l’honneur, sont ceux-là seulement, qui se donnent sur le champ, et au propre de l’affaire. Nul pilote n’exerce son office de pied ferme.
I know one who would much rather be beaten than sleep while others fought for him, and who never saw even his own men do something great in his absence without jealousy. And Selim I said, rightly it seems to me, that victories won without the master are not complete. All the more readily would he have said that the master ought to blush with shame at claiming a share in them for his name, when he has put to work only his voice and his thoughts. Not even those, since in such work the advice and commands that bring honor are only those given on the field and in the thick of the action. No pilot does his job from dry land.
Les Princes de la race Hottomane, la premiere race du monde en fortune guerriere, ont chauldement embrassé cette opinion. Et Baiazet second auec son filz, qui s’en despartirent, s’amusants aux sciences et autres occupations casanieres, donnerent aussi de bien grands soufflets à leur Empire: et celuy qui regne à present, Ammurath troisiesme, à leur exemple, commence assez bien de s’en trouuer de mesme. Fust-ce pas le Roy d’Angleterre, Edouard troisiesme, qui dit de nostre Roy Charles cinquiesme, ce mot? Il n’y eut onques Roy, qui moins s’armast, et si n’y eut onques Roy, qui tant me donnast à faire. Il auoit raison de le trouuer estrange, comme vn effect du sort, plus que de la raison.
The princes of the Ottoman line, the foremost line in the world for fortune in war, have warmly embraced this opinion. And Bayezid II and his son, who departed from it, amusing themselves with learning and other stay-at-home occupations, dealt their Empire some very hard blows; and the present ruler, Murad III, following their example, is beginning to fare much the same. Was it not the King of England, Edward III, who said this of our King Charles V: “There was never a king who took up arms less, and yet there was never a king who gave me so much trouble”? He was right to find it strange, as an effect of chance rather than of reason.
Et cherchent autre adherent, que moy, ceux qui veulent nombrer entre les belliqueux et magnanimes conquerants, les Roys de Castille et de Portugal, de ce qu’à douze cents lieuës de leur oisiue demeure, par l’escorte de leurs facteurs, ils se sont rendus maistres des Indes d’vne et d’autre part: desquelles c’est à sçauoir, s’ils auroyent seulement le courage d’aller iouyr en presence.
Those who want to count the kings of Castile and Portugal among the warlike and magnanimous conquerors, because twelve hundred leagues from their idle residence, under the escort of their agents, they made themselves masters of the Indies East and West, must look for some supporter other than me. As for those Indies, it remains to be seen whether they would even have the courage to go and enjoy them in person.
L’Empereur Iulian disoit encore plus, qu’vn philosophe et vn galant homme, ne deuoient pas seulement respirer: c’est à dire, ne donner aux necessitez corporelles, que ce qu’on ne leur peut refuser; tenant tousiours l’ame et le corps embesongnez à choses belles, grandes et vertueuses. Il auoit honte si en public on le voyoit cracher ou suer (ce qu’on dit aussi de la ieunesse Lacedemonienne, et Xenophon de la Persienne) par ce qu’il estimoit que l’exercice, le trauail continuel, et la sobrieté, deuoient auoir cuit et asseché toutes ces superfluitez. Ce que dit Seneque ne ioindra pas mal en cet endroict, que les anciens Romains maintenoient leur ieunesse droite: ils n’apprenoient, dit-il, rien à leurs enfans, qu’ils deussent apprendre assis.
The Emperor Julian said even more: that a philosopher and a man of honor ought not even to breathe—that is, ought to give bodily needs only what cannot be refused them, keeping soul and body always busy with fine, great and virtuous things. He was ashamed to be seen spitting or sweating in public (which is also said of the Spartan youth, and by Xenophon of the Persian youth), because he thought that exercise, continual toil and sobriety ought to have cooked and dried up all those superfluities. What Seneca says will fit in not badly here: that the ancient Romans kept their young people upright. They taught their children nothing, he says, that had to be learned sitting down.
C’est vne genereuse enuie, de vouloir mourir mesme vtilement et virilement: mais l’effect n’en gist pas tant en nostre bonne resolution, qu’en nostre bonne fortune. Mille ont proposé de vaincre, ou de mourir en combattant, qui ont failli à l’vn et à l’autre: les blesseures, les prisons, leur trauersant ce dessein, et leur prestant vne vie forcée. Il y a des maladies, qui atterrent iusques à noz desirs, et nostre cognoissance. Fortune ne deuoit pas seconder la vanité des legions Romaines, qui s’obligerent par serment, de mourir ou de vaincre.
It is a noble wish to want to die even usefully and manfully; but the outcome lies not so much in our good resolution as in our good fortune. A thousand have resolved to conquer or die fighting who failed at both: wounds and captivity thwarted their design and lent them a forced life. There are diseases that lay low even our desires and our awareness. Fortune was under no obligation to back the vanity of the Roman legions who bound themselves by oath to die or conquer.
Victor, Marce Fabi, reuertar ex acie: si fallo, Iouem patrem Gradiuúmque Martem aliósque iratos inuoco Deos. Les Portugais disent, qu’en certain endroit de leur conqueste des Indes ils rencontrerent des soldats, qui s’estoyent condamnez auec horribles execrations, de n’entrer en aucune composition, que de se faire tuer, ou demeurer victorieux: et pour marque de ce vœu, portoyent la teste et la barbe rase. Nous auons beau nous hazarder et obstiner. Il semble que les coups fuyent ceux, qui s’y presentent trop alaigrement: et n’arriuent volontiers à qui s’y presente trop volontiers, et corrompt leur fin.
I shall return from the battle victorious, Marcus Fabius; if I break my word, I call down upon myself the wrath of Father Jupiter, Mars Gradivus and the other gods. The Portuguese say that at a certain point in their conquest of the Indies they met soldiers who had condemned themselves, with horrible curses, to accept no terms but to be killed or to win; and as a sign of this vow they wore their heads and beards shaved. It is no use our taking risks and being stubborn. Blows seem to flee those who offer themselves too eagerly, and not to come readily to the man who offers himself too readily and so spoils their aim.
Tel ne pouuant obtenir de perdre sa vie, par les forces aduersaires, apres auoir tout essayé, a esté contraint, pour fournir à sa resolution, d’en r’apporter l’honneur, ou de n’en rapporter pas la vie: se donner soy mesme la mort, en la chaleur propre du combat. Il en est d’autres exemples. Mais en voicy vn. Philistus, chef de l’armée de mer du ieune Dionysius contre les Syracusains, leur presenta la battaille, qui fut asprement contestée, les forces estants pareilles. En icelle il eut du meilleur au commencement, par sa prouësse.
Many a man, unable to get himself killed by the enemy after trying everything, has been forced—to fulfill his resolution to bring back honor or not to bring back his life—to put himself to death in the very heat of combat. There are other examples, but here is one. Philistus, commander of the younger Dionysius’s fleet against the Syracusans, offered them battle, which was fiercely contested, the forces being equal. At first he had the upper hand through his prowess.
Mais les Syracusains se rengeans autour de sa galere, pour l’inuestir, ayant faict grands faicts d’armes de sa personne, pour se desuelopper, n’y esperant plus de ressource, s’osta de sa main la vie, qu’il auoit si liberalement abandonnée, et frustratoirement, aux mains ennemies.
But as the Syracusans closed in around his galley to surround it, after performing great feats of arms in person to break free, and no longer hoping for any way out, he took with his own hand the life he had so freely, and so vainly, abandoned to enemy hands.
The death of Moley Moluch
The dying King of Fez commands his army to victory and dies with a finger on his lips.
Moley Moluch, Roy de Fais, qui vient de gaigner contre Sebastian Roy de Portugal, cette iournée, fameuse par la mort de trois Roys, et par la transmission de cette grande couronne, à celle de Castille: se trouua grieuement malade dés lors que les Portugalois entrerent à main armée en son estat; et alla tousiours depuis en empirant vers la mort, et la preuoyant. Iamais homme ne se seruit de soy plus vigoureusement, et brauement. Il se trouua foible, pour soustenir la pompe ceremonieuse de l’entrée de son camp, qui est selon leur mode, pleine de magnificence, et chargée de tout plein d’action: et resigna cet honneur à son frere.
Moley Moluch, King of Fez, who has just won against Sebastian, King of Portugal, that battle famous for the death of three kings and for the passing of that great crown to the crown of Castile, was gravely ill from the moment the Portuguese invaded his state; and from then on he kept growing worse, heading toward death and foreseeing it. Never did a man make more vigorous and gallant use of himself. He found himself too weak to sustain the ceremonial pomp of entering his camp, which in their fashion is full of magnificence and laden with a great deal of ritual; and he handed that honor over to his brother.
Mais ce fut aussi le seul office de Capitaine qu’il resigna: touts les autres necessaires et vtiles, il les feit tres-glorieusement et exactement. Tenant son corps couché: mais son entendement, et son courage, debout et ferme, iusques au dernier souspir: et aucunement au-delà. Il pouuoit miner ses ennemis, indiscretement aduancez en ses terres: et luy poisa merueilleusement, qu’à faute d’vn peu de vie, et pour n’auoir qui substituer à la conduitte de cette guerre, et affaires d’vn estat troublé, il eust à chercher la victoire sanglante et hazardeuse, en ayant vne autre pure et nette entre ses mains.
But that was also the only duty of a commander that he handed over: all the others, necessary and useful, he carried out most gloriously and exactly. He kept his body lying down, but his understanding and his courage upright and firm until his last breath—and in a way beyond it. He could have worn down his enemies, who had advanced rashly into his lands; and it weighed on him terribly that, for want of a little more life and having no one to take his place in conducting this war and the affairs of a troubled state, he had to seek a bloody and hazardous victory when he held another, pure and clean, in his hands.
Toutesfois il mesnagea miraculeusement la durée de sa maladie, à faire consumer son ennemy, et l’attirer loing de son armée de mer, et des places maritimes qu’il auoit en la coste d’Affrique: iusques au dernier iour de sa vie, lequel par dessein, il employa et reserua à cette grande iournée. Il dressa sa bataille en rond, assiegeant de toutes pars l’ost des Portugais; lequel rond venant à se courber et serrer, les empescha non seulement au conflict, qui fut tres aspre par la valeur de ce ieune Roy assaillant, veu qu’ils auoient à montrer visage à tous sens: mais aussi les empescha à la fuitte apres leur routte.
Nevertheless he managed the length of his illness miraculously, to wear his enemy down and draw him far from his fleet and from the strongholds he held on the coast of Africa, until the last day of his life, which he deliberately reserved and used for this great battle. He drew up his army in a circle, besieging the Portuguese host on all sides. As this circle bent and tightened, it hampered them not only in the fighting—which was very fierce thanks to the valor of that young attacking king, since they had to face in every direction—but also in their flight after their rout.
Et trouuants toutes les issues saisies, et closes; furent contraints de se reietter à eux mesmes: coaceruantûrque non solùm cæde, sed etiam fuga, et s’amonceller les vns sur les autres, fournissants aux vaincueurs vne tres-meurtriere victoire, et tres-entiere. Mourant, il se feit porter et tracasser où le besoing l’appelloit: et coulant le long des files, enhortoit ses Capitaines et soldats, les vns apres les autres. Mais vn coing de sa battaille se laissant enfoncer, on ne le peut tenir, qu’il ne montast à cheual l’espée au poing. Il s’efforçoit pour s’aller mesler, ses gents l’arrestants, qui par la bride, qui par sa robbe, et par ses estriers. Cet effort acheua d’accabler ce peu de vie, qui luy restoit. On le recoucha.
Finding all the exits seized and closed, they were forced to fall back on themselves—and they were heaped up not only by the slaughter but also by their flight—and to pile up on one another, giving the victors a most murderous and most complete victory. Dying, he had himself carried and hauled wherever need called him, and moving along the ranks he exhorted his captains and soldiers one after another. But when one corner of his battle line gave way, there was no holding him back from mounting his horse sword in hand. He struggled to go and join the fray, while his men held him back, some by the bridle, some by his robe and his stirrups. This effort finished off what little life he had left. They laid him down again.
Luy se resuscitant comme en sursaut de cette pasmoison, toute autre faculté luy deffaillant; pour aduertir qu’on teust sa mort (qui estoit le plus necessaire commandement, qu’il eust lors à faire, affin de n’engendrer quelque desespoir aux siens, par cette nouuelle) expira, tenant le doigt contre sa bouche close: signe ordinaire de faire silence. Qui vescut oncques si long temps, et si auant en la mort? qui mourut oncques si debout? L’extreme degré de traitter courageusement la mort, et le plus naturel, c’est la veoir, non seulement sans estonnement, mais sans soucy: continuant libre le train de la vie, iusques dedans elle.
He came round from this swoon as if with a start, and with every other faculty failing him, to give warning that his death should be kept quiet (the most necessary command he had to give at that moment, so as not to breed despair among his men with the news), he died holding his finger against his closed lips, the usual sign for silence. Who ever lived so long and so far into death? Who ever died so upright? The highest degree of meeting death courageously, and the most natural, is to look on it not only without dismay but without concern, freely continuing the course of life right into it.
Comme Caton, qui s’amusoit à estudier et à dormir, en ayant vne violente et sanglante, presente en son cœur, et la tenant en sa main.
Like Cato, who occupied himself with studying and sleeping while he had a violent and bloody death present in his heart and held it in his hand.