PVISQVE nous ne la pouuons aueindre, vengeons nous à en mesdire. Si n’est-ce pas entierement mesdire de quelque chose, d’y trouuer des deffauts: il s’en trouue en toutes choses, pour belles et desirables qu’elles soyent. En general, elle a cet euident auantage, qu’elle se raualle quand il luy plaist, et qu’à peu pres, elle a le choix, de l’vne et l’autre condition. Car on ne tombe pas de toute hauteur, il en est plus, desquelles on peut descendre, sans tomber. Bien me semble-il, que nous la faisons trop valoir: et trop valoir aussi la resolution de ceux que nous auons ou veu ou ouy dire, l’auoir mesprisee, ou s’en estre desmis, de leur propre dessein.
Since we cannot attain it, let us take our revenge by speaking ill of it. And yet finding faults in something is not altogether speaking ill of it; faults are found in all things, however beautiful and desirable they may be. In general, greatness has this evident advantage: it can lower itself when it pleases, and it has more or less the choice of either condition. For one does not fall from every height; there are more heights from which one can come down without falling. It does seem to me that we rate it too highly. We also rate too highly the resolve of those whom we have seen, or heard tell of, despising it or giving it up of their own accord.
Son essence n’est pas si euidemment commode, qu’on ne la puisse refuser sans miracle. Ie trouue l’effort bien difficile à la souffrance des maux, mais au contentement d’vne mediocre mesure de fortune, et fuite de la grandeur, i’y trouue fort peu d’affaire. C’est vne vertu, ce me semble, où moy, qui ne suis qu’vn oyson, arriuerois sans beaucoup de contention. Que doiuent faire ceux, qui mettroient encores en consideration, la gloire qui accompagne ce refus, auquel il peut escheoir plus d’ambition, qu’au desir mesme et iouyssance de la grandeur? D’autant que l’ambition ne se conduit iamais mieux selon soy, que par vne voye esgaree et inusitee.
Its nature is not so evidently advantageous that one cannot refuse it without a miracle. I find it a hard effort to endure ills; but to be content with a moderate measure of fortune, and to shun greatness, I find there is very little to it. It is a virtue, it seems to me, that even I, who am only a silly gosling, could attain without much strain. What, then, of those who would also take into account the glory that goes with this refusal? There may be more ambition in it than in the very desire for greatness and the enjoyment of it. For ambition never follows its own bent better than by an out-of-the-way and unusual path.
I’aiguise mon courage vers la patience, ie l’affoiblis vers le desir. Autant ay-ie à souhaitter qu’vn autre, et laisse à mes souhaits autant de liberté et d’indiscretion: mais pourtant, si ne m’est-il iamais aduenu, de souhaitter ny empire ny royauté, ny l’eminence de ces hautes fortunes et commanderesses. Ie ne vise pas de ce costé là: ie m’aime trop. Quand ie pense à croistre, c’est bassement: d’vne accroissance contrainte et coüarde: proprement pour moy: en resolution, en prudence, en santé, en beauté, et en richesse encore. Mais ce credit, cette auctorité si puissante, foule mon imagination.
I sharpen my courage toward patience; I weaken it toward desire. I have as much to wish for as anyone else, and I leave my wishes as much freedom and recklessness. And yet it has never happened to me to wish for empire or royalty, or for the eminence of those lofty, commanding fortunes. I do not aim in that direction: I love myself too much. When I think of growing, it is in a lowly way, with a constrained and timid growth, suited strictly to me: in resolution, in prudence, in health, in good looks, and in wealth too. But that standing, that so powerful authority, crushes my imagination.
Et tout à l’opposite de l’autre, m’aymerois à l’auanture mieux, deuxiesme ou troisiesme à Perigueux, que premier à Paris: au moins sans mentir, mieux troisiesme à Paris, que premier en charge, Ie ne veux ny debattre auec vn huissier de porte, miserable incognu: ny faire fendre en adoration, les presses où ie passe. Ie suis duit à vn estage moyen, comme par mon sort, aussi par mon goust. Et ay montré en la conduitte de ma vie, et de mes entreprinses, que i’ay plustost fuy, qu’autrement, d’eniamber par dessus le degré de fortune, auquel Dieu logea ma naissance. Toute constitution naturelle, est pareillement iuste et aysee.
And quite the opposite of that other man, I would perhaps rather be second or third in Périgueux than first in Paris; at least, to tell no lie, rather third in Paris than first in office. I want neither to be a wretched nobody wrangling with a doorkeeper, nor to have crowds part in adoration wherever I pass. I am suited to a middle station, by my lot and by my taste alike. And I have shown, in the conduct of my life and my undertakings, that I have shunned rather than sought to step over the degree of fortune in which God placed my birth. Every natural constitution is equally just and easy.
I’ay ainsi l’ame poltrone, que ie ne mesure pas la bonne fortune selon sa hauteur, ie la mesure selon sa facilité.
My soul is so cowardly that I do not measure good fortune by its height; I measure it by its ease.
Mais si ie n’ay point le cœur gros assez, ie l’ay à l’equipollent ouuert, et qui m’ordonne de publier hardiment sa foiblesse. Qui me donneroit à conferer la vie de L. Thorius Balbus, gallant homme, beau, sçauant, sain, entendu et abondant en toute sorte de commoditez et plaisirs, conduisant vne vie tranquille, et toute sienne, l’ame bien preparee contre la mort, la superstition, les douleurs, et autres encombriers de l’humaine necessité, mourant en fin en bataille, les armes en la main, pour la defense de son païs, d’vne part: et d’autre part la vie de M.
But if my heart is not big enough, it is correspondingly open, and it bids me boldly publish its weakness. Suppose someone gave me two lives to compare. On the one hand, the life of L. Thorius Balbus: a fine man, handsome, learned, healthy, understanding, and abounding in every kind of comfort and pleasure; he led a tranquil life entirely his own, his soul well prepared against death, superstition, pain and the other encumbrances of human necessity; and he died at last in battle, weapon in hand, in defense of his country. On the other hand, the life of M.
Regulus, ainsi grande et hautaine, que chascun la cognoist, et sa fin admirable: l’vne sans nom, sans dignité: l’autre exemplaire et glorieuse à merueilles: i’en diroy certes ce qu’en dit Cicero, si ie sçauoy aussi bien dire que luy. Mais s’il me les falloit coucher sur la mienne, ie diroy aussi, que la premiere est autant selon ma portee, et selon mon desir, que ie conforme à ma portee, comme la seconde est loing au delà. Qu’à cette cy, ie ne puis aduenir que par veneration: i’aduiendroy volontiers à l’autre par vsage.
Regulus, as great and lofty as everyone knows it to be, and his admirable end. The one is without name or dignity; the other is exemplary and wonderfully glorious. I would certainly say of them what Cicero says, if I could speak as well as he. But if I had to measure them against my own life, I would also say this: the first is as much within my reach, and in line with my desire, which I fit to my reach, as the second is far beyond it. The latter I can approach only by veneration; the former I would gladly approach by practice.
The burden of kings
Montaigne wants no mastery and pities kings, cut off from honest rivalry and true praise.
Retournons à nostre grandeur temporelle, d’où nous sommes partis. Ie suis desgousté de maistrise, et actiue et passiue. Otanez l’vn des sept, qui auoient droit de pretendre au royaume de Perse, print vn party, que i’eusse prins volontiers: c’est qu’il quitta à ses compagnons son droit d’y pouuoir arriuer par election, ou par sort: pourueu que luy et les siens, vescussent en cet empire hors de toute subiection et maistrise, sauf celle des loix antiques: et y eussent toute liberté, qui ne porteroit preiudice à icelles: impatient de commander, comme d’estre commandé.
Let us return to our worldly greatness, from which we set out. I am disgusted with mastery, both active and passive. Otanes, one of the seven who had a right to claim the kingdom of Persia, took a course that I would gladly have taken. He gave up to his companions his right to attain the throne by election or by lot, on condition that he and his family should live in that empire free of all subjection and mastery, except that of the ancient laws, and should enjoy every liberty that did not prejudice those laws. He was as impatient of commanding as of being commanded.
Le plus aspre et difficile mestier du monde, à mon gré, c’est, faire dignement le Roy. I’excuse plus de leurs fautes, qu’on ne fait communement, en consideration de l’horrible poix de leur charge, qui m’estonne. Il est difficile de garder mesure, à vne puissance si desmesuree. Si est-ce que c’est enuers ceux-mesmes qui sont de moins excellente nature, vne singuliere incitation à la vertu, d’estre logé en tel lieu, où vous ne faciez aucun bien, qui ne soit mis en registre et en compte: et où le moindre bien faire, porte sur tant de gens: et où vostre suffisance, comme celle des prescheurs, s’adresse principallement au peuple, iuge peu exacte, facile à piper, facile à contenter.
The harshest and most difficult trade in the world, in my opinion, is to play the king worthily. I excuse more of kings’ faults than people commonly do, in consideration of the horrible weight of their office, which stuns me. It is hard to keep measure with a power so beyond measure. And yet, even for those of a less excellent nature, it is a singular spur to virtue to be placed where you can do no good that is not put on record and on account; where the least good deed bears on so many people; and where your ability, like a preacher’s, is addressed chiefly to the people, a judge not very exacting, easy to fool, easy to satisfy.
Il est peu de choses, ausquelles nous puissions donner le iugement syncere, par ce qu’il en est peu, ausquelles en quelque façon nous n’ayons particulier interest. La superiorité et inferiorité, la maistrise, et la subiection, sont obligees à vne naturelle enuie et contestation: il faut qu’elles s’entrepillent perpetuellement. Ie ne crois ny l’vne ny l’autre, des droicts de sa compagne: laissons en dire à la raison, qui est inflexible et impassible, quand nous en pourrons finer. Ie feuilletois il n’y a pas vn mois, deux liures Escossois, se combattans sur ce subiect. Le populaire rend le Roy de pire condition qu’vn charretier, le monarchique le loge quelques brasses au dessus de Dieu, en puissance et souueraineté.
There are few things on which we can give a sincere judgment, because there are few in which we do not have some private interest. Superiority and inferiority, mastery and subjection, are bound to natural envy and rivalry; they must perpetually plunder each other. I believe neither of them about the rights of its partner. Let reason speak on the matter, which is inflexible and dispassionate, when we can get hold of it. Not a month ago I was leafing through two Scottish books fighting over this subject. The one for the people makes the king worse off than a carter; the one for monarchy sets him some fathoms above God in power and sovereignty.
Or l’incommodité de la grandeur, que i’ay pris icy à remerquer, par quelque occasion qui vient de m’en aduertir, est cette-cy. Il n’est à l’auanture rien plus plaisant au commerce des hommes, que les essais que nous faisons les vns contre les autres, par ialousie d’honneur et de valeur, soit aux exercices du corps ou de l’esprit: ausquels la grandeur souueraine n’a aucune vraye part. A la verité il m’a semblé souuent, qu’à force de respect, on y traicte les Princes desdaigneusement et iniurieusement.
Now the inconvenience of greatness that I have undertaken to note here, prompted by an occasion that has just reminded me of it, is this. There is perhaps nothing more pleasant in human company than the trials we make against one another out of rivalry in honor and prowess, whether in exercises of body or of mind. In these, sovereign greatness has no true share. Indeed, it has often seemed to me that out of sheer respect, princes are treated in them disdainfully and insultingly.
Car ce dequoy ie m’offençois infiniement en mon enfance, que ceux qui s’exerçoient auec moy, espargnassent de s’y employer à bon escient, pour me trouuer indigne contre qui ils s’efforçassent: c’est ce qu’on voit leur aduenir tous les iours, chacun se trouuant indigne de s’efforcer contre eux. Si on recognoist qu’ils ayent tant soit peu d’affection à la victoire, il n’est celuy, qui ne se trauaille à la leur prester: et qui n’ayme mieux trahir sa gloire, que d’offenser la leur. On n’y employe qu’autant d’effort qu’il en faut pour seruir à leur honneur. Quelle part ont ils à la meslee, en laquelle chacun est pour eux?
In my childhood I was infinitely offended when those who competed with me held back from trying in earnest, because they thought me unworthy of their effort. That is what we see happen to princes every day: everyone thinks himself unworthy to exert himself against them. If anyone notices that they have the least desire for victory, there is no one who does not strive to hand it to them, and who would not rather betray his own glory than offend theirs. People put in only as much effort as serves their honor. What part do they have in a fray in which everyone is on their side?
Il me semble voir ces paladins du temps passé, se presentans aux ioustes et aux combats, auec des corps, et des armes faëes. Brisson courant contre Alexandre, se feignit en la course: Alexandre l’en tança: mais il luy en deuoit faire donner le foüet. Pour cette consideration, Carneades disoit, que les enfans des Princes n’apprennent rien à droict qu’à manier des cheuaux: d’autant qu’en tout autre exercice, chacun fleschit soubs eux, et leur donne gaigné: mais vn cheual qui n’est ny flateur ny courtisan, verse le fils du Roy par terre, comme il feroit le fils d’vn crocheteur.
I seem to see those paladins of olden times presenting themselves at jousts and combats with enchanted bodies and arms. Brisson, running a race against Alexander, slackened his pace on purpose. Alexander scolded him for it, but he ought to have had him whipped. For this reason Carneades used to say that the sons of princes learn nothing properly except how to manage horses. In every other exercise everyone bends before them and lets them win; but a horse, which is neither a flatterer nor a courtier, throws the king’s son to the ground just as it would the son of a porter.
Homere a esté contrainct de consentir que Venus fut blessee au combat de Troye, vne si douce saincte et si delicate, pour luy donner du courage et de la hardiesse, qualitez qui ne tombent aucunement en ceux qui sont exempts de danger. On fait courroucer, craindre, fuyr les Dieux, s’enialouser, se douloir, et se passionner, pour les honorer des vertus qui se bastissent entre nous, de ces imperfections. Qui ne participe, au hazard et difficulté, ne peut pretendre interest à l’honneur et plaisir qui suit les actions hazardeuses. C’est pitié de pouuoir tant, qu’il aduienne que toutes choses vous cedent. Vostre fortune reiette trop loing de vous la societé et la compagnie, elle vous plante trop à l’escart.
Homer was obliged to let Venus, so sweet and delicate a divinity, be wounded in the fighting at Troy, in order to give her courage and boldness, qualities that in no way belong to those who are exempt from danger. The gods are made to grow angry, to fear, to flee, to be jealous, to grieve and to be swept by passion, in order to honor them with the virtues that among us are built out of these imperfections. Whoever has no share in the risk and difficulty can claim no interest in the honor and pleasure that follow hazardous actions. It is a pity to be so powerful that everything gives way before you. Your fortune thrusts society and company too far from you; it plants you too far apart.
Cette aysance et lasche facilité, de faire tout baisser soubs soy, est ennemye de toute sorte de plaisir. C’est glisser cela, ce n’est pas aller: c’est dormir, ce n’est pas viure! Conceuez l’homme accompagné d’omnipotence, vous l’abysmez: il faut qu’il vous demande par aumosne, de l’empeschement et de la resistance. Son estre et son bien est en indigence.
This ease, this slack facility of making everything bow beneath you, is the enemy of every kind of pleasure. That is sliding, not walking; it is sleeping, not living! Imagine a man attended by omnipotence: you sink him in an abyss. He must beg you for hindrance and resistance as for alms. His being and his good are in want.
Leurs bonnes qualitez sont mortes et perdues: car elles ne se sentent que par comparaison, et on les en met hors: ils ont peu de cognoissance de la vraye loüange, estans batus d’vne si continuelle approbation et vniforme. Ont ils affaire au plus sot de leurs subiects? ils n’ont aucun moyen de prendre aduantage sur luy: en disant, C’est pour ce qu’il est mon Roy, il luy semble auoir assez dict, qu’il a presté la main à se laisser vaincre. Cette qualité estouffe et consomme les autres qualitez vrayes et essentielles: elles sont enfoncees dans la royauté: et ne leur laisse à eux faire valoir, que les actions qui la touchent directement, et qui luy seruent: les offices de leur charge.
Their good qualities are dead and lost, for qualities are felt only by comparison, and kings are put out of reach of comparison. They know little of true praise, battered as they are by such continual and uniform approval. Do they have to deal with the stupidest of their subjects? They have no way of getting the better of him. He has only to say, “It is because he is my king,” and he thinks he has made it plain enough that he lent a hand to his own defeat. This quality smothers and consumes their other true and essential qualities; these are sunk in royalty. It leaves them nothing to show off but the actions that touch it directly and serve it: the duties of their office.
C’est tant estre Roy, qu’il n’est que par là. Cette lueur estrangere qui l’enuironne, le cache, et nous le desrobe: nostre veuë s’y rompt et s’y dissipe, estant remplie et arrestee par cette forte lumiere. Le Senat ordonna le prix d’eloquence à Tybere: il le refusa, n’estimant pas d’vn iugement si peu libre, quand bien il eust esté veritable, il s’en peust ressentir.
This is being king to such a degree that he exists only through it. That borrowed glow surrounding him hides him and steals him from us; our sight is broken and scattered by it, being filled and stopped by that strong light. The Senate awarded the prize for eloquence to Tiberius. He refused it, thinking he could take no satisfaction from a judgment so little free, even had it been true.
Comme on leur cede tous auantages d’honneur, aussi conforte lon et auctorise les deffauts et vices qu’ils ont: non seulement par approbation, mais aussi par imitation. Chacun des suiuans d’Alexandre portoit comme luy, la teste à costé. Et les flateurs de Dionisius, s’entrehurtoient en sa presence, poussoyent et versoient ce qui se rencontroit à leurs pieds, pour dire qu’ils auoient la veuë aussi courte que luy. Les greueures ont aussi par fois seruy de recommandation et faueur. I’en ay veu la surdité en affectation. Et par ce que le maistre hayssoit sa femme, Plutarque a veu les courtisans repudier les leurs, qu’ils aymoient.
Just as all the advantages of honor are yielded to them, so their defects and vices are encouraged and sanctioned, not only by approval but also by imitation. Each of Alexander’s followers carried his head tilted to one side, as he did. And the flatterers of Dionysius bumped into one another in his presence, and knocked over and upset whatever lay at their feet, to show that they were as short-sighted as he. Ruptures, too, have at times served as a recommendation and a source of favor. I have seen deafness put on for affectation. And because the master hated his wife, Plutarch saw the courtiers repudiate their own wives, whom they loved.
Qui plus est, la paillardise s’en est veuë en credit, et toute dissolution: comme aussi la desloyauté, les blasphemes, la cruauté: comme l’heresie, comme la superstition, l’irreligion, la mollesse, et pis si pis il y a. Par vn exemple encores plus dangereux, que celuy des flateurs de Mithridates, qui d’autant que leur maistre pretendoit à l’honneur de bon medecin, luy portoient à inciser et cauteriser leurs membres. Car ces autres souffrent cauteriser leur ame, partie plus delicate et plus noble.
What is more, lechery has been seen to come into fashion this way, and every kind of debauchery; and likewise disloyalty, blasphemy, cruelty; and heresy, superstition, irreligion, softness, and worse, if there is worse. This is an example even more dangerous than that of Mithridates’ flatterers. Because their master aspired to the honor of being a good physician, they brought him their limbs to cut and cauterize. These others let their souls be cauterized, a more delicate and noble part.
Mais pour acheuer par où i’ay commencé: Adrian l’Empereur debatant auec le philosophe Fauorinus de l’interpretation de quelque mot: Fauorinus luy en quitta bien tost la victoire: ses amys se plaignans à luy: Vous vous moquez, fit-il, voudriez vous qu’il ne fust pas plus sçauant que moy, luy qui commande à trente legions? Auguste escriuit des vers contre Asinius Pollio: Et moy, dit Pollio, ie me tais: ce n’est pas sagesse d’escrire à l’enuy de celuy, qui peut proscrire. Et auoient raison. Car Dionysius pour ne pouuoir esgaller Philoxenus en la poësie, et Platon en discours: en condamna l’vn aux carrieres, et enuoya vendre l’autre esclaue en l’isle d’Ægine.
But to end where I began: the Emperor Hadrian was debating with the philosopher Favorinus over the interpretation of some word, and Favorinus soon conceded him the victory. When his friends complained to him, he said, “You must be joking. Would you have him not be more learned than I, he who commands thirty legions?” Augustus wrote verses against Asinius Pollio. “And I,” said Pollio, “keep silent: it is not wise to write in rivalry with a man who can proscribe.” And they were right. For Dionysius, because he could not equal Philoxenus in poetry and Plato in reasoning, condemned the one to the quarries and sent the other to be sold as a slave on the island of Aegina.