第 13 节
作者:
上访不如上网 更新:2022-05-01 22:41 字数:9322
never be prevailed upon to go with his head covered; how cold; stormy; or
rainy soever the weather might be; which also is reported of the Emperor
Severus。 Herodotus tells us; that in the battles fought betwixt the
Egyptians and the Persians; it was observed both by himself and by
others; that of those who were left dead upon the field; the heads of the
Egyptians were without comparison harder than those of the Persians; by
reason that the last had gone with their heads always covered from their
infancy; first with biggins; and then with turbans; and the others always
shaved and bare。 King Agesilaus continued to a decrepit age to wear
always the same clothes in winter that he did in summer。 Caesar; says
Suetonius; marched always at the head of his army; for the most part on
foot; with his head bare; whether it was rain or sunshine; and as much is
said of Hannibal:
〃Tum vertice nudo;
Excipere insanos imbres; coelique ruinam。〃
'〃Bareheaded he marched in snow; exposed to pouring rain and the
utmost rigour of the weather。〃Silius Italicus; i。 250。'
A Venetian who has long lived in Pegu; and has lately returned thence;
writes that the men and women of that kingdom; though they cover all
their other parts; go always barefoot and ride so too; and Plato very
earnestly advises for the health of the whole body; to give the head and
the feet no other clothing than what nature has bestowed。 He whom the
Poles have elected for their king;'Stephen Bathory' since ours came
thence; who is; indeed; one of the greatest princes of this age; never
wears any gloves; and in winter or whatever weather can come; never wears
other cap abroad than that he wears at home。 Whereas I cannot endure to
go unbuttoned or untied; my neighbouring labourers would think themselves
in chains; if they were so braced。 Varro is of opinion; that when it was
ordained we should be bare in the presence of the gods and before the
magistrate; it was so ordered rather upon the score of health; and to
inure us to the injuries of weather; than upon the account of reverence;
and since we are now talking of cold; and Frenchmen used to wear variety
of colours (not I myself; for I seldom wear other than black or white; in
imitation of my father); let us add another story out of Le Capitaine
Martin du Bellay; who affirms; that in the march to Luxembourg he saw so
great frost; that the munition…wine was cut with hatchets and wedges; and
delivered out to the soldiers by weight; and that they carried it away in
baskets: and Ovid;
〃Nudaque consistunt; formam servantia testae;
Vina; nec hausta meri; sed data frusta; bibunt。〃
'〃The wine when out of the cask retains the form of the cask;
and is given out not in cups; but in bits。〃
Ovid; Trist。; iii。 10; 23。'
At the mouth of Lake Maeotis the frosts are so very sharp; that in the
very same place where Mithridates' lieutenant had fought the enemy
dryfoot and given them a notable defeat; the summer following he obtained
over them a naval victory。 The Romans fought at a very great
disadvantage; in the engagement they had with the Carthaginians near
Piacenza; by reason that they went to the charge with their blood
congealed and their limbs numbed with cold; whereas Hannibal had caused
great fires to be dispersed quite through his camp to warm his soldiers;
and oil to be distributed amongst them; to the end that anointing
themselves; they might render their nerves more supple and active; and
fortify the pores against the violence of the air and freezing wind;
which raged in that season。
The retreat the Greeks made from Babylon into their own country is famous
for the difficulties and calamities they had to overcome; of which this
was one; that being encountered in the mountains of Armenia with a
horrible storm of snow; they lost all knowledge of the country and of the
ways; and being driven up; were a day and a night without eating or
drinking; most of their cattle died; many of themselves were starved to
death; several struck blind with the force of the hail and the glare of
the snow; many of them maimed in their fingers and toes; and many stiff
and motionless with the extremity of the cold; who had yet their
understanding entire。
Alexander saw a nation; where they bury their fruit…trees in winter to
protect them from being destroyed by the frost; and we also may see the
same。
But; so far as clothes go; the King of Mexico changed four times a day
his apparel; and never put it on again; employing that he left off in his
continual liberalities and rewards; and neither pot; dish; nor other
utensil of his kitchen or table was ever served twice。
CHAPTER XXXVI
OF CATO THE YOUNGER
'〃I am not possessed with this common errour; to judge of others
according to what I am my selfe。 I am easie to beleeve things
differing from my selfe。 Though I be engaged to one forme; I do not
tie the world unto it; as every man doth。 And I beleeve and
conceive a thousand manners of life; contrary to the common sorte。〃
Florio; ed。 1613; p。 113。'
I am not guilty of the common error of judging another by myself。 I
easily believe that in another's humour which is contrary to my own; and
though I find myself engaged to one certain form; I do not oblige others
to it; as many do; but believe and apprehend a thousand ways of living;
and; contrary to most men; more easily admit of difference than
uniformity amongst us。 I as frankly as any one would have me; discharge
a man from my humours and principles; and consider him according to his
own particular model。 Though I am not continent myself; I nevertheless
sincerely approve the continence of the Feuillans and Capuchins; and
highly commend their way of living。 I insinuate myself by imagination
into their place; and love and honour them the more for being other than
I am。 I very much desire that we may be judged every man by himself; and
would not be drawn into the consequence of common examples。 My own
weakness nothing alters the esteem I ought to have for the force and
vigour of those who deserve it:
〃Sunt qui nihil suadent; quam quod se imitari posse confidunt。〃
'〃There are who persuade nothing but what they believe they can
imitate themselves。〃Cicero; De Orator。; c。 7。'
Crawling upon the slime of the earth; I do not for all that cease to
observe up in the clouds the inimitable height of some heroic souls。
'Tis a great deal for me to have my judgment regular and just; if the
effects cannot be so; and to maintain this sovereign part; at least; free
from corruption; 'tis something to have my will right and good where my
legs fail me。 This age wherein we live; in our part of the world at
least; is grown so stupid; that not only the exercise; but the very
imagination of virtue is defective; and seems to be no other but college
jargon:
〃Virtutem verba putant; ut
Lucum ligna:〃
'〃They think words virtue; as they think mere wood a sacred grove。〃
Horace; Ep。; i。 6; 31。'
〃Quam vereri deberent; etiam si percipere non possent。〃
'〃Which they ought to reverence; though they cannot comprehend。〃
Cicero; Tusc。 Quas。; v。 2。'
'Tis a gewgaw to hang in a cabinet or at the end of the tongue; as on the
tip of the ear; for ornament only。 There are no longer virtuous actions
extant; those actions that carry a show of virtue have yet nothing of its
essence; by reason that profit; glory; fear; custom; and other suchlike
foreign causes; put us on the way to produce them。 Our justice also;
valour; courtesy; may be called so too; in respect to others and
according to the face they appear with to the public; but in the doer it
can by no means be virtue; because there is another end proposed; another
moving cause。 Now virtue owns nothing to be hers; but what is done by
herself and for herself alone。
In that great battle of Plataea; that the Greeks under the command of
Pausanias gained against Mardonius and the Persians; the conquerors;
according to their custom; coming to divide amongst them the glory of the
exploit; attributed to the Spartan nation the pre…eminence of valour in
the engagement。 The Spartans; great judges of virtue; when they came to
determine to what particular man of their nation the honour was due of
having the best behaved himself upon this occasion; found that
Aristodemus had of all others hazarded his person with the greatest
bravery; but did not; however; allow him any prize; by reason that his
virtue had been incited by a desire to clear his reputation from the
reproach of his miscarriage at the business of Thermopylae; and to die
bravely to wipe off that former blemish。
Our judgments are yet sick; and obey the humour of our depraved manners。
I observe most of the wits of these times pretend to ingenuity; by
endeavouring to blemish and darken the glory of the bravest and most
generous actions of former ages; putting one vile interpretation or
another upon them; and forging and supposing vain causes and motives for
the noble thing