第 13 节
作者:
着凉 更新:2021-02-27 01:59 字数:9322
〃Beneficia ea usque lxta sunt; dum videntur exsolvi posse;
ubi multum antevenere; pro gratis odium redditur;〃
'〃Benefits are so far acceptable as they appear to be capable of
recompense; where they much exceed that point; hatred is returned
instead of thanks。〃Tacitus; Annal。; iv。 18。'
and Seneca vigorously says:
〃Nam qui putat esse turpe non reddere;
non vult esse cui reddat:〃
'〃For he who thinks it a shame not to requite; does not wish to
have the man live to whom he owes return。〃Seneca; Ep。; 81。'
Q。 Cicero says with less directness。:
〃Qui se non putat satisfacere;
amicus esse nullo modo potest。〃
'〃Who thinks himself behind in obligation; can by no
means be a friend。〃Q。 Cicero; De Petitione Consul; c。 9。'
The subject; according to what it is; may make a man looked upon as
learned and of good memory; but to judge in him the parts that are most
his own and the most worthy; the vigour and beauty of his soul; one must
first know what is his own and what is not; and in that which is not his
own; how much we are obliged to him for the choice; disposition;
ornament; and language he has there presented us with。 What if he has
borrowed the matter and spoiled the form; as it often falls out? We; who
are little read in books; are in this strait; that when we meet with a
high fancy in some new poet; or some strong argument in a preacher; we
dare not; nevertheless; commend it till we have first informed ourselves;
through some learned man; if it be the writer's wit or borrowed from some
other; until that I always stand upon my guard。
I have lately been reading the history of Tacitus quite through; without
interrupting it with anything else (which but seldom happens with me; it
being twenty years since I have kept to any one book an hour together);
and I did it at the instance of a gentleman for whom France has a great
esteem; as well for his own particular worth; as upon the account of a
constant form of capacity and virtue which runs through a great many
brothers of them。 I do not know any author in a public narrative who
mixes so much consideration of manners and particular inclinations: and I
am of a quite contrary opinion to him; holding that; having especially to
follow the lives of the emperors of his time; so various and extreme in
all sorts of forms; so many notable actions as their cruelty especially
produced in their subjects; he had a stronger and more attractive matter
to treat of than if he had had to describe battles and universal
commotions; so that I often find him sterile; running over those brave
deaths as if he feared to trouble us with their multitude and length。
This form of history is by much the most useful; public movements depend
most upon the conduct of fortune; private ones upon our own。 'Tis rather
a judgment than a narration of history; there are in it more precepts
than stories: it is not a book to read; 'tis a book to study and learn;
'tis full of sententious opinions; right or wrong; 'tis a nursery of
ethic and politic discourses; for the use and ornament of those who have
any place in the government of the world。 He always argues by strong and
solid reasons; after a pointed and subtle manner; according to the
affected style of that age; which was so in love with an inflated manner;
that where point and subtlety were wanting in things it supplied these
with lofty and swelling words。 'Tis not much unlike the style of Seneca:
I look upon Tacitus as more sinewy; and Seneca as more sharp。 His pen
seems most proper for a troubled and sick state; as ours at present is;
you would often say that he paints and pinches us。
They who doubt his good faith sufficiently accuse themselves of being his
enemy upon some other account。 His opinions are sound; and lean to the
right side in the Roman affairs。 And yet I am angry at him for judging
more severely of Pompey than consists with the opinion of those worthy
men who lived in the same time; and had dealings with him; and to have
reputed him on a par with Marius and Sylla; excepting that he was more
close。 Other writers have not acquitted his intention in the government
of affairs from ambition and revenge; and even his friends were afraid
that victory would have transported him beyond the bounds of reason; but
not to so immeasurable a degree as theirs; nothing in his life threatened
such express cruelty and tyranny。 Neither ought we to set suspicion
against evidence; and therefore I do not believe Plutarch in this matter。
That his narrations were genuine and straightforward may; perhaps; be
argued from this very thing; that they do not always apply to the
conclusions of his judgments; which he follows according to the bias he
has taken; very often beyond the matter he presents us withal; which he
has not deigned to alter in the least degree。 He needs no excuse for
having approved the religion of his time; according as the laws enjoined;
and to have been ignorant of the true; this was his misfortune; not his
fault。
I have principally considered his judgment; and am not very well
satisfied therewith throughout; as these words in the letter that
Tiberius; old and sick; sent to the senate。 〃What shall I write to you;
sirs; or how should I write to you; or what should I not write to you at
this time? May the gods and goddesses lay a worse punishment upon me
than I am every day tormented with; if I know!〃 I do not see why he
should so positively apply them to a sharp remorse that tormented the
conscience of Tiberius; at least; when I was in the same condition; I
perceived no such thing。
And this also seemed to me a little mean in him that; having to say that
he had borne an honourable office in Rome; he excuses himself that he
does not say it out of ostentation; this seems; I say; mean for such a
soul as his; for not to speak roundly of a man's self implies some want
of courage; a man of solid and lofty judgment; who judges soundly and
surely; makes use of his own example upon all occasions; as well as those
of others; and gives evidence as freely of himself as of a third person。
We are to pass by these common rules of civility; in favour of truth and
liberty。 I dare not only speak of myself; but to speak only of myself:
when I write of anything else; I miss my way and wander from my subject。
I am not so indiscreetly enamoured of myself; so wholly mixed up with;
and bound to myself; that I cannot distinguish and consider myself apart;
as I do a neighbour or a tree: 'tis equally a fault not to discern how
far a man's worth extends; and to say more than a man discovers in
himself。 We owe more love to God than to ourselves; and know Him less;
and yet speak of Him as much as we will。
If the writings of Tacitus indicate anything true of his qualities; he
was a great personage; upright and bold; not of a superstitious but of a
philosophical and generous virtue。 One may think him bold in his
relations; as where he tells us; that a soldier carrying a burden of
wood; his hands were so frozen and so stuck to the load that they there
remained closed and dead; being severed from his arms。 I always in such
things bow to the authority of so great witnesses。
What also he says; that Vespasian; by the favour of the god Serapis;
cured a blind woman at Alexandria by anointing her eyes with his spittle;
and I know not what other miracle;〃 he says by the example and duty of
all his good historians。 They record all events of importance; and
amongst public incidents are the popular rumours and opinions。 'Tis
their part to relate common beliefs; not to regulate them: that part
concerns divines and philosophers; directors of consciences; and
therefore it was that this companion of his; and a great man like
himself; very wisely said:
〃Equidem plura transcribo; quam credo: nam nec affirmare
sustineo; de quibus dubito; nec subducere quae accepi;〃
'〃Truly; I set down more things than I believe; for I can neither
affirm things whereof I doubt; nor suppress what I have heard。〃
〃Quintus Curtius; ix。'
and this other:
〃Haec neque affirmare neque refellere operae
pretium est; famae rerum standum est。〃
''Tis neither worth the while to affirm or to refute these things;
we must stand to report〃Livy; i。; Praef。; and viii。 6。'
And writing in an age wherein the belief of prodigies began to decline;
he says he would not; nevertheless; forbear to insert in his Annals; and
to give a relation of things received by so many worthy men; and with so
great reverence of antiquity; 'tis very well said。 Let them deliver to
us history; more as they receive it than as they believe it。 I; who am
monarch of the matter whereof I treat; and who am accountable to none; do
not; nevertheless; always believe myself; I often hazard sallies of my
own wit; wherein I very much suspect myself; and certain verbal quibbles;
at which I shake my ears; but I let them go at a venture。 I see that
others get reputation by such things: 'tis not for me alone to judge。 I
pr