第 15 节
作者:上访不如上网      更新:2022-05-01 22:41      字数:9321
  '〃Is Venus really so alarming to the new…made bride; or does she
  honestly oppose her parent's rejoicing the tears she so abundantly
  sheds on entering the nuptial chamber?  No; by the Gods; these are
  no true tears。〃Catullus; lxvi。 15。'
  '〃Is Venus really so repugnant to newly…married maids?  Do they meet
  the smiles of parents with feigned tears?  They weep copiously
  within the very threshold of the nuptial chamber。  No; so the gods
  help me; they do not truly grieve。〃Catullus; lxvi。  15。'
  'A more literal translation。  D。W。'
  Neither is it strange to lament a person dead whom a man would by no
  means should be alive。  When I rattle my man; I do it with all the mettle
  I have; and load him with no feigned; but downright real curses; but the
  heat being over; if he should stand in need of me; I should be very ready
  to do him good: for I instantly turn the leaf。  When I call him calf and
  coxcomb; I do not pretend to entail those titles upon him for ever;
  neither do I think I give myself the lie in calling him an honest fellow
  presently after。  No one quality engrosses us purely and universally。
  Were it not the sign of a fool to talk to one's self; there would hardly
  be a day or hour wherein I might not be heard to grumble and mutter to
  myself and against myself; 〃Confound the fool!〃 and yet I do not think
  that to be my definition。  Who for seeing me one while cold and presently
  very fond towards my wife; believes the one or the other to be
  counterfeited; is an ass。  Nero; taking leave of his mother whom he was
  sending to be drowned; was nevertheless sensible of some emotion at this
  farewell; and was struck with horror and pity。  'Tis said; that the light
  of the sun is not one continuous thing; but that he darts new rays so
  thick one upon another that we cannot perceive the intermission:
  〃Largus enim liquidi fons luminis; aetherius sol;
  Irrigat assidue coelum candore recenti;
  Suppeditatque novo confestim lumine lumen。〃
  '〃So the wide fountain of liquid light; the ethereal sun; steadily
  fertilises the heavens with new heat; and supplies a continuous
  store of fresh light。〃Lucretius; v。 282。'
  Just so the soul variously and imperceptibly darts out her passions。
  Artabanus coming by surprise once upon his nephew Xerxes; chid him for
  the sudden alteration of his countenance。  He was considering the
  immeasurable greatness of his forces passing over the Hellespont for the
  Grecian expedition: he was first seized with a palpitation of joy; to see
  so many millions of men under his command; and this appeared in the
  gaiety of his looks: but his thoughts at the same instant suggesting to
  him that of so many lives; within a century at most; there would not be
  one left; he presently knit his brows and grew sad; even to tears。
  We have resolutely pursued the revenge of an injury received; and been
  sensible of a singular contentment for the victory; but we shall weep
  notwithstanding。  'Tis not for the victory; though; that we shall weep:
  there is nothing altered in that but the soul looks upon things with
  another eye and represents them to itself with another kind of face; for
  everything has many faces and several aspects。
  Relations; old acquaintances; and friendships; possess our imaginations
  and make them tender for the time; according to their condition; but the
  turn is so quick; that 'tis gone in a moment:
  〃Nil adeo fieri celeri ratione videtur;
  Quam si mens fieri proponit; et inchoat ipsa;
  Ocius ergo animus; quam res se perciet ulla;
  Ante oculos quorum in promptu natura videtur;〃
  '〃Nothing therefore seems to be done in so swift a manner than if
  the mind proposes it to be done; and itself begins。  It is more
  active than anything which we see in nature。〃Lucretius; iii。 183。'
  and therefore; if we would make one continued thing of all this
  succession of passions; we deceive ourselves。  When Timoleon laments the
  murder he had committed upon so mature and generous deliberation; he does
  not lament the liberty restored to his country; he does not lament the
  tyrant; but he laments his brother: one part of his duty is performed;
  let us give him leave to perform the other。
  CHAPTER XXXVIII
  OF SOLITUDE
  Let us pretermit that long comparison betwixt the active and the solitary
  life; and as for the fine sayings with which ambition and avarice
  palliate their vices; that we are not born for ourselves but for the
  public;'This is the eulogium passed by Lucan on Cato of Utica; ii。
  383。' let us boldly appeal to those who are in public affairs; let them
  lay their hands upon their hearts; and then say whether; on the contrary;
  they do not rather aspire to titles and offices and that tumult of the
  world to make their private advantage at the public expense。  The corrupt
  ways by which in this our time they arrive at the height to which their
  ambitions aspire; manifestly enough declares that their ends cannot be
  very good。  Let us tell ambition that it is she herself who gives us a
  taste of solitude; for what does she so much avoid as society?  What does
  she so much seek as elbowroom?  A man many do well or ill everywhere; but
  if what Bias says be true; that the greatest part is the worse part; or
  what the Preacher says: there is not one good of a thousand:
  〃Rari quippe boni: numero vix sunt totidem quot
  Thebarum portae; vel divitis ostia Nili;〃
  '〃Good men forsooth are scarce: there are hardly as many as there
  are gates of Thebes or mouths of the rich Nile。〃
  Juvenal; Sat。; xiii。 26。'
  the contagion is very dangerous in the crowd。  A man must either imitate
  the vicious or hate them both are dangerous things; either to resemble
  them because they are many or to hate many because they are unresembling
  to ourselves。  Merchants who go to sea are in the right when they are
  cautious that those who embark with them in the same bottom be neither
  dissolute blasphemers nor vicious other ways; looking upon such society
  as unfortunate。  And therefore it was that Bias pleasantly said to some;
  who being with him in a dangerous storm implored the assistance of the
  gods: 〃Peace; speak softly;〃 said he; 〃that they may not know you are
  here in my company。〃 'Diogenes Laertius'  And of more pressing
  example; Albuquerque; viceroy in the Indies for Emmanuel; king of
  Portugal; in an extreme peril of shipwreck; took a young boy upon his
  shoulders; for this only end that; in the society of their common danger
  his innocence might serve to protect him; and to recommend him to the
  divine favour; that they might get safe to shore。  'Tis not that a wise
  man may not live everywhere content; and be alone in the very crowd of a
  palace; but if it be left to his own choice; the schoolman will tell you
  that he should fly the very sight of the crowd: he will endure it if need
  be; but if it be referred to him; he will choose to be alone。  He cannot
  think himself sufficiently rid of vice; if he must yet contend with it in
  other men。  Charondas punished those as evil men who were convicted of
  keeping ill company。  There is nothing so unsociable and sociable as man;
  the one by his vice; the other by his nature。  And Antisthenes; in my
  opinion; did not give him a satisfactory answer; who reproached him with
  frequenting ill company; by saying that the physicians lived well enough
  amongst the sick; for if they contribute to the health of the sick; no
  doubt but by the contagion; continual sight of; and familiarity with
  diseases; they must of necessity impair their own。
  Now the end; I take it; is all one; to live at more leisure and at one's
  ease: but men do not always take the right way。  They often think they
  have totally taken leave of all business; when they have only exchanged
  one employment for another: there is little less trouble in governing a
  private family than a whole kingdom。  Wherever the mind is perplexed; it
  is in an entire disorder; and domestic employments are not less
  troublesome for being less important。  Moreover; for having shaken off
  the court and the exchange; we have not taken leave of the principal
  vexations of life:
  〃Ratio et prudentia curas;
  Non locus effusi late maris arbiter; aufert;〃
  '〃Reason and prudence; not a place with a commanding view of the
  great ocean; banish care。〃Horace; Ep。; i。 2。'
  ambition; avarice; irresolution; fear; and inordinate desires; do not
  leave us because we forsake our native country:
  〃Et
  Post equitem sedet atra cura;〃
  '〃Black care sits behind the horse man。〃
  Horace; Od。; iii。 1; 40'。
  they often follow us even to cloisters and philosophical schools; nor
  deserts; nor caves; hair…shirts; nor fasts; can disengage us from them:
  〃Haeret lateri lethalis arundo。〃
  '〃The fatal shaft adheres to the side。〃AEneid; iv。 73。'
  One telling Socrates that such a one was nothing improved by his travels:
  〃I very well believe it;〃 said he; 〃for he took