第21章

Everyopinionisofforceenoughtocauseitselftobeespousedattheexpenseoflife。ThefirstarticleofthatvaliantoaththatGreecetookandobservedintheMedianwar，wasthateveryoneshouldsoonerexchangelifefordeath，thantheirownlawsforthoseofPersia。WhataworldofpeopledoweseeinthewarsbetwixttheTurksandtheGreeks，ratherembraceacrueldeaththanuncircumcisethemselvestoadmitofbaptism？

Anexampleofwhichnosortofreligionisincapable。

ThekingsofCastilehavingbanishedtheJewsoutoftheirdominions，John，KingofPortugal，inconsiderationofeightcrownsahead，soldthemaretreatintohisforacertainlimitedtime，uponconditionthatthetimefixedcomingtoexpiretheyshouldbegone，andhetofurnishthemwithshippingtotransportthemintoAfrica。Thedaycomes，whichoncelapsedtheyweregiventounderstandthatsuchaswereafterwardfoundinthekingdomshouldremainslaves;vesselswereveryslenderlyprovided;andthosewhoembarkedinthemwererudelyandvillainouslyusedbythepassengers，who，besidesotherindignities，keptthemcruisinguponthesea，onewhileforwardsandanotherbackwards，tilltheyhadspentalltheirprovisions，andwereconstrainedtobuyofthematsodeararateandsolongwithal，thattheysetthemnotonshoretilltheywereallstrippedtotheveryshirts。Thenewsofthisinhumanusagebeingbroughttothosewhoremainedbehind，thegreaterpartofthemresolveduponslaveryandsomemadeashowofchangingreligion。

Emmanuel，thesuccessorofJohn，beingcometothecrown，firstsetthematliberty，andafterwardsalteringhismind，orderedthemtodeparthiscountry，assigningthreeportsfortheirpassage。Hehoped，saysBishopOsorius，nocontemptibleLatinhistorianoftheselatertimes，thatthefavourofthelibertyhehadgiventhemhavingfailedofconvertingthemtoChristianity，yetthedifficultyofcommittingthemselvestothemercyofthemarinersandofabandoningacountrytheywerenowhabituatedtoandweregrownveryrichin，togoandexposethemselvesinstrangeandunknownregions，wouldcertainlydoit。Butfindinghimselfdeceivedinhisexpectation，andthattheywereallresolveduponthevoyage，hecutofftwoofthethreeportshehadpromisedthem，totheendthatthelengthandincommodityofthepassagemightreducesome，orthathemighthaveopportunity，bycrowdingthemallintooneplace，themoreconvenientlytoexecutewhathehaddesigned，whichwastoforceallthechildrenunderfourteenyearsofagefromthearmsoftheirfathersandmothers，totransportthemfromtheirsightandconversation，intoaplacewheretheymightbeinstructedandbroughtupinourreligion。Hesaysthatthisproducedamosthorridspectaclethenaturalaffectionbetwixttheparentsandtheirchildren，andmoreovertheirzealtotheirancientbelief，contendingagainstthisviolentdecree，fathersandmotherswerecommonlyseenmakingthemselvesaway，andbyayetmuchmorerigorousexample，precipitatingoutofloveandcompassiontheiryoungchildrenintowellsandpits，toavoidtheseverityofthislaw。Astotheremainderofthem，thetimethathadbeenprefixedbeingexpired，forwantofmeanstotransportthemtheyagainreturnedintoslavery。

SomealsoturnedChristians，uponwhosefaith，asalsothatoftheirposterity，eventothisday，whichisahundredyearssince，fewPortuguesecanyetrely;thoughcustomandlengthoftimearemuchmorepowerfulcounsellorsinsuchchangesthanallotherconstraintswhatever。

InthetownofCastelnaudari，fiftyhereticAlbigeoisatonetimesufferedthemselvestobeburnedaliveinonefireratherthantheywouldrenouncetheiropinions。

"Quotiesnonmodoductoresnostri，seduniversietiamexercitus，adnondubiammortemconcurrerunt？

["Howoftenhavenotonlyourleaders，butwholearmies，runtoacertainandmanifestdeath。"——Cicero，Tusc。Quaes。，i。37。]

Ihaveseenanintimatefriendofminerunheadlongupondeathwitharealaffection，andthatwasrootedinhisheartbydiversplausibleargumentswhichhewouldneverpermitmetodispossesshimof，anduponthefirsthonourableoccasionthatoffereditselftohim，precipitatehimselfintoit，withoutanymannerofvisiblereason，withanobstinateandardentdesireofdying。Wehaveseveralexamplesinourowntimesofpersons，evenyoungchildren，whoforfearofsomelittleinconveniencehavedespatchedthemselves。Andwhatshallwenotfear，saysoneoftheancients——[Seneca，Ep。，70。]——tothispurpose，ifwedreadthatwhichcowardiceitselfhaschosenforitsrefuge？

ShouldIhereproducealongcatalogueofthose，ofallsexesandconditionsandsects，eveninthemosthappyages，whohaveeitherwithgreatconstancylookeddeathintheface，orvoluntarilysoughtit，andsoughtitnotonlytoavoidtheevilsofthislife，butsomepurelytoavoidthesatietyofliving，andothersforthehopeofabetterconditionelsewhere，Ishouldneverhavedone。Nay，thenumberissoinfinitethatintruthIshouldhaveabetterbargainon’ttoreckonupthosewhohavefearedit。Thisonethereforeshallserveforall:

Pyrrhothephilosopherbeingonedayinaboatinaverygreattempest，shewedtothosehesawthemostaffrightedabouthim，andencouragedthem，bytheexampleofahogthatwasthere，nothingatallconcernedatthestorm。Shallwethendaretosaythatthisadvantageofreason，ofwhichwesomuchboast，andupontheaccountofwhichwethinkourselvesmastersandemperorsovertherestofallcreation，wasgivenusforatorment？Towhatendservestheknowledgeofthingsifitrendersusmoreunmanly？ifwetherebylosethetranquillityandreposeweshouldenjoywithoutit？andifitputusintoaworseconditionthanPyrrho’shog？Shallweemploytheunderstandingthatwasconferreduponusforourgreatestgoodtoourownruin;settingourselvesagainstthedesignofnatureandtheuniversalorderofthings，whichintendthateveryoneshouldmakeuseofthefaculties，members，andmeanshehastohisownbestadvantage？

Butitmay，peradventure，beobjectedagainstme:Yourruleistrueenoughastowhatconcernsdeath;butwhatwillyousayofindigence？

Whatwillyou，moreover，sayofpain，whichAristippus，Hieronimus，andmostofthesageshavereputedtheworstofevils;andthosewhohavedenieditbywordofmouthhave，however，confesseditineffect？

Posidoniusbeingextremelytormentedwithasharpandpainfuldisease，Pompeiuscametovisithim，excusinghimselfthathehadtakensounseasonableatimetocometohearhimdiscourseofphilosophy。

"Thegodsforbid，"saidPosidoniustohim，"thatpainshouldeverhavethepowertohindermefromtalking，"andthereuponfellimmediatelyuponadiscourseofthecontemptofpain:but，inthemeantime，hisowninfirmitywasplayinghispart，andplaguedhimtopurpose;towhichhecriedout，"Thoumayestworkthywill，pain，andtormentmewithallthepowerthouhast，butthoushaltnevermakemesaythatthouartanevil。"

Thisstorythattheymakesuchaclutterwithal，whathasittodo，Ifainwouldknow，withthecontemptofpain？Heonlyfightsitwithwords，andinthemeantime，iftheshootingsanddolourshefeltdidnotmovehim，whydidheinterrupthisdiscourse？Whydidhefancyhedidsogreatathinginforbearingtoconfessitanevil？Alldoesnothereconsistintheimagination;ourfanciesmayworkuponotherthings:buthereisthecertainsciencethatisplayingitspart，ofwhichoursensesthemselvesarejudges:

"Quinisisuntveri，ratioquoquefalsasitomnis。"

["Which，iftheybenottrue，allreasoningmayalsobefalse。

——"Lucretius，iv。486。]

Shallwepersuadeourskinsthatthejerksofawhipagreeablytickleus，orourtastethatapotionofaloesisvindeGraves？Pyrrho’shogishereinthesamepredicamentwithus;heisnotafraidofdeath，’tistrue，butifyoubeathimhewillcryouttosomepurpose。Shallweforcethegenerallawofnature，whichineverylivingcreatureunderheavenisseentotrembleunderpain？Theverytreesseemtogroanundertheblowstheyreceive。Deathisonlyfeltbyreason，forasmuchasitisthemotionofaninstant;

"Autfuit，autveniet;nihilestpraesentisinilla。"

["Deathhasbeen，orwillcome:thereisnothingofthepresentinit。"——EstiennedelaBoetie，Satires。]

"Morsqueminuspoenae，quammoramortis，habet;"

["Thedelayofdeathismorepainfulthandeathitself。"

——Ovid，Ep。AriadnetoTheseus，v。42。]

athousandbeasts，athousandmen，aresoonerdeadthanthreatened。Thatalsowhichweprincipallypretendtofearindeathispain，itsordinaryforerunner:yet，ifwemaybelieveaholyfather:

"Malammortemnonfacit，nisiquodsequiturmortem。"

["Thatwhichfollowsdeathmakesdeathbad。"

——St。Augustin，DeCivit。Dei，i。ii。]

AndIshouldyetsay，moreprobably，thatneitherthatwhichgoesbeforenorthatwhichfollowsafterisatalloftheappurtenancesofdeath。

Weexcuseourselvesfalsely:andIfindbyexperiencethatitisrathertheimpatienceoftheimaginationofdeaththatmakesusimpatientofpain，andthatwefinditdoublygrievousasitthreatensuswithdeath。

Butreasonaccusingourcowardiceforfearingathingsosudden，soinevitable，andsoinsensible，wetaketheotherasthemoreexcusablepretence。Allillsthatcarrynootherdangeralongwiththembutsimplytheevilsthemselves，wetreatasthingsofnodanger:thetoothacheorthegout，painfulastheyare，yetbeingnotreputedmortal，whoreckonstheminthecatalogueofdiseases？

Butletuspresupposethatindeathweprincipallyregardthepain;asalsothereisnothingtobefearedinpovertybutthemiseriesitbringsalongwithitofthirst，hunger，cold，heat，watching，andtheotherinconveniencesitmakesussuffer，stillwehavenothingtodowithanythingbutpain。Iwillgrant，andverywillingly，thatitistheworstincidentofourbeing（forIamthemanuponearthwhothemosthatesandavoidsit，consideringthathitherto，IthankGod，Ihavehadsolittletrafficwithit），butstillitisinus，ifnottoannihilate，atleasttolessenitbypatience;andthoughthebodyandthereasonshouldmutiny，tomaintainthesoul，nevertheless，ingoodcondition。

Wereitnotso，whohadevergivenreputationtovirtue;valour，force，magnanimity，andresolution？whereweretheirpartstobeplayediftherewerenopaintobedefied？

"Avidaestpericulivirtus。"

["Courageisgreedyofdanger。"——Seneca，DeProvidentia，c。4]

Weretherenolyinguponthehardground，noenduring，armedatallpoints，themeridionalheats，nofeedinguponthefleshofhorsesandasses，noseeingaman’sselfhackedandhewedtopieces，nosufferingabullettobepulledoutfromamongsttheshatteredbones，nosewingup，cauterisingandsearchingofwounds，bywhatmeansweretheadvantagewecovettohaveoverthevulgartobeacquired？’Tisfarfromflyingevilandpain，whatthesagessay，thatofactionsequallygood，amanshouldmostcovettoperformthatwhereinthereisgreaterlabourandpain。

"Nonestenimhilaritate，neclascivia，necrisu，autjococomitelevitatis，sedsaepeetiamtristesfirmitateetconstantiasuntbeati。"

["Formenarenotonlyhappybymirthandwantonness，bylaughterandjesting，thecompanionoflevity，butofttimestheserioussortreapfelicityfromtheirfirmnessandconstancy。"

——Cicero，DeFinib。ii。10。]

Andforthisreasonithaseverbeenimpossibletopersuadeourforefathersbutthatthevictoriesobtainedbydintofforceandthehazardofwarwerenotmorehonourablethanthoseperformedingreatsecuritybystratagemorpractice:

"Laetiusest，quotiesmagnosibiconstathonestum。"

["Agooddeedisallthemoreasatisfactionbyhowmuchthemoreithascostus"——Lucan，ix。404。]

Besides，thisoughttobeourcomfort，thatnaturally，ifthepainbeviolent，’tisbutshort;andiflong，nothingviolent:

"Sigravis，brevis;

Silongus，l