第28章

Allthings，saysanoldadage，aretobehopedforbyamanwhilsthelives;ay，but，repliesSeneca，whyshouldthisratherbealwaysrunninginaman’sheadthatfortunecandoallthingsforthelivingman，thanthis，thatfortunehasnopoweroverhimthatknowshowtodie？

Josephus，whenengagedinsonearandapparentdanger，awholepeoplebeingviolentlybentagainsthim，thattherewasnovisiblemeansofescape，nevertheless，being，ashehimselfsays，inthisextremitycounselledbyoneofhisfriendstodespatchhimself，itwaswellforhimthatheyetmaintainedhimselfinhope，forfortunedivertedtheaccidentbeyondallhumanexpectation，sothathesawhimselfdeliveredwithoutanymannerofinconvenience。WhereasBrutusandCassius，onthecontrary，threwawaytheremainsoftheRomanliberty，ofwhichtheywerethesoleprotectors，bytheprecipitationandtemeritywherewiththeykilledthemselvesbeforetheduetimeandajustoccasion。Monsieurd’Anguien，atthebattleofSerisolles，twiceattemptedtorunhimselfthrough，despairingofthefortuneoftheday，whichwentindeedveryuntowardlyonthatsideofthefieldwherehewasengaged，andbythatprecipitationwasveryneardeprivinghimselfoftheenjoymentofsobraveavictory。Ihaveseenahundredharesescapeoutoftheveryteethofthegreyhounds:

"Aliquiscarnificisuosuperstesfuit。"

["Somehavesurvivedtheirexecutioners。"——Seneca，Ep。，13。]

"Multadies，variusquelabormutabilisneviRettulitinmelius;multosalternarevisensLusit，etinsolidorursusfortunalocavit。"

[Lengthofdays，andthevariouslabourofchangefultime，havebroughtthingstoabetterstate;fortuneturning，shewsareverseface，andagainrestoresmentoprosperity。"——AEneid，xi。425。]

Pinysaystherearebutthreesortsofdiseases，toescapewhichamanhasgoodtitletodestroyhimself;theworstofwhichisthestoneinthebladder，whentheurineissuppressed。

["Inthequartoeditionoftheseessays，in1588，Plinyissaidtomentiontwomore，viz。，apaininthestomachandaheadache，which，hesays（lib。xxv。c。9。），weretheonlythreedistempersalmostforwhichmenkilledthemselves。"]

Senecasaysthoseonlywhichforalongtimearediscomposingthefunctionsofthesoul。Andsometherehavebeenwho，toavoidaworsedeath，havechosenonetotheirownliking。Democritus，generaloftheAEtolians，beingbroughtprisonertoRome，foundmeanstomakehisescapebynight:butclosepursuedbyhiskeepers，ratherthansufferhimselftoberetaken，hefelluponhisownswordanddied。AntinousandTheodotus，theircityofEpirusbeingreducedbytheRomanstothelastextremity，gavethepeoplecounseluniversallytokillthemselves;but，thesepreferringtogivethemselvesuptotheenemy，thetwochiefswenttoseekthedeaththeydesired，rushingfuriouslyupontheenemy，withintentiontostrikehomebutnottowardablow。TheIslandofGozzobeingtakensomeyearsagobytheTurks，aSicilian，whohadtwobeautifuldaughtersmarriageable，killedthembothwithhisownhand，andtheirmother，runningintosavethem，toboot，whichhavingdone，sallyingoutofthehousewithacross—bowandharquebus，withtwoshotshekilledtwooftheTurksnearesttohisdoor，anddrawinghissword，chargedfuriouslyinamongsttherest，wherehewassuddenlyenclosedandcuttopieces，bythatmeansdeliveringhisfamilyandhimselffromslaveryanddishonour。TheJewishwomen，afterhavingcircumcisedtheirchildren，threwthemandthemselvesdownaprecipicetoavoidthecrueltyofAntigonus。Ihavebeentoldofapersonofconditioninoneofourprisons，thathisfriends，beinginformedthathewouldcertainlybecondemned，toavoidtheignominyofsuchadeathsubornedapriesttotellhimthattheonlymeansofhisdeliverancewastorecommendhimselftosuchasaint，undersuchandsuchvows，andtofasteightdaystogetherwithouttakinganymannerofnourishment，whatweaknessorfaintnesssoeverhemightfindinhimselfduringthetime;hefollowedtheiradvice，andbythatmeansdestroyedhimselfbeforehewasaware，notdreamingofdeathoranydangerintheexperiment。ScriboniaadvisinghernephewLibotokillhimselfratherthanawaitthestrokeofjustice，toldhimthatitwastodootherpeople’sbusinesstopreservehislifetoputitafterintothehandsofthosewhowithinthreeorfourdayswouldfetchhimtoexecution，andthatitwastoservehisenemiestokeephisbloodtogratifytheirmalice。

WereadintheBiblethatNicanor，thepersecutorofthelawofGod，havingsenthissoldierstoseizeuponthegoodoldmanRazis，surnamedinhonourofhisvirtuethefatheroftheJews:thegoodman，seeingnootherremedy，hisgatesburneddown，andtheenemiesreadytoseizehim，choosingrathertodienoblythantofallintothehandsofhiswickedadversariesandsufferhimselftobecruellybutcheredbythem，contrarytothehonourofhisrankandquality，stabbedhimselfwithhisownsword，buttheblow，forhaste，nothavingbeengivenhome，heranandthrewhimselffromthetopofawallheadlongamongthem，whoseparatingthemselvesandmakingroom，hepitcheddirectlyuponhishead;

notwithstandingwhich，feelingyetinhimselfsomeremainsoflife，herenewedhiscourage，andstartingupuponhisfeetallbloodyandwoundedashewas，andmakinghiswaythroughthecrowdtoaprecipitousrock，there，throughoneofhiswounds，drewouthisbowels，which，tearingandpullingtopieceswithbothhishands，hethrewamongsthispursuers，allthewhileattestingandinvokingtheDivinevengeanceuponthemfortheircrueltyandinjustice。

Ofviolencesofferedtotheconscience，thatagainstthechastityofwomanis，inmyopinion，mosttobeavoided，forasmuchasthereisacertainpleasurenaturallymixedwithit，andforthatreasonthedissentthereincannotbesufficientlyperfectandentire，sothattheviolenceseemstobemixedwithalittleconsentoftheforcedparty。Theecclesiasticalhistoryhasseveralexamplesofdevoutpersonswhohaveembraceddeathtosecurethemfromtheoutragespreparedbytyrantsagainsttheirreligionandhonour。PelagiaandSophronia，bothcanonised，thefirstoftheseprecipitatedherselfwithhermotherandsistersintotherivertoavoidbeingforcedbysomesoldiers，andthelastalsokilledherselftoavoidbeingravishedbytheEmperorMaxentius。

Itmay，peradventure，beanhonourtousinfutureages，thatalearnedauthorofthispresenttime，andaParisian，takesagreatdealofpainstopersuadetheladiesofouragerathertotakeanyothercoursethantoenterintothehorridmeditationofsuchadespair。Iamsorryhehadneverheard，thathemighthaveinserteditamongsthisotherstories，thesayingofawoman，whichwastoldmeatToulouse，whohadpassedthroughthehandlingofsomesoldiers:"Godbepraised，"saidshe，"thatonceatleastinmylifeIhavehadmyfillwithoutsin。"Intruth，thesecrueltiesareveryunworthytheFrenchgoodnature，andalso，Godbethanked，ourairisverywellpurgedofthemsincethisgoodadvice:

’tisenoughthattheysay"no"indoingit，accordingtotheruleofthegoodMarot。

"Undoulxnenny，avecundoulxsourireEsttanthonneste。"——Marot。

Historyiseverywherefullofthosewhobyathousandwayshaveexchangedapainfulandirksomelifefordeath。LuciusAruntiuskilledhimself，tofly，hesaid，boththefutureandthepast。GraniusSilvanusandStatiusProximus，afterhavingbeenpardonedbyNero，killedthemselves;eitherdisdainingtolivebythefavourofsowickedaman，orthattheymightnotbetroubled，atsomeothertime，toobtainasecondpardon，consideringtheproclivityofhisnaturetosuspectandcreditaccusationsagainstworthymen。Spargapises，sonofQueenTomyris，beingaprisonerofwartoCyrus，madeuseofthefirstfavourCyrusshewedhim，incommandinghimtobeunbound，tokillhimself，havingpretendedtonootherbenefitofliberty，butonlytoberevengedofhimselfforthedisgraceofbeingtaken。Boges，governorinEionforKingXerxes，beingbesiegedbytheAthenianarmyundertheconductofCimon，refusedtheconditionsoffered，thathemightsafereturnintoAsiawithallhiswealth，impatienttosurvivethelossofaplacehismasterhadgivenhimtokeep;wherefore，havingdefendedthecitytothelastextremity，nothingbeinglefttoeat，hefirstthrewallthegoldandwhateverelsetheenemycouldmakebootyofintotheriverStrymon，andthencausingagreatpiletobesetonfire，andthethroatsofallthewomen，children，concubines，andservantstobecut，hethrewtheirbodiesintothefire，andatlastleapedintoithimself。

Ninachetuen，anIndianlord，sosoonasheheardthefirstwhisperofthePortugueseViceroy’sdeterminationtodispossesshim，withoutanyapparentcause，ofhiscommandinMalacca，totransferittotheKingofCampar，hetookthisresolutionwithhimself:hecausedascaffold，morelongthanbroad，tobeerected，supportedbycolumnsroyallyadornedwithtapestryandstrewedwithflowersandabundanceofperfumes;allwhichbeingprepared，inarobeofclothofgold，setfullofjewelsofgreatvalue，hecameoutintothestreet，andmountedthestepstothescaffold，atonecornerofwhichhehadapilelightedofaromaticwood。

Everybodyrantoseetowhatendtheseunusualpreparationsweremade;

whenNinachetuen，withamanlybutdispleasedcountenance，setforthhowmuchhehadobligedthePortuguesenation，andwithhowunspottedfidelityhehadcarriedhimselfinhischarge;thathavingsooften，swordinhand，manifestedinthebehalfofothers，thathonourwasmuchmoredeartohimthanlife，hewasnottoabandontheconcernofitforhimself:thatfortunedenyinghimallmeansofopposingtheaffrontdesignedtobeputuponhim，hiscourageatleastenjoinedhimtofreehimselffromthesenseofit，andnottoserveforafabletothepeople，norforatriumphtomenlessdeservingthanhimself;whichhavingsaidheleapedintothefire。

Sextilia，wifeofScaurus，andPaxaea，wifeofLabeo，toencouragetheirhusbandstoavoidthedangersthatpresseduponthem，whereintheyhadnoothersharethanconjugalaffection，voluntarilysacrificedtheirownlivestoservetheminthisextremenecessityforcompanyandexample。

Whattheydidfortheirhusbands，CocceiusNervadidforhiscountry，withlessutilitythoughwithequalaffection:thisgreatlawyer，flourishinginhealth，riches，reputation，andfavourwiththeEmperor，hadnoothercausetokillhimselfbutthesolecompassionofthemiserablestateoftheRomanRepublic。NothingcanbeaddedtothebeautyofthedeathofthewifeofFulvius，afamiliarfavouriteofAugustus:Augustushavingdiscoveredthathehadventedanimportantsecrethehadentrustedhimwithal，onemorningthathecametomakehiscourt，receivedhimverycoldlyandlookedfrowninglyuponhim。Hereturnedhome，fullof，despair，wherehesorrowfullytoldhiswifethat，havingfallenintothismisfortune，hewasresolvedtokillhimself:towhichsheroundlyreplied，"’tisbutreasonyoushould，seeingthathavingsooftenexperiencedtheincontinenceofmytongue，youcouldnottakewarning:butletmekillmyselffirst，"andwithoutanymoresayingranherselfthroughthebodywithasword。VibiusVirrius，despairingofthesafetyofhiscitybesiegedbytheRomansandoftheirmercy，inthelastdeliberationofhiscity’ssenate，aftermanyargumentsconducingtothatend，concludedthatthemostnoblemeanstoescapefortunewasbytheirownhands:tellingthemthattheenemywouldhavetheminhonour，andHannibalwouldbesensiblehowmanyfaithfulfriendshehadabandoned;invitingthosewhoapprovedofhisadvicetocometoagoodsupperhehadreadyathome，whereaftertheyhadeatenwell，theywoulddrinktogetherofwhathehadprepared;abeverage，saidhe，thatwilldeliverourbodiesfromtorments，oursoulsfrominsult，andoureyesandearsfromthesenseofsomanyhatefulmischiefs，astheconqueredsufferfromcruelandimplacableconquerors。Ihave，saidhe，takenorderforfitpersonstothrowourbodiesintoafuneralpilebeforemydoorsosoonaswearedead。Manyenoughapprovedthishighresolution，butfewimitatedit;seven—and—twentysenatorsfollowedhim，who，afterhavingtriedtodrownthethoughtofthisfataldeterminationinwine，endedthefeastwiththemortalmess;andembracingoneanother，aftertheyhadjointlydeploredthemisfortuneoftheircountry，someretiredhometotheirownhouses，othersstayedtobeburnedwithVibiusinhisfuneralpyre;andwereallofthemsolongindying，thevapourofthewinehavingprepossessedtheveins，andbythatmeansdeferredtheeffectofpoison，thatsomeofthemwerewithinanhourofseeingtheenemyinsidethewallsofCapua，whichwastakenthenextmorning，andofundergoingthemiseriestheyhadatsodeararateendeavouredtoavoid。JubelliusTaurea，anothercitizenofthesamecountry，theConsulFu