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a great deal of his own； it appeared that the sum amounted to a great
deal more than Croesus' reckoning。 Whereupon Cyrus： 〃I am not；〃 said he；
〃less in love with riches than other princes； but rather a better
husband； you see with how small a venture I have acquired the inestimable
treasure of so many friends； and how much more faithful treasurers they
are to me than mercenary men without obligation； without affection； and
my money better laid up than in chests； bringing upon me the hatred；
envy； and contempt of other princes。〃
The emperors excused the superfluity of their plays and public spectacles
by reason that their authority in some sort （at least in outward
appearance） depended upon the will of the people of Rome； who； time out
of mind； had been accustomed to be entertained and caressed with such
shows and excesses。 But they were private citizens； who had nourished
this custom to gratify their fellow…citizens and companions （and chiefly
out of their own purses） by such profusion and magnificence it had quite
another taste when the masters came to imitate it：
〃Pecuniarum translatio a justis dominis ad alienos
non debet liberalis videri。〃
＇〃The transferring of money from the right owners to strangers
ought not to have the title of liberality。〃
Cicero； De Offic。； i。 14。＇
Philip； seeing that his son went about by presents to gain the affection
of the Macedonians； reprimanded him in a letter after this manner： 〃What！
hast thou a mind that thy subjects shall look upon thee as their cash…
keeper and not as their king？ Wilt thou tamper with them to win their
affections？ Do it； then； by the benefits of thy virtue； and not by those
of thy chest。〃 And yet it was； doubtless； a fine thing to bring and
plant within the amphitheatre a great number of vast trees； with all
their branches in their full verdure； representing a great shady forest；
disposed in excellent order； and； the first day； to throw into it a
thousand ostriches and a thousand stags； a thousand boars； and a thousand
fallow…deer； to be killed and disposed of by the people： the next day；
to cause a hundred great lions； a hundred leopards； and three hundred
bears to be killed in his presence； and for the third day； to make three
hundred pair of gladiators fight it out to the last； as the Emperor
Probus did。 It was also very fine to see those vast amphitheatres； all
faced with marble without； curiously wrought with figures and statues；
and within glittering with rare enrichments：
〃Baltheus en！ gemmis； en illita porticus auro：〃
＇〃A belt glittering with jewels； and a portico overlaid with gold。〃
Calpurnius； Eclog。； vii。 47。 A baltheus was a shoulder…belt or
baldric。＇
all the sides of this vast space filled and environed； from the bottom to
the top； with three or four score rows of seats； all of marble also； and
covered with cushions：
〃Exeat； inquit；
Si pudor est； et de pulvino surgat equestri；
Cujus res legi non sufficit；〃
＇〃Let him go out； he said； if he has any sense of shame； and rise
from the equestrian cushion； whose estate does not satisfy the law。〃
Juvenal； iii。 153。 The Equites were required to possess a fortune
of 400 sestertia； and they sat on the first fourteen rows behind the
orchestra。＇
where a hundred thousand men might sit at their ease： and； the place
below； where the games were played； to make it； by art； first open and
cleave in chasms； representing caves that vomited out the beasts designed
for the spectacle； and then； secondly； to be overflowed by a deep sea；
full of sea monsters； and laden with ships of war； to represent a naval
battle； and； thirdly； to make it dry and even again for the combat of the
gladiators； and； for the fourth scene； to have it strown with vermilion
grain and storax；＇A resinous gum。＇ instead of sand； there to make a
solemn feast for all that infinite number of people： the last act of one
only day：
〃Quoties nos descendentis arenae
Vidimus in partes； ruptaque voragine terrae
Emersisse feras； et eisdem saepe latebris
Aurea cum croceo creverunt arbuta libro！。。。。
Nec solum nobis silvestria cernere monstra
Contigit； aequoreos ego cum certantibus ursis
Spectavi vitulos； et equorum nomine dignum；
Sen deforme pecus； quod in illo nascitur amni。。。。〃
＇〃How often have we seen the stage of the theatre descend and part
asunder； and from a chasm in the earth wild beasts emerge； and then
presently give birth to a grove of gilded trees； that put forth
blossoms of enamelled flowers。 Nor yet of sylvan marvels alone had
we sight： I saw sea…calves fight with bears； and a deformed sort of
cattle； we might call sea…horses。〃Calpurnius； Eclog。； vii。 64。＇
Sometimes they made a high mountain advance itself； covered with fruit…
trees and other leafy trees； sending down rivulets of water from the top；
as from the mouth of a fountain： otherwhiles； a great ship was seen to
come rolling in； which opened and divided of itself； and after having
disgorged from the hold four or five hundred beasts for fight； closed
again； and vanished without help。 At other times； from the floor of this
place； they made spouts of perfumed water dart their streams upward； and
so high as to sprinkle all that infinite multitude。 To defend themselves
from the injuries of the weather； they had that vast place one while
covered over with purple curtains of needlework； and by…and…by with silk
of one or another colour； which they drew off or on in a moment； as they
had a mind：
〃Quamvis non modico caleant spectacula sole；
Vela reducuntur； cum venit Hermogenes。〃
＇〃The curtains； though the sun should scorch the spectators； are
drawn in； when Hermogenes appears。〃…Martial； xii。 29； 15。 M。
Tigellius Hermogenes； whom Horace and others have satirised。 One
editor calls him 〃a noted thief；〃 another： 〃He was a literary
amateur of no ability； who expressed his critical opinions with too
great a freedom to please the poets of his day。〃 D。W。＇
The network also that was set before the people to defend them from the
violence of these turned…out beasts was woven of gold：
〃Auro quoque torts refulgent
Retia。〃
＇〃The woven nets are refulgent with gold。〃
Calpurnius； ubi supra。＇
If there be anything excusable in such excesses as these； it is where the
novelty and invention create more wonder than the expense； even in these
vanities we discover how fertile those ages were in other kind of wits
than these of ours。 It is with this sort of fertility； as with all other
products of nature： not that she there and then employed her utmost
force： we do not go； we rather run up and down； and whirl this way and
that； we turn back the way we came。 I am afraid our knowledge is weak in
all senses； we neither see far forward nor far backward； our
understanding comprehends little； and lives but a little while； 'tis
short both in extent of time and extent of matter：
〃Vixere fortes ante Agamemnona
Mufti； sed omnes illacrymabiles
Urgentur； ignotique longs
Nocte。〃
＇ Many brave men lived before Agamemnon； but all are pressed by the
long night unmourned and unknown。〃Horace； Od。； iv。 9； 25。＇
〃Et supra bellum Thebanum et funera Trojae
Non alias alii quoque res cecinere poetae？〃
＇〃Why before the Theban war and the destruction of Troy； have not
other poets sung other events？〃Lucretius； v。 327。 Montaigne here
diverts himself m giving Lucretius' words a construction directly
contrary to what they bear in the poem。 Lucretius puts the
question； Why if the earth had existed from all eternity； there had
not been poets； before the Theban war； to sing men's exploits。
Coste。＇
And the narrative of Solon； of what he had learned from the Egyptian
priests； touching the long life of their state； and their manner of
learning and preserving foreign histories； is not； methinks； a testimony
to be refused in this consideration：
〃Si interminatam in omnes partes magnitudinem regionum videremus et
temporum； in quam se injiciens animus et intendens； ita late
longeque peregrinatur； ut nullam oram ultimi videat； in qua possit
insistere： in haec immensitate 。 。 。 infinita vis innumerabilium
appareret fomorum。〃
＇〃Could we see on all parts the unlimited magnitude of regions and
of times； upon which the mind being intent； could wander so far and
wide； that no limit is to be seen； in which it can bound its eye； we
should； in that infinite immensity； discover an infinite force of
innumerable atoms。〃 Here also Montaigne puts a sense quite
different from what the words bear in the original； but the
application he makes of them is so happy