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but also； to their own discretion and wisdom； form and model their
master's pleasure。 I have； in my time； known men of command checked for
having rather obeyed the express words of the king's letters； than the
necessity of the affairs they had in hand。 Men of understanding do yet；
to this day； condemn the custom of the kings of Persia to give their
lieutenants and agents so little rein； that； upon the least arising
difficulties； they must fain have recourse to their further commands；
this delay； in so vast an extent of dominion； having often very much
prejudiced their affairs； and Crassus； writing to a man whose profession
it was best to understand those things； and pre…acquainting him to what
use this mast was designed； did he not seem to consult his advice； and in
a manner invite him to interpose his better judgment？
CHAPTER XVII
OF FEAR
〃Obstupui； steteruntque comae et vox faucibus haesit。〃
＇〃I was amazed； my hair stood on end； and my voice stuck in my
throat。 Virgil； AEneid； ii。 774。＇
I am not so good a naturalist （as they call it） as to discern by what
secret springs fear has its motion in us； but； be this as it may； 'tis a
strange passion； and such a one that the physicians say there is no other
whatever that sooner dethrones our judgment from its proper seat； which
is so true； that I myself have seen very many become frantic through
fear； and； even in those of the best settled temper it is most certain
that it begets a terrible astonishment and confusion during the fit。
I omit the vulgar sort； to whom it one while represents their great…
grandsires risen out of their graves in their shrouds； another while
werewolves； nightmares； and chimaeras； but even amongst soldiers； a sort
of men over whom； of all others； it ought to have the least power； how
often has it converted flocks of sheep into armed squadrons； reeds and
bullrushes into pikes and lances； friends into enemies； and the French
white cross into the red cross of Spain！ When Monsieur de Bourbon took
Rome；＇In 1527＇ an ensign who was upon guard at Borgo San Pietro was
seized with such a fright upon the first alarm； that he threw himself out
at a breach with his colours upon his shoulder； and ran directly upon the
enemy； thinking he had retreated toward the inward defences of the city；
and with much ado； seeing Monsieur de Bourbon's people； who thought it
had been a sally upon them； draw up to receive him； at last came to
himself； and saw his error； and then facing about； he retreated full
speed through the same breach by which he had gone out； but not till he
had first blindly advanced above three hundred paces into the open field。
It did not； however； fall out so well with Captain Giulio's ensign； at
the time when St。 Paul was taken from us by the Comte de Bures and
Monsieur de Reu； for he； being so astonished with fear as to throw
himself； colours and all； out of a porthole； was immediately； cut to
pieces by the enemy； and in the same siege； it was a very memorable fear
that so seized； contracted； and froze up the heart of a gentleman； that
he sank down； stone…dead； in the breach； without any manner of wound or
hurt at all。 The like madness does sometimes push on a whole multitude；
for in one of the encounters that Germanicus had with the Germans； two
great parties were so amazed with fear that they ran two opposite ways；
the one to the same place from which the other had fled。＇Tacit； Annal。；
i。 63。＇ Sometimes it adds wings to the heels； as in the two first：
sometimes it nails them to the ground； and fetters them from moving； as
we read of the Emperor Theophilus； who； in a battle he lost against the
Agarenes； was so astonished and stupefied that he had no power to fly
〃Adeo pavor etiam auxilia formidat〃
＇〃So much does fear dread even the means of safety。〃Quint。
Curt。； ii。 II。＇
till such time as Manuel； one of the principal commanders of his army；
having jogged and shaked him so as to rouse him out of his trance； said
to him； 〃Sir； if you will not follow me； I will kill you； for it is
better you should lose your life than； by being taken； lose your empire。〃
＇Zonaras； lib。 iii。＇ But fear does then manifest its utmost power
when it throws us upon a valiant despair； having before deprived us of
all sense both of duty and honour。 In the first pitched battle the
Romans lost against Hannibal； under the Consul Sempronius； a body of ten
thousand foot； that had taken fright； seeing no other escape for their
cowardice； went and threw themselves headlong upon the great battalion of
the enemies； which with marvellous force and fury they charged through
and through； and routed with a very great slaughter of the Carthaginians；
thus purchasing an ignominious flight at the same price they might have
gained a glorious victory。＇Livy； xxi。 56。＇
The thing in the world I am most afraid of is fear； that passion alone；
in the trouble of it； exceeding all other accidents。 What affliction
could be greater or more just than that of Pompey's friends； who； in his
ship； were spectators of that horrible murder？ Yet so it was； that the
fear of the Egyptian vessels they saw coming to board them； possessed
them with so great alarm that it is observed they thought of nothing but
calling upon the mariners to make haste； and by force of oars to escape
away； till being arrived at Tyre； and delivered from fear； they had
leisure to turn their thoughts to the loss of their captain； and to give
vent to those tears and lamentations that the other more potent passion
had till then suspended。
〃Tum pavor sapientiam omnem mihiex animo expectorat。〃
＇〃Then fear drove out all intelligence from my mind。〃Ennius； ap。
Cicero； Tusc。； iv。 8。＇
Such as have been well rubbed in some skirmish； may yet； all wounded and
bloody as they are； be brought on again the next day to charge； but such
as have once conceived a good sound fear of the enemy； will never be made
so much as to look him in the face。 Such as are in immediate fear of a
losing their estates； of banishment； or of slavery； live in perpetual
anguish； and lose all appetite and repose； whereas such as are actually
poor； slaves； or exiles； ofttimes live as merrily as other folk。 And the
many people who； impatient of the perpetual alarms of fear； have hanged
or drowned themselves； or dashed themselves to pieces； give us
sufficiently to understand that fear is more importunate and
insupportable than death itself。
The Greeks acknowledged another kind of fear； differing from any we have
spoken of yet； that surprises us without any visible cause； by an impulse
from heaven； so that whole nations and whole armies have been struck with
it。 Such a one was that which brought so wonderful a desolation upon
Carthage； where nothing was to be heard but affrighted voices and
outcries； where the inhabitants were seen to sally out of their houses as
to an alarm； and there to charge； wound； and kill one another； as if they
had been enemies come to surprise their city。 All things were in
disorder and fury till； with prayers and sacrifices； they had appeased
their gods ＇Diod。 Sic。； xv。 7＇； and this is that they call panic
terrors。 ＇Ibid。 ； Plutarch on Isis and Osiris； c。 8。＇
CHAPTER XVIII
THAT MEN ARE NOT TO JUDGE OF OUR HAPPINESS TILL AFTER DEATH。
＇Charron has borrowed with unusual liberality from this and the
succeeding chapter。 See Nodier； Questions； p。 206。＇
〃Scilicet ultima semper
Exspectanda dies homini est； dicique beatus
Ante obitum nemo supremaque funera debet。〃
＇〃We should all look forward to our last day： no one can be called
happy till he is dead and buried。〃Ovid； Met； iii。 135＇
The very children know the story of King Croesus to this purpose； who
being taken prisoner by Cyrus； and by him condemned to die； as he was
going to execution cried out； 〃O Solon； Solon！〃 which being presently
reported to Cyrus； and he sending to inquire of him what it meant；
Croesus gave him to understand that he now found the teaching Solon had
formerly given him true to his cost； which was； 〃That men； however
fortune may smile upon them； could never be said to be happy till they
had been seen to pass over the last day of their lives；〃 by reason of the
uncertainty and mutability of human things； which； upon very light and
trivial occasions； are subject to be totally changed into a quite
contrary condition。 And so it was that Agesilaus made answer to one who
was saying what a happy young man the King of Persia was； to come so
young to so mighty a kingdom： 〃'Tis true；〃 said he； 〃 but neither was
Priam unhappy at his years。〃 ＇Plutarch； Apothegms of the
Lacedaemonians。＇ In a short time； kings of Macedon； successors to that
mighty Alexander； became joiners and scriveners at Rome； a tyrant of
Sicily； a pedant at Corinth； a conqueror of one…half of the world and
general of so many armies； a miserable suppliant to the rascally officers
of a king of Egypt： so much did the prolongation of five or six months of
life cost the great Pompey； and； in our fathers' days； Ludovico Sfor