The Essays Chapter 6

(1, p. 8-9).Michel de MontaigneC1 6 L’heure des parlemens dangereuseMontaigne - Essais, Éd de Bordeaux, 1.djvuMontaigne - Essais, Éd de Bordeaux, 1.djvu/18-9

L’heure des parlemens dangereuſe
Chap. VI.

TOvtes-fois je vis dernierement en mon voiſinage de Muſſidan, que ceux qui en furent délogez à force par noſtre armée, & autres de leur party crioient comme de trahiſon, de ce que pendant les entremiſes d’accord, & le traicté ſe continuant encores, on les avoit ſurpris & mis en pieces : choſe qui euſt eu à l’avanture apparence en un autre ſiècle. Mais, comme je viens de dire, nos façons ſont entierement eloignées de ces reigles : & ne ſe doit attendre fiance des uns aux autres, que le dernier ſeau d’obligation n’y ſoyt paſſé : encore y a il lors aſſez affaire. Cleomenes diſoit que, quelque mal qu’on peut faire aux ennemis en guerre, cela eſtoit par deſſus la juſtice, & non ſubject à icelle, tant envers les dieux, qu’envers les hommes. Et, ayant faict treve avec les Argiens, pour sept jours, la troisiesme nuict apres il les
alla charger tous endormis et les défict, alleguant qu’en sa treve il
n’avoit pas esté parlé des nuicts. Mais les dieux vengerent cette
perfide subtilité.

Monsieur d’Aubigny, assiegeant Cappoue, et apres y avoir fait une
furieuse baterie, le Seigneur Fabrice Colonne, Capitaine de la
Ville, ayant commancé à parlementer de dessus un bastion, et ses
gens faisant plus molle garde, les nostres s’en amparerent et mirent
tout en pieces. Et de plus fresche memoire à Yvoy le Seigneur
Jullian Rommero, ayant fait ce pas de clerc de sortir pour
parlementer avec Monsieur le Connestable, trouva au retour sa place
saisie. Mais afin que nous ne nous en aillions pas sans revanche : le
marquis de Pesquaire assiegeant Genes, où le duc Octavian Fregose
commandoit soubs nostre protection, et l’accord entre eux ayant esté
poussé si avant, qu’on le tenoit pour fait, sur le point de la
conclusion, les Espagnols s’estans coullés dedans, en userent comme
en une victoire planière. Et depuis, en Ligny en Barrois, où le
Comte de Brienne commandoit, l’Empereur l’ayant assiegé en
personne,
et Bertheuille, Lieutenant du-dict Comte, estant sorty pour parler,
pendant le marché la ville se trouva saisie.

Fu il vincer sempre mai laudabil cosa,
Vincasi o per fortuna o per ingegno,

disent-ils.
Mais
le philosophe Chrisippus n’eust pas esté de cet advis, et moy aussi
peu : car il disoit que ceux qui courent à l’envy, doivent bien
employer toutes leurs forces à la vistesse ; mais il ne leur est
pourtant aucunement loisible de mettre la main sur leur adversaire pour
l’arrester, ny de luy tendre la jambe pour le faire cheoir.

Chapter VI. That the hour of parley is dangerous.

I saw, notwithstanding, lately at Mussidan, a place not far from my

house, that those who were driven out thence by our army, and others of

their party, highly complained of treachery, for that during a treaty of

accommodation, and in the very interim that their deputies were treating,

they were surprised and cut to pieces: a thing that, peradventure, in

another age, might have had some colour of foul play; but, as I have just

said, the practice of arms in these days is quite another thing, and

there is now no confidence in an enemy excusable till the treaty is

finally sealed; and even then the conqueror has enough to do to keep his

word: so hazardous a thing it is to entrust the observation of the faith

a man has engaged to a town that surrenders upon easy and favourable

conditions, to the licence of a victorious army, and to give the soldier

free entrance into it in the heat of blood.

Lucius AEmilius Regillus, the Roman praetor, having lost his time in

attempting to take the city of Phocaea by force, by reason of the

singular valour wherewith the inhabitants defended themselves,

conditioned, at last, to receive them as friends to the people of Rome,

and to enter the town, as into a confederate city, without any manner of

hostility, of which he gave them all assurance; but having, for the

greater pomp, brought his whole army in with him, it was no more in his

power, with all the endeavour he could use, to restrain his people: so

that, avarice and revenge trampling under foot both his authority and all

military discipline, he there saw a considerable part of the city sacked

and ruined before his face.

Cleomenes was wont to say, "that what mischief soever a man could do his

enemy in time of war was above justice, and nothing accountable to it in

the sight of gods and men." And so, having concluded a truce with those

of Argos for seven days, the third night after he fell upon them when

they were all buried in sleep, and put them to the sword, alleging that

there had no nights been mentioned in the truce; but the gods punished

this subtle perfidy.

In a time of parley also; and while the citizens were relying upon their

safety warrant, the city of Casilinum was taken by surprise, and that

even in the age of the justest captains and the most perfect Roman

military discipline; for it is not said that it is not lawful for us, in

time and place, to make advantage of our enemies' want of understanding,

as well as their want of courage.

And, doubtless, war has naturally many privileges that appear reasonable

even to the prejudice of reason. And therefore here the rule fails,

"Neminem id agere ut ex alte rius praedetur inscitia."-- --But I am

astonished at the great liberty allowed by Xenophon in such cases, and

that both by precept and by the example of several exploits of his

complete emperor; an author of very great authority, I confess, in those

affairs, as being in his own person both a great captain and a

philosopher of the first form of Socrates' disciples; and yet I cannot

consent to such a measure of licence as he dispenses in all things and

places.

Monsieur d'Aubigny, besieging Capua, and after having directed a furious

battery against it, Signor Fabricio Colonna, governor of the town, having

from a bastion begun to parley, and his soldiers in the meantime being a

little more remiss in their guard, our people entered the place at

unawares, and put them all to the sword. And of later memory, at Yvoy,

Signor Juliano Romero having played that part of a novice to go out to

parley with the Constable, at his return found his place taken. But,

that we might not scape scot-free, the Marquess of Pescara having laid

siege to Genoa, where Duke Ottaviano Fregosa commanded under our

protection, and the articles betwixt them being so far advanced that it

was looked upon as a done thing, and upon the point to be concluded, the

Spaniards in the meantime having slipped in, made use of this treachery

as an absolute victory. And since, at Ligny, in Barrois, where the Count

de Brienne commanded, the emperor having in his own person beleaguered

that place, and Bertheville, the said Count's lieutenant, going out to

parley, whilst he was capitulating the town was taken.

"Fu il vincer sempremai laudabil cosa,

Vincasi o per fortuna, o per ingegno,"

But the philosopher Chrysippus was of another opinion, wherein I also

concur; for he was used to say that those who run a race ought to employ

all the force they have in what they are about, and to run as fast as

they can; but that it is by no means fair in them to lay any hand upon

their adversary to stop him, nor to set a leg before him to throw him

down. And yet more generous was the answer of that great Alexander to

Polypercon who was persuading him to take the advantage of the night's

obscurity to fall upon Darius. "By no means," said be; "it is not for

such a man as I am to steal a victory, 'Malo me fortunae poeniteat, quam

victoria pudeat.'"-- --

"Atque idem fugientem baud est dignatus Oroden

Sternere, nec jacta caecum dare cuspide vulnus

Obvius, adversoque occurrit, seque viro vir

Contulit, haud furto melior, sed fortibus armis."