The Essays Chapter 24

(Livre II, p. 293-293v).Michel de MontaigneVLivre II24 De la grandeur RomaineMontaigne - Essais, Éd de Bordeaux, 2.djvuMontaigne - Essais, Éd de Bordeaux, 2.djvu/1293-293v

De la grandeur Romaine
Chap. XXIIII.

JE ne veus dire qu’un mot de cet argument infiny, pour montrer la simplesse de ceux qui apparient à celle là les chetives grandeurs de ce temps. Au septiesme livre des epitres familieres de Cicero (et que les grammairiens en ostent ce surnom de familieres, s’ils veulent, car à la verité il n’y est pas fort à propos ; et ceux qui, au lieu de familieres, y ont substitué ad familiares, peuvent tirer quelque argument pour eux de ce que dit Suetone en la vie de Caesar, qu’il y avoit un volume de lettres de luy ad familiares), il y en a une qui s’adresse à Caesar estant lors en la Gaule, en laquelle Cicero redit ces mots, qui estoyent sur la fin de un’autre lettre que Caesar luy avoit escrit : Quant à Marcus Furius, que tu m’as recommandé, je le feray Roy de Gaule ; et si tu veux que j’advance quelque autre de tes amis, envoye le moy. Il n’estoit pas nouveau à un simple cytoien Romain, comme estoit lors Caesar, de disposer des Royaumes, car il osta bien au Roy Dejotarus le sien pour le donner à un gentil’homme de la ville de Pergame nommé Mithridates. Et ceux qui escrivent sa vie, enregistrent plusieurs autres Royaumes par luy vendus ; et Suetone dict qu’il tira pour un coup du Roy Ptolomaeus trois millions six cens mill’escus, qui fut bien pres de luy vendre le sien :

Tot Galatae, tot Pontus eat, tot Lydia nummis.

Marcus Antonius disoit que la grandeur du peuple Romain ne se montroit pas tant par ce qu’il prenoit que par ce qu’il donnoit. Si en avoit il, quelque siecle avant Antonius, osté un entre autres d’authorité si merveilleuse que, en toute son histoire, je ne sache marque qui porte plus haut le nom de son credit. Antiochus possedoit toute l’Égypte et estoit apres à conquerir Cypre et autres demeurants de cet empire. Sur le progrez de ses victoires, Caius Popilius arriva à luy de la part du senat, et d’abordée refusa de luy toucher à la main, qu’il n’eust premierement leu les lettres qu’il luy apportoit. Le Roy les ayant leues et dict qu’il en delibereroit, Popilius circonscrit la place où il estoit, à tout sa baguette, en luy disant : Ren moy responce que je puisse rapporter au senat, avant que tu partes de ce cercle. Antiochus, estonné de la rudesse d’un si pressant commandement, apres y avoir un peu songé : Je feray, dict-il, ce que le senat me commande. Lors le salua Popilius comme amy du peuple Romain. Avoir renoncé à une si grande monarchie et cours d’une si fortunée prosperité par l’impression de trois traits d’escriture ! Il eut vrayement raison, comme il fit, d’envoyer depuis dire au senat par ses ambassadeurs qu’il avoit receu leur ordonnance de mesme respect que si elle fust venue des Dieux immortels. Tous les Royaumes qu’Auguste gaigna par droict de guerre, il les rendit à ceux qui les avoyent perdus, ou en fit present à des estrangiers. Et sur ce propos Tacitus, parlant du Roy d’Angleterre Cogidunus, nous faict sentir par un merveilleux traict cette infinie puissance : Les Romains, dit-il, avoyent accoustumé, de toute ancienneté, de laisser les Roys qu’ils avoyent surmontez, en la possession de leurs Royaumes, soubs leur authorité, à ce qu’ils eussent des Roys mesmes, utils de la servitude ; ut haberet instrumenta servitutis et reges. Il est vray-semblable que Solyman, à qui nous avons veu faire liberalité du Royaume de Hongrie et autres estats, regardoit plus à cette consideration qu’à celle qu’il avoit accoustumé d’alleguer : qu’il estoit saoul et chargé, de tant de Monarchies et de puissance !

Chapter XXIV. Of the Roman grandeur.

I will only say a word or two of this infinite argument, to show the

simplicity of those who compare the pitiful greatness of these times with

that of Rome. In the seventh book of Cicero's Familiar Epistles (and let

the grammarians put out that surname of familiar if they please, for in

truth it is not very suitable; and they who, instead of familiar, have

substituted "ad Familiares," may gather something to justify them for so

doing out of what Suetonius says in the Life of Caesar, that there was a

volume of letters of his "ad Familiares ") there is one directed to

Caesar, then in Gaul, wherein Cicero repeats these words, which were in

the end of another letter that Caesar had written to him: "As to what

concerns Marcus Furius, whom you have recommended to me, I will make him

king of Gaul, and if you would have me advance any other friend of yours

send him to me." It was no new thing for a simple citizen of Rome, as

Caesar then was, to dispose of kingdoms, for he took away that of King

Deiotarus from him to give it to a gentleman of the city of Pergamus,

called Mithridates; and they who wrote his Life record several cities

sold by him; and Suetonius says, that he had once from King Ptolemy three

millions and six hundred thousand crowns, which was very like selling him

his own kingdom:

"Tot Galatae, tot Pontus, tot Lydia, nummis."

Marcus Antonius said, that the greatness of the people of Rome was not

so much seen in what they took, as in what they gave; and, indeed, some

ages before Antonius, they had dethroned one amongst the rest with so

wonderful authority, that in all the Roman history I have not observed

anything that more denotes the height of their power. Antiochus

possessed all Egypt, and was, moreover, ready to conquer Cyprus and other

appendages of that empire: when being upon the progress of his victories,

C. Popilius came to him from the Senate, and at their first meeting

refused to take him by the hand, till he had first read his letters,

which after the king had read, and told him he would consider of them,

Popilius made a circle about him with his cane, saying: - "Return me an

answer, that I may carry it back to the Senate, before thou stirrest out

of this circle." Antiochus, astonished at the roughness of so positive

a command, after a little pause, replied, "I will obey the Senate's

command." Then Popilius saluted him as friend of the Roman people.

To have renounced claim to so great a monarchy, and a course of such

successful fortune, from the effects of three lines in writing! Truly

he had reason, as he afterwards did, to send the Senate word by his

ambassadors, that he had received their order with the same respect as if

it had come from the immortal gods.

All the kingdoms that Augustus gained by the right of war, he either

restored to those who had lost them or presented them to strangers. And

Tacitus, in reference to this, speaking of Cogidunus, king of England,

gives us, by a marvellous touch, an instance of that infinite power: the

Romans, says he, were from all antiquity accustomed to leave the kings

they had subdued in possession of their kingdoms under their authority.

"Ut haberent instruments servitutis et reges."

'Tis probable that Solyman, whom we have seen make a gift of Hungary and

other principalities, had therein more respect to this consideration than

to that he was wont to allege, viz., that he was glutted and overcharged

with so many monarchies and so much dominion, as his own valour and that

of his ancestors had acquired.