13. Three score sixty.
14. Appearance appearance of reason.
15. Montaigne is funnier—and cruder—here. Florio converts “la place d’une gouttière”—the position of a gutter—into “cottage or farm.”
16. Delphinate Dauphiné, a former province of southeastern France, whose historical capital was Grenoble. What follows is a French proverb from that region.
17. Lucretius, De rerum natura, III.451–53.
18. Sensible perceptible.
19. See Shakespeare, Hamlet: “The heartache and the thousand natural shocks / That flesh is heir to—” (III.i.64–65).
20. Prentissage apprenticeship.
OF THE INCONSTANCY OF OUR ACTIONS
1. Let hindrance, impediment.
2. Charge office, his time in power.
3. Sithence since.
4. Publius Cyrus, quoted in Aulus Gellius, Attic Nights, XVII.xiv.4.
5. Contexture fabric.
6. Judging a man by his parts would yield a closer approximation to the truth of his being than judging him by his whole self.
7. Horace, Epistles, I.i.98–99.
8. That beast that takes the colour of the place wherein it is laid the chameleon.
9. Horace, Satires, II.vii.82. The metaphor is that of a puppet or marionette.
10. Hulling floating or being driven by the wind on the hull alone, without a sail.
11. Lucretius, De rerum natura, III.1057–59. Human beings constantly search for answers beyond themselves, hoping to abandon their individual burdens.
12. Homer, Odyssey, XVIII. 136–37; cited by Saint Augustine in City of God, V.viii. The meaning is difficult but seems to suggest that human minds and spirits are as bright, fertile, and powerful as the sunlight sent from heaven.
13. Deformity inconsistency. The Agrigentines lived for pleasure, as if they would die tomorrow, and built for posterity, as if they would live forever.
14. Diogenes Laertius, Life of Empedocles, VIII.63.
15. Force rape.
16. Upon easier composition much more easily; that is, she only seemed to be chaste like Lucrece.
17. Horace, Epistles, II.ii.36. Spright spirit, heart.
18. Said he unto him said the soldier to Lucullus.
19. Horace, Epistles, II.ii.39–40.
20. Mahomet Mahomet or Mehmed II (1432–1481) was a sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
21. Rated berated.
22. Ianizers Janissaries, part of the Turkish infantry.
23. Justification self-justification.
24. Meacocke coward.
25. Change copy a changeable, fickle person.
26. Froward going counter to what is asked or reasonable; perverse, contrary, or contentious.
27. Liberal generous, free-spending.
28. Distinguo I make a distinction; see Screech: “A term used in formal debates to reject or modify an opponent’s assertion” (377n11).
29. Conclude a man to be valiant proves that a man is brave.
30. Seely foolish, simple, silly.
31. Milk-sop a weak, ineffectual, cowardly person (usually a boy or man).
32. Suit lawsuit.
33. Infancy Florio misreads; Montaigne has “infamie.” The idea is that some people are cowardly about small matters (infamy, personal slights) and brave about large matters (poverty).
34. Barber’s razor barber-surgeon’s scalpel.
35. Constant brave.
36. Cimbrians and Celtiberians The Cimbrians were a Germanic tribe who fought the Romans in the second century BC. The Celtiberians were Celtic-speaking people from the Iberian peninsula in the last centuries BC.
37. Cicero, Tusculanae disputationes, II.xxvii.65.
38. In species of only one kind.
39. Demisse abject, base.
40. Pusillanimity cowardice.
41. Cicero, Tusculanae disputationes, IV.xxxvii.79. Alexander murdered his best friend, Clitus, when he was drunk. See Shakespeare, Henry V: “Alexander, God knows, and / you know, in his rages, and his furies, and his / wraths, and his cholers, and his moods, and his / displeasures, and his indignations, and also being a little / intoxicates in his prains, did, in his ales and / his angers, look you, kill his best friend, Cleitus” (IV.vii.27–32).
42. Cicero, Paradoxa stoicorum, V.i.34.
43. Way path, direction.
44. Imprease impresa, motto, crest. Our good Talbot John Talbot, the first Earl of Shrewsbury (1384–1453), was a famous fifteenth-century English soldier who died at Castillon (near Montaigne) at the end of the Hundred Years’ War between England and France. This impresa—and Talbot—are also invoked in a prefatory sonnet to Book III of Florio’s Montaigne. Written by “Il Candido” (usually thought to be Florio’s friend Matthew Gwinne), the poem is addressed to Lady Elizabeth Grey, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Talbot. John Talbot was a quintessential English and Shakespearean hero. Thomas Nashe, almost certainly alluding to part 1 of Shakespeare’s Henry VI, commented enthusiastically in his Pierce Pennilesse (1592), “How would it have joyed brave Talbot (the terror of the French) to thinke that after he had lyne two hundred yeares in his Tombe, hee should triumphe againe on the Stage, and have his bones newe embalmed with the teares of ten thousand spectators at least, (at severall times) who, in the Tragedian that represents his person, imagine they behold him fresh bleeding” (sig. F3). Montaigne’s praise for this “terror of the French” is based in local pride. Bordeaux sided with England in the war, and there is still a monument to Talbot in Castillon. Montaigne identifies himself here as a Gascon rather than as a Frenchman. Many thanks to Saul Frampton for help with this note; see also Céard, 542n9.
45. That is, a vision of the whole life is essential before one can put the parts together.
46. See Cicero, De senecute, VII.2, and Erasmus, Apophthegmatum opus, VIII.xxvi.
47. Seneca, Epistulae morales, CXX.22.
48. Sith since.
49. Venus instills the qualities of a “ruthless soldier” in the heart of the youngest women, still “in their mothers’ laps.”
50. Yonker young nobleman or gentleman; see Tibullus, Elegies, II.i.75–76.
A CUSTOM OF THE ISLE OF CEA
1. Isle of Cea Cea, also known as Ceos or Kea, is a Greek island in the Cyclades archipelago. The allusion to the island and its “custom” comes at the end of the essay. This essay, which catalogs reasons for suicide throughout history, has obvious connections to Shakespeare’s Roman plays. It is especially relevant to Antony and Cleopatra, which explicitly treats suicide as a superior option to being caught and paraded as an emblem of triumph for the conqueror.
2. Philosophate to philosophize. Florio’s usage is the earliest recorded example in the OED.
3. Fantastiquize a variant of fantasticize, “to throw oneself into fantastic or strange attitudes.” This is the only OED citation for either word.
4. Cathedral master professor of the cathèdre, or university chair.
5. Cathedral master, professor.
6. Armed hand armed band, army.
7. Lacedemonians Spartans.
8. Varlet scoundrel, rogue, rascal.
9. Groundot almost certainly a typo for “ground” or “groundplot.” Montaigne’s parallelism is clear: “de terre pour y vivre, mais de terre pour y mourir” (Céard, 560).
10. Boiocatus Boiocalus, the leader of a German tribe, who turned against the Romans in AD 59; see Tacitus, Annales, 13.55.56.
11. Seneca, Thebaid, I.i.151–53.
12. Receipt remedy.
13. Charge cost, expense.
14. Physic medicine, cure.
15. Mediane the median vein of the arm—used for the routine bloodletting alluded to just above.
16. Mortify kill.
17. Podagrees gouty, filled with gout.
18. The gist of this difficult passage is that the happy wise man can kill himself and the miserable fool can cling to existence as long as they are both acting “according unto nature.”
19. ?
??All hail, Diogenes” “Good health to you, Diogenes.”
20. Virgil, Aeneid, IV.434–36.
21. Both Regulus and Cato were Romans who fought in the Punic Wars against Carthage (third and second centuries BC). Saint Augustine, in City of God, I.xxii and xxiv, expressed a similar preference for Regulus.
22. Holme-trees holly trees.
23. Horace, Odes, IV.iv.57–60.
24. Seneca, Phoenissae (or Thebaid), 190–92.
25. Martial, Epigrams, XI.lvi.15–16.
26. Horace, Odes, III.iii.7–8.
27. Martial, Epigrams, II.lxxx.2.
28. Lucan, Pharsalia, VII.104–7.
29. The hate of life / And seeing-light...the hate of life and the light of day.
30. Lucretius, De rerum natura, III.79–82.
31. In fine in the end, finally.
32. To be made of a man an angel to be made an angel out of a man.
33. Lucretius, De rerum natura, III.862–64.
34. In other words, a reasonable exit or exodus. This was an expression attributed to the Stoics and especially to the philosopher Zeno.
35. Provided for it put a stop to it.
36. Halters ropes, nooses.
37. Receipt remedy.
38. Fencer the translation of “gladiator” into “fencer” shifts the battle from a Roman “arena” to a more contemporary jousting “list.”
39. From Justus Lipsius, Saturnalium sermonum libri, II.xxii.
40. Seneca, Epistulae morales, LXX.6–7.
41. Joseph Titus Flavius Josephus (37–ca. AD 100) was a Roman Jewish historian.
42. Opiniate to stick firmly to an opinion.
43. Battle of Serisolles The battle of Ceresole, fought in 1544 between the French and the forces of both Spain and the Holy Roman Empire, was part of the Italian War of 1542–1546. The battle was won by the French. “The Lord of Anguien”—François de Vendôme, Count of Enghien—was ultimately the successful leader of the battle.
44. Seneca, Epistulae morales, XIII.11–13.
45. Virgil, Aeneid, XI.425–27.
46. Seneca, those only...mind as acceptable motives for suicide, Seneca allows only those that chronically disturb and distract the mind.
47. Ward protect.
48. Gosa Gozo, near Malta.
49. Caliver light musket, harquebus.
50. Gaols jails.
51. Prease crowd, throng.
52. By through.
53. A strange passage suggesting that sexual violence against women is the worst violence “committed against conscience” because women, against their will, cannot help but derive some pleasure from the horrible act.
54. A wise author of these days and namely a Parisian See Screech: “Allusion to some conteur, not a theologian” (401n37); and Céard: “Henri Estienne dans son Apologie pour Hérodote, XV, ‘Des larcins de notre temps’” (571n7).
55. These cruelties violent acts against women.
56. Advertisement in the French, “avertissement”; so, advice, warning. In this confusing passage, Montaigne seems to be praising the wise words of Marot that follow.
57. From an epigram of Clément Marot (1496–1544), “D’ouy et nenny,” I.lxix.
58. His taking his being captured.
59. Minachetuen Ninachetuen.
60. Engaged their life sacrificed their lives.
61. Inward with Augustus a close friend of Augustus. This refers to Fulvius, not his wife.
62. He Fulvius.
63. Sithence since.
64. Inconvenience an error by Florio. Montaigne has “incontinance.” Fulvius’s wife is acknowledging her inability to contain her tongue—her verbal incontinence.
65. Diverse many people.
66. Montaigne’s version is less bleak: the suicides come an hour before encountering the enemies (furent à une heure près de voir les ennemis, [Céard, 575]). In Florio, “some lived an hour after they had seen their enemies” take their town and incur the miseries that “at so high a rate they had sought to eschew.”
67. There from Capoa.
68. Arrested stopped. Taurea Jubellius is accosting Fulvius.
69. Brought to a very narrow pinch in a great deal of difficulty, hard-pressed.
70. Warrant ensure.
71. Give back retreat.
72. Montaigne is suggesting that although the mass suicides and murders seem worse than those of individuals, they actually are less so because a group passion and enthusiasm possessed the individual wills (“l’ardeur de la société ravissant les particuliers jugements” [Céard, 576]). There is a kind of unity of judgment lacking in individual suicides.
73. Enterred interred, buried.
74. These late-discovered Indies not the West Indies but Orissa, a state on the east coast of India. This is the story of the Juggernaut, an idol of Krishna, dragged throughout the town in a carriage, under whose wheels pilgrims would throw themselves; see OED, Juggernaut, 1.
75. Mammocks scraps, shreds, torn pieces.
76. Moldered crumbled, decayed, turned to dust.
77. The death of this Bishop the bishop of Soissons.
78. Amusing one part of it holding or occupying part of his feeling.
79. Appay pay.
80. Hiperborean In Greek mythology, the Hyperboreans lived to the north of Thrace, beyond the boreas—the north wind. Their climate was thus perfect—breezeless and sunny every hour of the day. In addition, there was no old age or disease, and beautiful music, accompanied by the voices of lovely maidens, played constantly. Perhaps Gonzalo had Hyperborea in mind—as well as the land of Montaigne’s Brazilian Indians—when he was thinking of his perfect commonwealth. See “Of the Cannibals,” note 25.
81. Grieving-smart unbearable pain.
82. Most excusable incitations most excusable motives (for suicide).
OF THE AFFECTION OF FATHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN
1. Madame d’Estissac was a friend and neighbor of Montaigne, whose son Charles traveled with Montaigne to Italy in 1580–1581.
2. This enterprise the writing of the Essays.
3. Carking troubling, anxious.
4. Descant to make comments or observations (with a connotation of song); see Shakespeare, Richard III: “Why, I in this weak piping time of peace / Have no delight to pass away the time, / Unless to spy my shadow in the sun / And descant on mine own deformity” (I.i.24–27 ).
5. Forwardness direction.
6. It affection.
7. Profitable here and throughout the essay, “profitable” means “useful.”
8. Common laws laws of Nature, instincts.
9. Distasted blunted.
10. Propensions propensities.
11. Perokitoes parakeets.
12. Babbles baubles, trinkets, toys.
13. It is mere injustice...necessaries compare Edmund’s forged letter, supposedly written by Edgar, in Shakespeare, King Lear, I.ii.45–52.
14. Covetism covetousness, avarice, desire to possess wealth and riches.
15. Discourse reason.
16. Long of because of.
17. Suingly sought sought after, as by a suitor.
18. Terence, Adelphi, I.i.40–42.
19. And were my desire frustrate and even if my hopes for her were frustrated.
20. Discipline method or system of discipline.
21. Livy, The History of Rome, XXVIII.xxviii.1.
22. Breed offspring.
23. Tasso, Jerusalem Delivered, X.xxxix.6–8.
24. Muleasses, King of Thunes Muley-Hassan, the king of Tunis.
25. Venerian sexual.
26. His his family.
27. Horace, Epistles, I.i.8–9. Breed a skoffe give birth to a contemptuous insult.
28. Betimes early.
29. Us us younger people.
30. They...them parents...children.
31. Rheume watery, mucous secretions (OED).
32. Degenerate In Shakespeare’s King Lear, this word is used twice to refer to the unnatu
ral behavior of Goneril: once by her father, Lear (I.iv.229), and once by her husband, Albany (IV.ii.44).
33. This is a reversal of Machiavelli’s famous dictum that a prince should be feared rather than loved; see The Prince, XVII.
34. Impuissance impotence.
35. Carke trouble, turbulence, anxiety.
36. Boulster stuffed pillow.
37. That is, if a servant is foolish enough to devote himself to this master, he will eventually turn on him in suspicion.
38. Terence, Adelphi, IV.ii.9.
39. Scholastical purely academic.
40. Throughout this paragraph, the pronouns “he” and “him” continue to refer to “the most boisterous and tempestuous master of France” mentioned above.
41. Frowardness contrariness, contentiousness, going against what is reasonable.
42. Might and main utmost power.
43. That is, wives do not consider their actions free if they come with their husbands’ consent.
44. More hardly less easily.
45. Cunny-catching trickery, deception.
46. Tumultuary tumultuous.
47. Thirling “flying like something hurled; darting; whirling” (OED).
48. Haply perhaps, by chance.
49. It friendship.
50. Mine own people my family.
51. Jointer jointure, joint possession.
52. Work the deed do the job.
53. Dilated expanded, extended.
54. Substitutions entails, lines of succession.
55. Infant-spirits childish minds.
56. Fantasies fancies.
57. Febricitant feverish.
58. The law in question is the Salic law, which plays such a large part early in Shakespeare’s Henry V.
59. Their women’s.
60. To go to walk.
61. This kind written, verbal progeny—“what we engender by the mind.”
62. Montaigne’s elaborate metaphor concerns Heliodorus of Emesa (third century AD), probably a bishop of Tricca and the author of the Aethiopica (An Ethiopian History), a Greek romance translated into French by Jacques Amyot in 1547 and into English by Thomas Underdowne in 1569. In this section, Montaigne is discussing the immortality bestowed not only on parents by having children but on authors by writing books. Thus, the “daughter” here is the Aethiopica.
63. Highly-esteemed issues his burned books.
64. Together at the same time.
65. Bare bore, carried.