按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
nothing； as God himself says； 〃Who kill the body； and after that have no
more that they can do；〃 ＇Luke； xii。 4。＇ and the poets singularly
dwell upon the horrors of this picture； as something worse than death：
〃Heu！ reliquias semiustas regis； denudatis ossibus；
Per terram sanie delibutas foede divexarier。〃
＇〃Alas！ that the half…burnt remains of the king； exposing his bones；
should be foully dragged along the ground besmeared with gore。〃
Cicero； Tusc。 Quaes。； i。 44。＇
I happened to come by one day accidentally at Rome； just as they were
upon executing Catena； a notorious robber： he was strangled without any
emotion of the spectators； but when they came to cut him in quarters； the
hangman gave not a blow that the people did not follow with a doleful cry
and exclamation； as if every one had lent his sense of feeling to the
miserable carcase。 Those inhuman excesses ought to be exercised upon the
bark； and not upon the quick。 Artaxerxes； in almost a like case；
moderated the severity of the ancient laws of Persia； ordaining that the
nobility who had committed a fault； instead of being whipped； as they
were used to be； should be stripped only and their clothes whipped for
them； and that whereas they were wont to tear off their hair； they should
only take off their high…crowned tiara。'＇Plutarch； Notable Sayings of
the Ancient King。＇ The so devout Egyptians thought they sufficiently
satisfied the divine justice by sacrificing hogs in effigy and
representation； a bold invention to pay God so essential a substance in
picture only and in show。
I live in a time wherein we abound in incredible examples of this vice；
through the licence of our civil wars； and we see nothing in ancient
histories more extreme than what we have proof of every day； but I
cannot； any the more； get used to it。 I could hardly persuade myself；
before I saw it with my eyes； that there could be found souls so cruel
and fell； who； for the sole pleasure of murder； would commit it； would
hack and lop off the limbs of others； sharpen their wits to invent
unusual torments and new kinds of death； without hatred； without profit；
and for no other end but only to enjoy the pleasant spectacle of the
gestures and motions； the lamentable groans and cries of a man dying in
anguish。 For this is the utmost point to which cruelty can arrive：
〃Ut homo hominem； non iratus； non timens；
tantum spectaturus； occidat。〃
＇〃That a man should kill a man； not being angry； not in fear； only
for the sake of the spectacle。〃Seneca； Ep。； 90。＇
For my own part； I cannot without grief see so much as an innocent beast
pursued and killed that has no defence； and from which we have received
no offence at all； and that which frequently happens； that the stag we
hunt； finding himself weak and out of breath； and seeing no other remedy；
surrenders himself to us who pursue him； imploring mercy by his tears：
〃Questuque cruentus；
Atque imploranti similis；〃
＇〃Who； bleeding； by his tears seems to crave mercy。〃
AEnead； vii。 501。＇
has ever been to me a very unpleasing sight； and I hardly ever take a
beast alive that I do not presently turn out again。 Pythagoras bought
them of fishermen and fowlers to do the same：
〃Primoque a caede ferarum；
Incaluisse puto maculatum sanguine ferrum。〃
＇〃I think 'twas slaughter of wild beasts that first stained the
steel of man with blood。〃Ovid； Met。； xv。 106。＇
Those natures that are sanguinary towards beasts discover a natural
proneness to cruelty。 After they had accustomed themselves at Rome to
spectacles of the slaughter of animals； they proceeded to those of the
slaughter of men； of gladiators。 Nature has herself； I fear； imprinted
in man a kind of instinct to inhumanity； nobody takes pleasure in seeing
beasts play with and caress one another； but every one is delighted with
seeing them dismember； and tear one another to pieces。 And that I may
not be laughed at for the sympathy I have with them； theology itself
enjoins us some favour in their behalf； and considering that one and the
same master has lodged us together in this palace for his service； and
that they； as well as we； are of his family； it has reason to enjoin us
some affection and regard to them。 Pythagoras borrowed the
metempsychosis from the Egyptians； but it has since been received by
several nations； and particularly by our Druids：
〃Morte carent animae； semperque； priore relicts
Sede； novis domibus vivunt； habitantque receptae。〃
＇〃Souls never die； but； having left their former seat； live
and are received into new homes。〃Ovid； Met。； xv。 158。＇
The religion of our ancient Gauls maintained that souls； being eternal；
never ceased to remove and shift their places from one body to another；
mixing moreover with this fancy some consideration of divine justice； for
according to the deportments of the soul； whilst it had been in
Alexander； they said that God assigned it another body to inhabit； more
or less painful； and proper for its condition：
〃Muta ferarum
Cogit vincla pati； truculentos ingerit ursis；
Praedonesque lupis； fallaces vulpibus addit：
Atque ubi per varios annos； per mille figuras
Egit； Lethaeo purgatos flumine； tandem
Rursus ad humanae revocat primordia formae：〃
＇ He makes them wear the silent chains of brutes； the bloodthirsty
souls he encloses in bears； the thieves in wolves； the deceivers in
foxes； where； after successive years and a thousand forms； man had
spent his life； and after purgation in Lethe's flood； at last he
restores them to the primordial human shapes。〃
Claudian； In Ruf。； ii。 482。＇
If it had been valiant； he lodged it in the body of a lion； if
voluptuous； in that of a hog； if timorous； in that of a hart or hare； if
malicious； in that of a fox； and so of the rest； till having purified it
by this chastisement； it again entered into the body of some other man：
〃Ipse ego nam memini； Trojani； tempore belli
Panthoides Euphorbus eram。〃
＇〃For I myself remember that； in the days of the Trojan war； I was
Euphorbus； son of Pantheus。〃Ovid； Met。； xv。 160； and see Diogenes
Laertius； Life of Pythagoras。＇
As to the relationship betwixt us and beasts； I do not much admit of it；
nor of that which several nations； and those among the most ancient and
most noble； have practised； who have not only received brutes into their
society and companionship； but have given them a rank infinitely above
themselves； esteeming them one while familiars and favourites of the
gods； and having them in more than human reverence and respect； others
acknowledged no other god or divinity than they：
〃Bellux a barbaris propter beneficium consecratae。〃
＇〃Beasts； out of opinion of some benefit received by them； were
consecrated by barbarians〃Cicero； De Natura Deor。； i。 36