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92 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
begotten them, for which we call them our other selves;
it seemes there is another production coming from us,
and which is of no lesse recommendation and conse-
uence. For what we engender by the minde, the
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fruits of our courage, sufficiencies or spirit, are brought
forth by a far more noble part than the corporally
and more our owne. We are both father and mother
together in this generation; such fruits cost us much
dearer and bring us more honour, and chiefly if they
have any good or rare thing in them. For the value of
our other children is much more theirs than ours. The
share we have in them is but little, but of these all the
beautie, all the grace, and all the worth is ours. And
therefore do they represent and resemble us much more
lively than others. Plato addeth, moreover, that these
are immortall issues, and immortalize their fathers, yea
and desire them, as Licurgus, Solon, and Minos. All
histories being full of examples of this mutuall friendship
of fathers toward their children, 1 have not thought
it amisse to set downe some choice ones of this kinde.
Heliodorus, that good Bishop of Tricea, loved rather to
lose the dignity, profit, ana devotion of so venerable
a Prelateship, than to forgoe his daughter, a young
woman to this day commended for her beautie, but
haply somewhat more curiously and wantonly pranked
up than beseemed the daughter of a churchman and
a bishop, and of over-amorous behaviour. There was
one Labienus, in Rome, a man of great worth and
authority, and amongst other commendable qualities.
most excellent in all manner of learning, who, as I
thinke, was the sonne of that great Labienus, chiefe of
all the captaines that followed and were under Caesar
in the warres against the Gaules, and who afterward
taking great Pompey's part, behaved himselfe so
valiantly and so constantly, that he never forsooke him
untill Caesar defeated him in Spaine. This Labienus,
of whom I spake, had many that envied his vertues:
but above all, as it is likely, courtiers, and such as in
his time were favored of the Emperors, who hated his
franknesse, his fatherly humors, and distaste he bare