214044_The_Essa ... rd_Of_Montaigne_Vol_II.pdf - OUDL Home

THE SECOND BOOKE 157
Seeing that not a man alone, nor a king only, but
monarchies and empires ; yea, and all the world below
is moved at the shaking of one of the least heavenly
motions.
Quantaque quam parvi faciant discrimina motus •
Tantum est hoc regnum quod regibus imperat ipsis, 1
How little motions make, how different affection •
So great this Kingdome is, that hath Kings in subjection.
If our vertue, vices, sufficiency and knowledge, and
the same discourse we make of the power of the starres,
and the comparison betweene them and us, commeth
as our reason judgeth by their meane and through
their favour;
furit alter amoie,
Et pontum tranaie potest et veitere Tioiam,
Alterius sors est scnbendis legibus apta :
Ecce patrem nalipei imunt, natosque parentes,
Mutuaque aimati coeunt in vulnera fraties,
Non nostrum hoc bellum est; coguntur tanta movere,
Inque suas ferri poenas, lacerandaque membra .
Hoc quoquefatate est sic ipsum expendere fatum.²
One with love madded, his love to enjoy
Can crosse the seas, and overturne all Troy:
Anothers lot is to set lawes severe.
Loe sonnes kill fathers, fathers sonnes destroy,
Brothers for mutuall wounds their armes doe bcare,
Such war is not our owne, forc't are we to it,
Drawne to our owne paines, our owne limbs to teare ;
Fates so t' observe t'is fatall, we must doe it;
If we hold that portion of reason, which we have
from the distribution of heaven, how can she make us
equall unto it ? How can she submit his essence and
conditions unto our knowledge? Whatsoever we
behold in those high bodies doth affright us: Qua
molitio, qua ferramenta, qui vectes, quoe machine?, qui
ministri tanti operis fuerunt ?³ 'What workmanship?
What yron-braces ? What maine beames, what ongines ?
1 MANIL. Astro. 1. i. 57, iv. 93. ² lb, 1. iv. 178.
³ CIC. Nat. Deor.l i.