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190 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
It nigrum campis agmen: l
The sable-coloured band,
Marches along the Land.
A gust of contrarie winds, the crolring of a flight of
Ravens, the false pase of a Horse, the casual flight
of an Eagle, a dream, a sodaine voyce, a false signe,
a mornings mist, an evening fogge, are enough to
overthrow, sufficient to overwhelme and able to pull
him to the ground. Let the Sunne but shine hot upon
his face, hee faints and swelters with heat: cast out
a little dust in his eyes, as to the Bees mentioned by
our Poet, all our ensignes, all our legions, yea great
Pompey himselfe, in the forefront of them is overthrowne
and put to rout (For as I remember it was
he whom Sertorius vanquished in Spaine, with all those
goodly armes.) This also served Eumenes against
Antigonus, and Surena against Crassus :
Hi motus animorum, atque hoec certamina tanta,
Pulveris exigur jactu compressa quiescent. 2
Their stomacke-motions, these contentions great,
Clam'd with a little dust, strait lose their heat.
Let us but uncouple some of our ordinary flies, and
let loose a few gnats amongst them, they shall have
both the force to scatter and courage to consume him.
The Portugals not long since beleagring the City of
Tamly, in the territory of Xiatine, the inhabitants
thereof brought great store of hives (whereof they have
plentie) upon their walls; and with fire drove them
so forcible upon their enemies, who, as unable to abide
their assaults and endure their stingings, left their
enterprize. Thus by this new kinde of help was the
libertie of the towne gained and victory purchased;
with so happy successe, that in their retreating there
was not one townes-man found wanting. The soules
of Emperours and Coblers are all cast in one same
mould. Considering the importance of Princes actions,
¹ VIRO. AEn. 1. iv. 404. ² VIRG. Georg, 1. iv. 86, 87.