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270 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
and glorifie themselves as we do. For, why may not
a goose say thus? All parts of the world behold
me, the earth serveth me to tread upon, the Sunne to
give me light, the Starres to inspire me with influence;
this commoditie I have of the winds, and this benefit of
the waters : there is nothing that this worlds-vault doth
so favourably look upon as me selfe ; I am the favorite
of nature; is it not man that careth for me, that
keepeth me, lodgeth me, and serveth me ? For me it
is he soweth, reapeth, and grindeth : if he eat me, so
doth man feed on his fellow and so doe I on the wormes
that consume and eat him. As much might a Crane
say, yea and more boldly, by reason of her flightslibertie,
and the possession of this goodly and highbownding
region. Tarn blanda eoncihatrix, et tarn mi
est lena ipsa natura i 1 ' So flattring a broker and bawd
(as it were) is nature to it selfe.' Now by the same
consequence the destinies are for us, the world is for
us ; it shineth, and thundrcth for us : both the creator
and the creatures are for us : it is the marke and point
whereat the universitie of things aymeth. Survay but
the register which Philosophy hath kept these two
thousand years and more, of heavenly affaires. The
Gods never acted, and never spake, but for man : She
ascnbeth no other consultation, nor imputeth other
vocation unto them. Loe how they are up in armes
against us.
— domitosque Heradea manu
Telluris iuvenes, unde periculum
Fulgens contiemuit domus
Saturnt veterts.²
And young earth-gallants tamed by the hand
Of Hercules, whereby the habitation
Of old Saturn us did in perill stand,
And, shyn'd it ne'er so bright, yet fear'd invasion.
See how they are partakers of our troubles, that so
they may be even with us, forsomuch as so many times
we are partakers of theirs.
1 CIC. Nat, Deor. 1. i.
² HOR. Car, 1. ii. 0d. xii. 6.