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214044_The_Essa ... rd_Of_Montaigne_Vol_II.pdf - OUDL Home

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THE SECOND BOOKE 541<br />

command all his armie to swimme over a river without<br />

any necessitie.<br />

rapuitque ruent in prceha miles,<br />

Quodfugiens timuisset tter, mox uda receptts<br />

Memora/ovent armis, gehdosque agurgite cutsu<br />

Restituunt artus. 1<br />

<strong>The</strong> Souldier rides that way in hast to fight<br />

Which yet he would have feared in ha&te of flight;<br />

His limbs with water wet and cold before,<br />

With armes he covers, running doth restore.<br />

I finde him somewhat more warie and considerate in<br />

his enterprises then Alexander ; for the latter seemeth<br />

to seeke out, and by maine force to runne into dangers,<br />

as an impetuous or raging torrent, which without heede,<br />

discretion, or choise, shockes and checkmates whatever<br />

it meeteth withall.<br />

Sic tauriformis volvitur Aufidusy<br />

Qui Regna Dauni perfluit Appuli,<br />

Dum scevit, horrendamque cult is<br />

Diluviem meditatur agris. 2<br />

So Bull-fac'd Aufidas still rowling growes,<br />

Which through Apulias ancient kmgdome flowes,<br />

When he doth rage in threatning meditation<br />

To bring on faire fields fearefull inundation.<br />

And to say truth, his hap was to be most employed<br />

in the spring time and first heate of his age : whereas<br />

Caesar was well strucken in yeares when he beganne to<br />

follow armes. Alexander was of a more cholerike,<br />

sanguine and violent constitution, while humour hee<br />

stirred up with wine, whereof Caesar was very abstinent.<br />

But where occasions of necessitie were offered, and<br />

where the subject required it, there was never man<br />

that so little rega<strong>rd</strong>ed his person. As for me, me<br />

seemeth I reade in diverse of his exploits a certaine<br />

resolution rather to lose himselfe then to abide the<br />

brunt or shame to be overthrowne. In that great battel<br />

which he fought against those of Turnay, seeing the vangua<strong>rd</strong><br />

of his army somewhat enclining to route, even as<br />

1 LUCAN. 1. iv. 151. ² HOR. Car. 1. iv. Od. xiv. 25,

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