登陆注册
4704600000005

第5章

The arts he had to acquire the good opinion and kindness of all sorts of men, to retain it with great complaisance, to communicate all things to them, to watch and serve all the occasions of their fortune, both with his money and his interest, and his industry, and if need were, not by sticking at any wickedness whatsoever that might be useful to them, to bend and turn about his own nature and laveer with every wind, to live severely with the melancholy, merrily with the pleasant, gravely with the aged, wantonly with the young, desperately with the bold, and debauchedly with the luxurious. With this variety and multiplicity of his nature, as he had made a collection of friendships with all the most wicked and reckless of all nations, so, by the artificial simulation of some virtues, he made a shift to ensnare some honest and eminent persons into his familiarity; neither could so vast a design as the destruction of this empire have been undertaken by him, if the immanity of so many vices had not been covered and disguised by the appearances of some excellent qualities."

I see, methinks, the character of an Anti-Paul, who became all things to all men, that he might destroy all; who only wanted the assistance of fortune to have been as great as his friend Caesar was, a little after him. And the ways of Caesar to compass the same ends--I mean till the civil war, which was but another manner of setting his country on fire--were not unlike these, though he used afterward his unjust dominion with more moderation than I think the other would have done. Sallust, therefore, who was well acquainted with them both and with many such-like gentlemen of his time, says, "That it is the nature of ambition" (Ambitio multos mortales falsos fieri coegit, etc.) "to make men liars and cheaters; to hide the truth in their breasts, and show, like jugglers, another thing in their mouths; to cut all friendships and enmities to the measure of their own interest, and to make a good countenance without the help of good will." And can there be freedom with this perpetual constraint? What is it but a kind of rack that forces men to say what they have no mind to? I have wondered at the extravagant and barbarous stratagem of Zopirus, and more at the praises which I find of so deformed an action; who, though he was one of the seven grandees of Persia, and the son of Megabises, who had freed before his country from an ignoble servitude, slit his own nose and lips, cut off his own ears, scourged and wounded his whole body, that he might, under pretence of having been mangled so inhumanly by Darius, be received into Babylon (then besieged by the Persians) and get into the command of it by the recommendation of so cruel a sufferance, and their hopes of his endeavouring to revenge it. It is a great pity the Babylonians suspected not his falsehood, that they might have cut off his hands too, and whipped him back again.

But the design succeeded; he betrayed the city, and was made governor of it. What brutish master ever punished his offending slave with so little mercy as ambition did this Zopirus? and yet how many are there in all nations who imitate him in some degree for a less reward; who, though they endure not so much corporal pain for a small preferment, or some honour, as they call it, yet stick not to commit actions, by which they are more shamefully and more lastingly stigmatised? But you may say, "Though these be the most ordinary and open ways to greatness, yet there are narrow, thorny, and little-trodden paths, too, through which some men find a passage by virtuous industry." I grant, sometimes they may; but then that industry must be such as cannot consist with liberty, though it may with honesty.

Thou art careful, frugal, painful. We commend a servant so, but not a friend.

Well, then, we must acknowledge the toil and drudgery which we are forced to endure in this assent, but we are epicures and lords when once we are gotten up into the high places. This is but a short apprenticeship, after which we are made free of a royal company. If we fall in love with any beauteous woman, we must be content that they should be our mistresses whilst we woo them. As soon as we are wedded and enjoy, 'tis we shall be the masters.

I am willing to stick to this similitude in the case of greatness: we enter into the bonds of it, like those of matrimony; we are bewitched with the outward and painted beauty, and take it for better or worse before we know its true nature and interior inconveniences. "A great fortune," says Seneca, "is a great servitude." But many are of that opinion which Brutus imputes (I hope untruly) even to that patron of liberty, his friend Cicero.

同类推荐
  • 七国考

    七国考

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 黄帝阴符经注

    黄帝阴符经注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 龙沙纪略

    龙沙纪略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 南康记

    南康记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 道德真经疏义·赵志坚

    道德真经疏义·赵志坚

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 達海叢書總目提要

    達海叢書總目提要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 小迷糊撞上大总裁

    小迷糊撞上大总裁

    第一次撞到他,是在一家五星级酒店。他说:“小朋友,走路小心点!”她怒了!正要发飙,却发现他已不知所踪。悲愤啊!她这爱看帅哥的毛病,什么时候才能改过来啊?第二次遇到他,是在她被相亲对象给耍了,没钱买单的时候。他对服务员说:“她的单算我的吧。”她说:“那个……蓝总,谢谢你!”他却冷淡地回了一句:“不客气!”“钱我会还你的!请问要怎么联系你?”“不必了。”他看都没看她一眼,丢下这句话就开着车子绝尘而去。第三次,她在医院里撞到了他,却将他当成透明人,跟他表妹滔滔不绝地述说着自己的遭遇。为了证明情况属实,还敞开外套露出了里面的卡通睡衣。待她反应过来,知道自己做了什么的时候,真恨不得买块豆腐撞死算了,不然找根面条上吊也行。不过,他们怎么这么有缘?如果说一次是意外,两次是偶然,第三次就肯定是缘分了。只是不知道这究竟是姻缘还是孽缘?花絮一:“我要辞职。”“可以,一百万。”“什么?”“合同上写着的,违约金是一百万。”天哪!她签的究竟是劳动合同还是卖身契啊?“你能不这么腹黑么?”“不好意思,这是天生的。”花絮二:“教你一个一夜暴富的方法。”“什么方法?”“嫁给我!我马上分一半家产给你。”本文女主平时迷糊可爱,跟小白兔似的,发起飙来却很恐怖,是典型的深藏不露型。男主冷峻腹黑,深情无限,情有独钟。这是一篇暖文,幽默、温馨和浪漫。想看虐文的亲们请绕路。简介各种无能,欢迎大家戳文,真的很好看哦!
  • 信佛功德经

    信佛功德经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 老庄意境与现代人生

    老庄意境与现代人生

    老庄意境,作为一种古老的文化遗存,不但仍在影响着现代人生,而且对现代人生还有一定的指导作用。本书旨在揭示和分析老庄意境,以便自觉地扬弃和借鉴它,从中得到有益的启发,也可以增强人民的民族自尊心与自信心。
  • 公主嫁到:妖孽师叔,请接嫁

    公主嫁到:妖孽师叔,请接嫁

    这是一个被亲哥坑骗穿越到了一个玄幻世界,经历一生的故事。亲人、朋友和一个让她心动的他。阴谋、真相,甘甜的毒药,甜腻微苦的爱恋,皆化作雨点般的狗粮,朝无辜的路人砸去。整天沉迷男色的某公主:承蒙你出现,够我喜欢一辈子了。终日勾搭公主的某狐狸:这就是你整日偷看为夫的理由?她是翱翔九天的凰,是张扬灿烂的阳,是受人崇敬的天才,更是某人的心尖宠。早慧天才?不不不,现在更流行全职业天才。什么?你是双灵根天才?十灵根了解一下,谢谢;炼丹炼器一手抓?不好意思,她七大职业都精通;摧残了一众天才的玻璃心?她不是故意的啊,这都是把她扔到这个世界的无良哥哥给她开的bug。男女主妥妥的宠文路线,身心干净一对一,欢迎入坑。
  • 天下豪商

    天下豪商

    大宋元符年间,画师武浩来到了繁华似锦赵氏天下。走在宛如清明上河图般繁华的汴梁街头,武浩却想到了29年后,女真铁骑,席卷南下,将这烈火烹油一般的盛世景象,全都毁了个干干净净。可是一介布衣,纵然知晓大厦将倾,又哪来的挽天之力?只想着在大难之中独善其身的武浩,却在汴梁街市之中,遇到了将为天子的文青赵佶……于是天下豪商,应运而生,从今往后,世间兴亡,就由商人的资本来主宰吧!书友群:431301049
  • 剑和远方

    剑和远方

    有人问我为什么去冒险,我说是因为对自由的向往和冒险的热爱。可当夜深人静的时候,自己才知道都是瞎扯。离开,仅仅只是因为骗不了自己,一路的旅行,最容易麻痹心灵,忘却过去。也许当我年老的时候,会再回到那个地方,写一本小说,好好讲一讲自己的故事。
  • Gargantua and Pantagruel

    Gargantua and Pantagruel

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 仙缘错爱:魔尊的呆萌妻

    仙缘错爱:魔尊的呆萌妻

    她是修仙第一大派掌门人的嫡传弟子,却资质奇差,只会摸鱼爬树、诱拐自己师兄一起戏弄他人。魔族重来天下危机,身为菜鸟的她临危受命集齐七大上古神器,危难之际蒙他出手相救。寻宝途中波澜重重,往事谜团一一揭开,情愫渐生倾心相许,他却夺走神器将她重伤,原为救回自己的旧爱。情爱纠缠,仇恨弥天,谎言欺骗,天命捉弄。他是众人惧怕憎恨的冷血魔尊,她却偏偏爱上了他,执念难放,浮云剑断,青丝为蛊笙歌落。这流离于忘川河畔的破碎爱情,能否彼岸再生?
  • 画皮:少女捉妖师

    画皮:少女捉妖师

    这个世界上,并非只有美女才会画皮。午夜高粱地里的俊美秀才撩拨着独居寡妇的心弦,艳遇之中暗藏杀机。寡妇的女儿,阴时阴刻降生在大雪地里,注定一生不凡。六岁年纪一碗狗血瓢泼,惊散千年妖魅。多少恨意杀意多少鬼气妖气席卷而来化成眉心一点朱砂。然而人心莫测,云波诡谲。比起妖魔,更可怖的则是人心。爱与恨的纠葛,生与死的眷恋,试问她又能如何挣脱天道,逆天而行。三界六道,轮回不终,一声号令,百鬼夜行。【推荐新文《女帝驯狼夫》】一枝懒花后援会群号:72012883----------------------------------