Page:Essays Vol 1 (Ives, 1925).pdf/288
268 ESSAYS OF MONTAIGNE
some days beforehand, asking alms for the offering of their sacrifice, and present themselves to be butchered, singing and dancing with the spectators. The ambassadors of the King of Mexico, impressing upon Ferdinand Cortez their master’s greatness, after they had told him that he had thirty vassals, each of whom could assemble a hundred thou- sand fighting men, and that he dwelt in the most beautiful and strongest city under heaven, added that he had to sacri- fice fifty thousand men to the gods each year. In truth, it is said, he waged constant war against certain great neighbour- ing nations, not only to train the youth of the country, but chiefly to have the wherewithal to supply his sacrifices with prisoners of war. Elsewhere, in a certain district, by way of welcome to this same Cortez, they sacrificed fifty men, all at once. I will tell this strange story also: some of these peoples, having been beaten by him,? sent to him by way of recognition, and to seek his friendship; the messengers pre- sented him with gifts of three sorts, in this wise: “Lord, here are five slaves; if thou art a fierce god that dost feed on flesh and blood, eat them, and we will bring thee more; if thou art a kindly god, here are incense and feathers; if thou art a man, take these birds and fruits.” *
CHAPTER XXX]
OF CANNIBALS
It has been remarked (by M. Gilbert Chinard) that this chapter is one of those in which most definitely appears a desire on Montaigne’s part to give a lesson to his contemporaries, to urge them to free themselves _ from their prejudices, to listen to the voice of our grande et puissante mire Nature. And it may be added that it is notable that these pages are composed with a closer connection of ideas than is usual with Mon- taigne. The connecting thread of thought, often so slight with him, is here clearly perceptible throughout.
This Essay, like that on Education, is curjously precursory. be- liefs of Rousseau. It is the praise, not of a state of savagery, but of a
1 That is, to defray the cost of their sacrifice. See Gomara, Histoire Générale des Indes, Il, 7.
2 Cortez.
- See Gomara, Don Fernando Cortes.