Friday, December 09, 2005

 

The Corruption of the Times

Montaigne, Essays 3.9 (tr. E.J. Trechmann):
The corruption of the times is made up of the individual contributions of each one of us; some contribute treachery, others injustice, irreligion, tyranny, avarice, cruelty, according as they are more or less influential; the weaker sort bring to it folly, vanity, idleness: of these am I. It would seem as if unprofitable things were in season, when the hurtful weigh heavily upon us. At a time when wicked deeds are so common, merely unprofitable deeds are almost praiseworthy.

La corruption du siecle se fait, par la contribution particuliere de chacun de nous: Les uns y conferent la trahison, les autres l'injustice, l'irreligion, la tyrannie, l'avarice, la cruauté, selon qu'ils sont plus puissans: les plus foibles y apportent la sottise, la vanité, l'oisiveté: desquels je suis. Il semble que ce soit la saison des choses vaines, quand les dommageables nous pressent. En un temps, où le meschamment faire est si commun, de ne faire qu'inutilement, il est comme louable.



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