How Panurge consulteth with Epistemon.
Having left the town of Villomere, as they were upon their return towards Pantagruel, Panurge, in addressing his discourse1 to Epistemon, spoke2 thus: My most ancient friend and gossip, thou seest the perplexity of my thoughts, and knowest many remedies for the removal thereof; art thou not able to help and succour me? Epistemon, thereupon taking the speech in hand, represented unto Panurge how the open voice and common fame of the whole country did run upon no other discourse but the derision and mockery of his new disguise; wherefore his counsel unto him was that he would in the first place be pleased to make use of a little hellebore for the purging3 of his brain of that peccant humour which, through that extravagant4 and fantastic mummery of his, had furnished the people with a too just occasion of flouting6 and gibing7, jeering8 and scoffing9 him, and that next he would resume his ordinary fashion of accoutrement, and go apparelled as he was wont10 to do. I am, quoth Panurge, my dear gossip Epistemon, of a mind and resolution to marry, but am afraid of being a cuckold and to be unfortunate in my wedlock11. For this cause have I made a vow12 to young St. Francis — who at Plessis-les-Tours is much reverenced13 of all women, earnestly cried unto by them, and with great devotion, for he was the first founder14 of the confraternity of good men, whom they naturally covet15, affect, and long for — to wear spectacles in my cap, and to carry no codpiece in my breeches, until the present inquietude and perturbation of my spirits be fully16 settled.
Truly, quoth Epistemon, that is a pretty jolly vow of thirteen to a dozen. It is a shame to you, and I wonder much at it, that you do not return unto yourself, and recall your senses from this their wild swerving17 and straying abroad to that rest and stillness which becomes a virtuous18 man. This whimsical conceit19 of yours brings me to the remembrance of a solemn promise made by the shag-haired Argives, who, having in their controversy20 against the Lacedaemonians for the territory of Thyrea, lost the battle which they hoped should have decided21 it for their advantage, vowed22 to carry never any hair on their heads till preallably they had recovered the loss of both their honour and lands. As likewise to the memory of the vow of a pleasant Spaniard called Michael Doris, who vowed to carry in his hat a piece of the shin of his leg till he should be revenged of him who had struck it off. Yet do not I know which of these two deserveth most to wear a green and yellow hood23 with a hare’s ears tied to it, either the aforesaid vainglorious24 champion, or that Enguerrant, who having forgot the art and manner of writing histories set down by the Samosatian philosopher, maketh a most tediously long narrative25 and relation thereof. For, at the first reading of such a profuse26 discourse, one would think it had been broached27 for the introducing of a story of great importance and moment concerning the waging of some formidable war, or the notable change and mutation28 of potent29 states and kingdoms; but, in conclusion, the world laugheth at the capricious champion, at the Englishman who had affronted30 him, as also at their scribbler Enguerrant, more drivelling at the mouth than a mustard pot. The jest and scorn thereof is not unlike to that of the mountain of Horace, which by the poet was made to cry out and lament31 most enormously as a woman in the pangs32 and labour of child-birth, at which deplorable and exorbitant33 cries and lamentations the whole neighbourhood being assembled in expectation to see some marvellous monstrous34 production, could at last perceive no other but the paltry35, ridiculous mouse.
Your mousing, quoth Panurge, will not make me leave my musing36 why folks should be so frumpishly disposed, seeing I am certainly persuaded that some flout5 who merit to be flouted37 at; yet, as my vow imports, so will I do. It is now a long time since, by Jupiter Philos (A mistake of the translator’s.— M.), we did swear faith and amity38 to one another. Give me your advice, billy, and tell me your opinion freely, Should I marry or no? Truly, quoth Epistemon, the case is hazardous39, and the danger so eminently40 apparent that I find myself too weak and insufficient41 to give you a punctual and peremptory42 resolution therein; and if ever it was true that judgment43 is difficult in matters of the medicinal art, what was said by Hippocrates of Lango, it is certainly so in this case. True it is that in my brain there are some rolling fancies, by means whereof somewhat may be pitched upon of a seeming efficacy to the disentangling your mind of those dubious44 apprehensions45 wherewith it is perplexed46; but they do not thoroughly47 satisfy me. Some of the Platonic48 sect49 affirm that whosoever is able to see his proper genius may know his own destiny. I understand not their doctrine50, nor do I think that you adhere to them; there is a palpable abuse. I have seen the experience of it in a very curious gentleman of the country of Estangourre. This is one of the points. There is yet another not much better. If there were any authority now in the oracles52 of Jupiter Ammon; of Apollo in Lebadia, Delphos, Delos, Cyrra, Patara, Tegyres, Preneste, Lycia, Colophon, or in the Castalian Fountain; near Antiochia in Syria, between the Branchidians; of Bacchus in Dodona; of Mercury in Phares, near Patras; of Apis in Egypt; of Serapis in Canope; of Faunus in Menalia, and Albunea near Tivoli; of Tiresias in Orchomenus; of Mopsus in Cilicia; of Orpheus in Lesbos, and of Trophonius in Leucadia; I would in that case advise you, and possibly not, to go thither53 for their judgment concerning the design and enterprise you have in hand. But you know that they are all of them become as dumb as so many fishes since the advent54 of that Saviour55 King whose coming to this world hath made all oracles and prophecies to cease; as the approach of the sun’s radiant beams expelleth goblins, bugbears, hobthrushes, broams, screech-owl-mates, night-walking spirits, and tenebrions. These now are gone; but although they were as yet in continuance and in the same power, rule, and request that formerly56 they were, yet would not I counsel you to be too credulous57 in putting any trust in their responses. Too many folks have been deceived thereby58. It stands furthermore upon record how Agrippina did charge the fair Lollia with the crime of having interrogated59 the oracle51 of Apollo Clarius, to understand if she should be at any time married to the Emperor Claudius; for which cause she was first banished60, and thereafter put to a shameful61 and ignominious62 death.
But, saith Panurge, let us do better. The Ogygian Islands are not far distant from the haven63 of Sammalo. Let us, after that we shall have spoken to our king, make a voyage thither. In one of these four isles64, to wit, that which hath its primest aspect towards the sun setting, it is reported, and I have read in good antique and authentic65 authors, that there reside many soothsayers, fortune-tellers, vaticinators, prophets, and diviners of things to come; that Saturn66 inhabiteth that place, bound with fair chains of gold and within the concavity of a golden rock, being nourished with divine ambrosia67 and nectar, which are daily in great store and abundance transmitted to him from the heavens, by I do not well know what kind of fowls,— it may be that they are the same ravens68 which in the deserts are said to have fed St. Paul, the first hermit,— he very clearly foretelleth unto everyone who is desirous to be certified69 of the condition of his lot what his destiny will be, and what future chance the Fates have ordained70 for him; for the Parcae, or Weird71 Sisters, do not twist, spin, or draw out a thread, nor yet doth Jupiter perpend, project, or deliberate anything which the good old celestial72 father knoweth not to the full, even whilst he is asleep. This will be a very summary abbreviation of our labour, if we but hearken unto him a little upon the serious debate and canvassing73 of this my perplexity. That is, answered Epistemon, a gullery too evident, a plain abuse and fib too fabulous74. I will not go, not I; I will not go.
1 discourse | |
n.论文,演说;谈话;话语;vi.讲述,著述 | |
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2 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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3 purging | |
清洗; 清除; 净化; 洗炉 | |
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4 extravagant | |
adj.奢侈的;过分的;(言行等)放肆的 | |
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5 flout | |
v./n.嘲弄,愚弄,轻视 | |
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6 flouting | |
v.藐视,轻视( flout的现在分词 ) | |
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7 gibing | |
adj.讥刺的,嘲弄的v.嘲笑,嘲弄( gibe的现在分词 ) | |
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8 jeering | |
adj.嘲弄的,揶揄的v.嘲笑( jeer的现在分词 ) | |
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9 scoffing | |
n. 嘲笑, 笑柄, 愚弄 v. 嘲笑, 嘲弄, 愚弄, 狼吞虎咽 | |
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10 wont | |
adj.习惯于;v.习惯;n.习惯 | |
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11 wedlock | |
n.婚姻,已婚状态 | |
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12 vow | |
n.誓(言),誓约;v.起誓,立誓 | |
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13 reverenced | |
v.尊敬,崇敬( reverence的过去式和过去分词 );敬礼 | |
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14 Founder | |
n.创始者,缔造者 | |
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15 covet | |
vt.垂涎;贪图(尤指属于他人的东西) | |
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16 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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17 swerving | |
v.(使)改变方向,改变目的( swerve的现在分词 ) | |
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18 virtuous | |
adj.有品德的,善良的,贞洁的,有效力的 | |
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19 conceit | |
n.自负,自高自大 | |
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20 controversy | |
n.争论,辩论,争吵 | |
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21 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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22 vowed | |
起誓,发誓(vow的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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23 hood | |
n.头巾,兜帽,覆盖;v.罩上,以头巾覆盖 | |
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24 vainglorious | |
adj.自负的;夸大的 | |
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25 narrative | |
n.叙述,故事;adj.叙事的,故事体的 | |
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26 profuse | |
adj.很多的,大量的,极其丰富的 | |
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27 broached | |
v.谈起( broach的过去式和过去分词 );打开并开始用;用凿子扩大(或修光);(在桶上)钻孔取液体 | |
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28 mutation | |
n.变化,变异,转变 | |
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29 potent | |
adj.强有力的,有权势的;有效力的 | |
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30 affronted | |
adj.被侮辱的,被冒犯的v.勇敢地面对( affront的过去式和过去分词 );相遇 | |
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31 lament | |
n.悲叹,悔恨,恸哭;v.哀悼,悔恨,悲叹 | |
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32 pangs | |
突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 ); 悲痛 | |
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33 exorbitant | |
adj.过分的;过度的 | |
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34 monstrous | |
adj.巨大的;恐怖的;可耻的,丢脸的 | |
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35 paltry | |
adj.无价值的,微不足道的 | |
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36 musing | |
n. 沉思,冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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37 flouted | |
v.藐视,轻视( flout的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38 amity | |
n.友好关系 | |
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39 hazardous | |
adj.(有)危险的,冒险的;碰运气的 | |
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40 eminently | |
adv.突出地;显著地;不寻常地 | |
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41 insufficient | |
adj.(for,of)不足的,不够的 | |
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42 peremptory | |
adj.紧急的,专横的,断然的 | |
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43 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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44 dubious | |
adj.怀疑的,无把握的;有问题的,靠不住的 | |
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45 apprehensions | |
疑惧 | |
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46 perplexed | |
adj.不知所措的 | |
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47 thoroughly | |
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 | |
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48 platonic | |
adj.精神的;柏拉图(哲学)的 | |
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49 sect | |
n.派别,宗教,学派,派系 | |
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50 doctrine | |
n.教义;主义;学说 | |
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51 oracle | |
n.神谕,神谕处,预言 | |
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52 oracles | |
神示所( oracle的名词复数 ); 神谕; 圣贤; 哲人 | |
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53 thither | |
adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的 | |
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54 advent | |
n.(重要事件等的)到来,来临 | |
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55 saviour | |
n.拯救者,救星 | |
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56 formerly | |
adv.从前,以前 | |
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57 credulous | |
adj.轻信的,易信的 | |
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58 thereby | |
adv.因此,从而 | |
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59 interrogated | |
v.询问( interrogate的过去式和过去分词 );审问;(在计算机或其他机器上)查询 | |
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60 banished | |
v.放逐,驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61 shameful | |
adj.可耻的,不道德的 | |
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62 ignominious | |
adj.可鄙的,不光彩的,耻辱的 | |
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63 haven | |
n.安全的地方,避难所,庇护所 | |
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64 isles | |
岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
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65 authentic | |
a.真的,真正的;可靠的,可信的,有根据的 | |
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66 Saturn | |
n.农神,土星 | |
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67 ambrosia | |
n.神的食物;蜂食 | |
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68 ravens | |
n.低质煤;渡鸦( raven的名词复数 ) | |
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69 certified | |
a.经证明合格的;具有证明文件的 | |
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70 ordained | |
v.任命(某人)为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 );授予(某人)圣职;(上帝、法律等)命令;判定 | |
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71 weird | |
adj.古怪的,离奇的;怪诞的,神秘而可怕的 | |
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72 celestial | |
adj.天体的;天上的 | |
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73 canvassing | |
v.(在政治方面)游说( canvass的现在分词 );调查(如选举前选民的)意见;为讨论而提出(意见等);详细检查 | |
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74 fabulous | |
adj.极好的;极为巨大的;寓言中的,传说中的 | |
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