the city of the sun-第7部分

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countries　of　the　world；　and　these　buy　the　superfluous　goods　of
the　city。　　The　people　of　the　City　of　the　Sun　refuse　to　take
money；　but　in　importing　they　accept　in　exchange　those　things
of　which　they　are　in　need；　and　sometimes　they　buy　with　money；
and　the　young　people　in　the　City　of　the　Sun　are　much　amused
when　they　see　that　for　a　small　price　they　receive　so　many　things
in　exchange。　　The　old　men；　however；　do　not　laugh。　　They　are
unwilling　that　the　State　should　be　corrupted　by　the　vicious　cus…
toms　of　slaves　and　foreigners。　　Therefore　they　do　business　at
the　gates；　and　sell　those　whom　they　have　taken　in　war　or　keep
them　for　digging　ditches　and　other　hard　work　without　the　city；
and　for　this　reason　they　always　send　four　bands　of　soldiers　to
take　care　of　the　fields；　and　with　them　there　are　the　laborers。
They　go　out　of　the　four　gates　from　which　roads　with　walls　on
both　sides　of　them　lead　to　the　sea；　so　that　goods　might　easily
be　carried　over　them　and　foreigners　might　not　meet　with　diffi…
culty　on　their　way。

　　　To　strangers　they　are　kind　and　polite；　they　keep　them　for
three　days　at　the　public　expense；　after　they　have　first　washed
their　feet；　they　show　them　their　city　and　its　customs；　and　they
honor　them　with　a　seat　at　the　Council　and　public　table；　and
there　are　men　whose　duty　it　is　to　take　care　of　and　guard　the
guests。　　But　if　strangers　should　wish　to　become　citizens　of
their　State；　they　try　them　first　for　a　month　on　a　farm；　and　for
another　month　in　the　city；　then　they　decide　concerning　them；
and　admit　them　with　certain　ceremonies　and　oaths。

　　　Agriculture　is　much　followed　among　them；　there　is　not　a
span　of　earth　without　cultivation；　and　they　observe　the　winds
and　propitious　stars。　　With　the　exception　of　a　few　left　in　the
city　all　go　out　armed；　and　with　flags　and　drums　and　trumpets
sounding；　to　the　fields；　for　the　purposes　of　ploughing；　sowing；
digging；　hoeing；　reaping；　gathering　fruit　and　grapes；　and　they
set　in　order　everything；　and　do　their　work　in　a　very　few　hours
and　with　much　care。　　They　use　wagons　fitted　with　sails　which
are　borne　along　by　the　wind　even　when　it　is　contrary；　by　the
marvellous　contrivance　of　wheels　within　wheels。

　　　And　when　there　is　no　wind　a　beast　draws　along　a　huge　cart；
which　is　a　grand　sight。

　　　The　guardians　of　the　land　move　about　in　the　meantime；
armed　and　always　in　their　proper　turn。　　They　do　not　use　dung
and　filth　for　manuring　the　fields；　thinking　that　the　fruit　con…
tracts　something　of　their　rottenness；　and　when　eaten　gives　a
short　and　poor　subsistence；　as　women　who　are　beautiful　with
rouge　and　from　want　of　exercise　bring　forth　feeble　offspring。
Wherefore　they　do　not　as　it　were　paint　the　earth；　but　dig　it　up
well　and　use　secret　remedies；　so　that　fruit　is　borne　quickly　and
multiplies；　and　is　not　destroyed。　　They　have　a　book　for　this
work；　which　they　call　the　Georgics。　　As　much　of　the　land　as　is
necessary　is　cultivated；　and　the　rest　is　used　for　the　pasturage　of
cattle。

　　　The　excellent　occupation　of　breeding　and　rearing　horses；
oxen；　sheep；　dogs；　and　all　kinds　of　domestic　and　tame　animals
is　in　the　highest　esteem　among　them　as　it　was　in　the　time　of
Abraham。　　And　the　animals　are　led　so　to　pair　that　they　may
be　able　to　breed　well。

　　　Fine　pictures　of　oxen；　horses；　sheep；　and　other　animals　are
placed　before　them。　　They　do　not　turn　out　horses　with　mares
to　feed；　but　at　the　proper　time　they　bring　them　together　in　an
enclosure　of　the　stables　in　their　fields。　　And　this　is　done　when
they　observe　that　the　constellation　Archer　is　in　favorable　con…
junction　with　Mars　and　Jupiter。　　For　the　oxen　they　observe
the　Bull；　for　the　sheep　the　Ram；　and　so　on　in　accordance　with
art。　　Under　the　Pleiades　they　keep　a　drove　of　hens　and　ducks
and　geese；　which　are　driven　out　by　the　women　to　feed　near　the
city。　　The　women　only　do　this　when　it　is　a　pleasure　to　them。
There　are　also　places　enclosed；　where　they　make　cheese；　butter；
and　milk…food。　　They　also　keep　capons；　fruit；　and　other　things；
and　for　all　these　matters　there　is　a　book　which　they　call　the
Bucolics。　　They　have　an　abundance　of　all　things；　since　every…
one　likes　to　be　industrious；　their　labors　being　slight　and　profita…
ble。　　They　are　docile；　and　that　one　among　them　who　is　head
of　the　rest　in　duties　of　this　kind　they　call　king。　　For　they　say
that　this　is　the　proper　name　of　the　leaders；　and　it　does　not　be…
long　to　ignorant　persons。　　It　is　wonderful　to　see　how　men　and
women　march　together　collectively；　and　always　in　obedience
to　the　voice　of　the　king。　　Nor　do　they　regard　him　with　loath…
ing　as　we　do；　for　they　know　that　although　he　is　greater　than
themselves；　he　is　for　all　that　their　father　and　brother。　　They
keep　groves　and　woods　for　wild　animals；　and　they　often　hunt。

　　　The　science　of　navigation　is　considered　very　dignified　by
them；　and　they　possess　rafts　and　triremes；　which　go　over　the
waters　without　rowers　or　the　force　of　the　wind；　but　by　a　mar…
vellous　contrivance。　　And　other　vessels　they　have　which　are
moved　by　the　winds。　　They　have　a　correct　knowledge　of　the
stars；　and　of　the　ebb　and　flow　of　the　tide。　　They　navigate　for
the　sake　of　becoming　acquainted　with　nations　and　different
countries　and　things。　　They　injure　nobody；　and　they　do　not
put　up　with　injury；　and　they　never　go　to　battle　unless　when
provoked。　　They　assert　that　the　whole　earth　will　in　time　come
to　live　in　accordance　with　their　customs；　and　consequently　they
always　find　out　whether　there　be　a　nation　whose　manner　of　liv…
ing　is　better　and　more　approved　than　the　rest。　　They　admire
the　Christian　institutions　and　look　for　a　realization　of　the　apos…
tolic　life　in　vogue　among　themselves　and　in　us。　　There　are
treaties　between　them　and　the　Chinese　and　many　other　nations；
both　insular　and　continental；　such　as　Siam　and　Calicut；　which
they　are　only　just　able　to　explore。　　Furthermore；　they　have
artificial　fires；　battles　on　sea　and　land；　and　many　strategic　se…
crets。　　Therefore　they　are　nearly　always　victorious。


G。M。　　Now　it　would　be　very　pleasant　to　learn　with　what
foods　and　drinks　they　are　nourished；　and　in　what　way　and　for
how　long　they　live。


Capt。　　Their　food　consists　of　flesh；　butter；　honey；　cheese；
garden　herbs；　and　vegetables　of　various　kinds。　　They　were
unwilling　at　first　to　slay　animals；　because　it　seemed　cruel；　but
thinking　afterward　that　is　was　also　cruel　to　destroy　herbs　which
have　a　share　of　sensitive　feeling；　they　saw　that　they　would
perish　from　hunger　unless　they　did　an　unjustifiable　action　for
the　sake　of　justifiable　ones；　and　so　now　they　all　eat　meat。
Nevertheless；　they　do　not　kill　willingly　useful　animals；　such　as
oxen　and　horses。　　They　observe　the　difference　between　useful
and　harmful　foods；　and　for　this　they　employ　the　science　of　med…
icine。　　They　always　change　their　food。　　First　they　eat　flesh；
then　fish；　then　afterward　they　go　back　to　flesh；　and　nature　is
never　incommoded　or　weakened。　　The　old　people　use　the　more
digestible　kind　of　food；　and　take　three　meals　a　day；　eating　only
a　little。　　But　the　general　community　eat　twice；　and　the　boys
four　times；　that　they　may　satisfy　nature。　　The　length　of　their
lives　is　generally　100　years；　but　often　they　reach　200。

　　　As　regards　drinking；　they　are　extremely　moderate。　　Wine
is　never　given　to　young　people　until　they　are　ten　years　old；　un…
less　the　state　of　their　health　demands　it。　　After　their　tenth　year
they　take　it　diluted　with　water；　and　so　do　the　women；　but　the
old　men　of　fifty　and　upward　use　little　or　no　water。　　They　eat
the　most　healthy　things；　according　to　the　time　of　the　year。

　　　They　think　nothing　harmful　which　is　brought　forth　by　God；
except　when　there　has　been　abuse　by　taking　too　much。　　And
therefore　in　the　summer　they　feed　on　fruits；　because　they　are
moist　and　juicy　and　cool；　and　counteract　the　heat　and　dryness。
In　the　winter　they　feed　on　dry　articles；　and　in　the　autumn　they
eat　grapes；　since　they　are　given　by　God　to　remove　melancholy
and　sadness；　and　they　also　make　use　of　scents　to　a　great　degree。
In　the　morning；　when　they　have　all　risen　they　comb　their　hair
and　wash　their　faces　and　hands　with　cold　water。　　Then　they
chew　thyme　or　rock…parsley　or　fennel；　or　rub　their　hands　with
these　plants。　　The　old　men　make　incense；　and　with　their　faces
to　the　east　repeat　the　short　prayer　which　Jesus　Christ　taught
us。　　After　this　they　go　to　wait　upon　the　old　men；　some　go
to　the　dance；　and　others　to　the　duties　of　the　State。　　Later　on
they　meet　at　the　early　lectures；　then　in　the　temple；　then　for
bodily　exercise。　　Then　for　a　little　while　they　sit　down　to　rest；
and　at　length　they　go　to　dinner。

　　　Among　them　there　is　never　gout　in　the　hands　or　feet；　nor　ca…
tarrh；　nor　sciatica；　nor　grievous　colics；　nor　flatulency；　nor　hard
breathing。　　For　these　diseases　are　caused　by　indigestion　and
flatulency；　and　by　frugality　and　exercise　they　remove　every
humor　and　spasm。　　Therefore　it　is　unseemly　in　the　extreme
to　be　seen　vomiting　or　spitting；　since　they　say　that　this　is　a　sign
either　of　little　exercise；　or　of　ignoble　sloth；　or　of　drunkenness；
or　gluttony。　　They　suffer　rather　from　swellings　or　from　the
dry　spasm；　which　they　relieve　with　plenty　of　good　and　juicy
food。　　They　heal　fevers　with　pleasant　baths　and　with　milk…
food；　and　with　a　pleasant　habitation　in　the　country　and　by　grad…
ual　exercise。　　Unclean　diseases　cannot　be　prevalent　with　them
because　they　often　clean　their　bodies　by　bathing　in　wine；　and
soothe　them　with　aromatic　oil；　and　by　the　sweat　of　exercise　they
diffuse　the　poisonous　vapor　which　corrupts　the　blood　and　the
marrow。　　They　do　suffer　a　little　from　consumption；　because
they　cannot　perspire　at　the　breast；　but　they　never　have　asthma；
for　the　humid　nature　of　which　a　heavy　man　is　required。　　They
cure　hot　fevers　with　cold　potations　of　water；　but　slight　ones
with　sweet　smells；　with　cheese…bread　or　sleep；　with　music　or
dancing。　　Tertiary　fevers　are　cured　by　bleeding；　by　rhubarb
or　by　a　similar　drawing　remedy；　or　by　water　soaked　in　the　roots
of　plants；　with　purgative　and　sharp…tasting　qualities。　　But　it
is　rarely　that　they　take　purgative　medicines。　　Fevers　occurring
every　fourth　day　are　cured　easily　by　suddenly　startling　the　un…
prepared　patients；　and　by　means　of　herbs　producing　effects　op…
posite　to