The Irony of Psammenitus-“Of Sorrow”
Montaigne reports, “Psammenitus, King of Egypt, being defeated and taken prisoner by Cambyses, King of Persia, seeing his own daughter pass by him as prisoner, and in a wretched habit, with a bucket to draw water, though his friends about him were so concerned as to break out into tears and lamentations, yet he himself remained unmoved, without uttering a word, his eyes fixed upon the ground; and seeing, moreover, his son immediately after led to execution, still maintained the same countenance; till spying at last one of his domestic and familiar friends dragged away amongst the captives, he fell to tearing his hair and beating his breast, with all the other extravagances of extreme sorrow.” Typically, Psammenitus would have broken down effortlessly upon perceiving the deprivation of his biotic children. One would anticipate him to be impassive towards the familiar associate’s dilapidation because they are not related biologically. Superficially, his response towards the associate’s predicament surmises that he cares more about the associate than his blood children. Nevertheless, the irony contributes ominously to Montaigne’s thesis on the incongruity of passion and the irrationality of human nature. Psammenitus’ passion explodes when it is least projected.
Irony of Socrates’ Views on Constancy- “Of Constancy”
Montaigne writes, “Socrates in Plato, laughs at Laches, who had defined fortitude to be a standing firm in the ranks against the enemy. “What!” says he, “would it, then, be a reputed cowardice to overcome them by giving ground?” urging, at the same time, the authority of Homer, who commends in AEneas the science of flight.” Socrates’ reactions to Laches and Homer are ambivalent. In the case of Laches, Socrates ratifies constancy through the satirical mention apropos cowardice which conjectures that giving up is comparable to cowardice. Comparatively, Plato sabotages constancy when he approbations Homer’s ‘Science of Flight.” In the case of Homer, Socrates does not regard flight as cowardice. The irony exhibits the relativeness that dictates the applicability of constancy.
