Sorrow - “Of Sorrow”
Montaigne elucidates, “The Italians have more fitly baptized by this name—[La tristezza]—malignity; for ‘tis a quality always hurtful, always idle and vain; and as being cowardly, mean, and base, it is by the Stoics expressly and particularly forbidden to their sages.” The baptismal of sorrow implies that it is a remarkable actuality that distresses the conscience. Unlike Montaigne, the Italians are cognizant of the upsetting repercussions of sorrow. Montaigne’s aversion conjectures that be holds that passion initiates sorrow.
Danger - “Of Constancy”
Montaigne stresses that Constancy should not be a warrant to expose life to jeopardy. Montaigne illuminates, “Nevertheless, as to cannon-shot, when a body of men are drawn up in the face of a train of artillery, as the occasion of war often requires, it is unhandsome to quit their post to avoid the danger, forasmuch as by reason of its violence and swiftness we account it inevitable; and many a one, by ducking, stepping aside, and such other motions of fear, has been, at all events, sufficiently laughed at by his companions.” The soldiers are anticipated to be constant even if it means defying the death exposure. Even in scenarios it would be sensible to withdraw from the battle field, soldiers are compelled by the ideology of constancy to counter menaces. Retreating from the battlefield can be regarded as a defilement of constancy which may occasion derision from peers. Nevertheless, Montaigne holds that avoiding hazards is innate; thus, it is not tantamount to timidity.
