military tactics and in hunting, lest perchance they should become
effeminate and unprepared for any emergency. Besides, there are four
kingdoms in the island, which are very envious of their prosperity,
for this reason that the people desire to live after the manner of the
inhabitants of the City of the Sun, and to be under their rule rather
than that of their own kings. Wherefore the State often makes war upon
these because, being neighbors, they are usurpers and live impiously,
since they have not an object of worship and do not observe the religion
of other nations or of the Brahmins. And other nations of India, to
which formerly they were subject, rise up as it were in rebellion, as
also do the Taprobanese, whom they wanted to join them at first. The
warriors of the City of the Sun, however, are always the victors. As
soon as they suffered from insult or disgrace or plunder, or when their
allies have been harassed, or a people have been oppressed by a tyrant
of the State (for they are always the advocates of liberty), they go
immediately to the Council for deliberation. After they have knelt in
the presence of God, that he might inspire their consultation, they
proceed to examine the merits of the business, and thus war is decided
on. Immediately after, a priest, whom they call Forensic, is sent away.
He demands from the enemy the restitution of the plunder, asks that the
allies should be freed from oppression, or that the tyrant should be
deposed. If they deny these things war is declared by invoking the
vengeance of God--the God of Sabaoth--for destruction of those who
maintain an unjust cause. But if the enemy refuse to reply, the priest
gives him the space of one hour for his answer, if he is a king, but
three if it is a republic, so that they cannot escape giving a response.
And in this manner is war undertaken against the insolent enemies of
natural rights and of religion. When war has been declared, the deputy
of Power performs everything, but Power, like the Roman dictator, plans
and wills everything, so that hurtful tardiness may be avoided. And when
anything of great moment arises he consults Hoh and Wisdom and Love.
Before this, however, the occasion of war and the justice of making
an expedition are declared by a herald in the great Council. All from
twenty years and upward are admitted to this Council, and thus the
necessaries are agreed upon. All kinds of weapons stand in the armories,
and these they use often in sham fights. The exterior walls of each ring
are full of guns prepared by their labors, and they have other engines
for hurling which are called cannons, and which they take into battle
upon mules and asses and carriages. When they have arrived in an
open plain they enclose in the middle the provisions, engines of war,
chariots, ladders, and machines, and all fight courageously. Then each
one returns to the standards, and the enemy thinking that they are
giving and preparing to flee, are deceived and relax their order: then
the warriors of the City of the Sun, wheeling into wings and columns on
each side, regain their breath and strength, and ordering the artillery
to discharge their bullets they resume the fight against a disorganized
host. And they observe many ruses of this kind. They overcome all
mortals with their stratagems and engines. Their camp is fortified after
the manner of the Romans. They pitch their tents and fortify with wall
and ditch with wonderful quickness. The masters of works, of engines and
hurling machines, stand ready, and the soldiers understand the use of
the spade and the axe.
Five, eight, or ten leaders learned in the order of battle and in
strategy consult together concerning the business of war, and command
their bands after consultation. It is their wont to take out with them a
body of boys, armed and on horses, so that they may learn to fight, just
as the whelps of lions and wolves are accustomed to blood. And these in
time of danger betake themselves to a place of safety, along with many
armed women. After the battle the women and boys soothe and relieve
the pain of the warriors, and wait upon them and encourage them with
embraces and pleasant words. How wonderful a help is this! For the
soldiers, in order that they may acquit themselves as sturdy men in the
eyes of their wives and offspring, endure hardships, and so love makes
them conquerors. He who in the fight first scales the enemy's walls
receives after the battle of a crown of grass, as a token of honor,
and at the presentation the women and boys applaud loudly; that one who
affords aid to an ally gets a civic crown of oak-leaves; he who kills
a tyrant dedicates his arms in the temple and receives from Hoh the
cognomen of his deed, and other warriors obtain other kinds of crowns.
Every horse-soldier carries a spear and two strongly tempered pistols,
narrow at the mouth, hanging from his saddle. And to get the barrels of
their pistols narrow they pierce the metal which they intend to convert
into arms. Further, every cavalry soldier has a sword and a dagger. But
the rest, who form the light-armed troops, carry a metal cudgel. For if
the foe cannot pierce their metal for pistols and cannot make swords,
they attack him with clubs, shatter and overthrow him. Two chains of six
spans length hang from the club, and at the end of these are iron balls,
and when these are aimed at the enemy they surround his neck and drag
him to the ground; and in order that they may be able to use the club
more easily, they do not hold the reins with their hands, but use them
by means of the feet. If perchance the reins are interchanged above
the trappings of the saddle, the ends are fastened to the stirrups with
buckles, and not to the feet. And the stirrups have an arrangement for
swift movement of the bridle, so that they draw in or let out the rein
with marvellous celerity. With the right foot they turn the horse to
the left, and with the left to the right. This secret, moreover, is not
known to the Tartars. For, although they govern the reins with their
feet, they are ignorant nevertheless of turning them and drawing them
in and letting them out by means of the block of the stirrups. The
light-armed cavalry with them are the first to engage in battle, then the
men forming the phalanx with their spears, then the archers for whose
services a great price is paid, and who are accustomed to fight in lines
crossing one another as the threads of cloth, some rushing forward
in their turn and others receding. They have a band of lancers
strengthening the line of battle, but they make trial of the swords only
at the end.
After the battle they celebrate the military triumphs after the manner
of the Romans, and even in a more magnificent way. Prayers by the way of
thank-offerings are made to God, and then the general presents himself
in the temple, and the deeds, good and bad, are related by the poet
or historian, who according to custom was with the expedition. And the
greatest chief, Hoh, crowns the general with laurel and distributes
little gifts and honors to all the valorous soldiers, who are for some
days free from public duties. But this exemption from work is by no
means pleasing to them, since they know not what it is to be at leisure,
and so they help their companions. On the other hand, they who have been
conquered through their own fault, or have lost the victory, are blamed;
and they who were the first to take to flight are in no way worthy to
escape death, unless when the whole army asks their lives, and each one
takes upon himself a part of their punishment. But this indulgence is
rarely granted, except when there are good reasons favoring it. But he
who did not bear help to an ally or friend is beaten with rods. That one
who did not obey orders is given to the beasts, in an enclosure, to be
devoured, and a staff is put in his hand, and if he should conquer the
lions and the bears that are there, which is almost impossible, he
is received into favor again. The conquered States or those willingly
delivered up to them, forthwith have all things in common, and receive
a garrison and magistrates from the City of the Sun, and by degrees they
are accustomed to the ways of the city, the mistress of all, to which
they even send their sons to be taught without contributing anything for
expense.
It would be too great trouble to tell you about the spies and their
master, and about the guards and laws and ceremonies, both within
and without the State, which you can of yourself imagine. Since from
childhood they are chosen according to their inclination and the star
under which they were born, therefore each one working according to his
natural propensity does his duty well and pleasantly, because naturally.
The same things I may say concerning strategy and the other functions.
There are guards in the city by day and by night, and they are placed
at the four gates, and outside the walls of the seventh ring, above the
breastworks and towers and inside mounds. These places are guarded in
the day by women, in the night by men. And lest the guard should become
weary of watching, and in case of a surprise, they change them every
three hours, as is the custom with our soldiers. At sunset, when the
drum and symphonia sound, the armed guards are distributed. Cavalry and
infantry make use of hunting as the symbol of war and practise games and
hold festivities in the plains. Then the music strikes up, and freely
they pardon the offences and faults of the enemy, and after the
victories they are kind to them, if it has been decreed that they should
destroy the walls of the enemy's city and take their lives. All these
things are done on the same day as the victory, and afterward they never
cease to load the conquered with favors, for they say that there ought
to be no fighting, except when the conquerors give up the conquered, not
when they kill them. If there is a dispute among them concerning injury
or any other matter (for they themselves scarcely ever contend except
in matters of honor), the chief and his magistrates chastise the accused
one secretly, if he has done harm in deeds after he has been first
angry. If they wait until the time of the battle for the verbal
decision, they must give vent to their anger against the enemy, and he
who in battle shows the most daring deeds is considered to have defended
the better and truer cause in the struggle, and the other yields, and
they are punished justly. Nevertheless, they are not allowed to come to
single combat, since right is maintained by the tribunal, and because
the unjust cause is often apparent when the more just succumbs, and he
who professes to be the better man shows this in public fight.
G.M. This is worth while, so that factions should not be cherished for
the harm of the fatherland, and so that civil wars might not occur, for
by means of these a tyrant often arises, as the examples of Rome
and Athens show. Now, I pray you, tell me of their works and matter
connected therewith.
Capt. I believe that you have already heard about their military affairs
and about their agricultural and pastoral life, and in what way these
are common to them, and how they honor with the first grade of nobility
whoever is considered to have knowledge of these. They who are skilful
in more arts than these they consider still nobler, and they set
that one apart for teaching the art in which he is most skilful. The
occupations which require the most labor, such as working in metals and
building, are the most praiseworthy among them. No one declines to go
to these occupations, for the reason that from the beginning their
propensities are well known, and among them, on account of the
distribution of labor, no one does work harmful to him, but only that
which is necessary for him. The occupations entailing less labor belong
to the women. All of them are expected to know how to swim, and for this
reason ponds are dug outside the walls of the city and within them near
to the fountains.
Commerce is of little use to them, but they know the value of money, and
they count for the use of their ambassadors and explorers, so that with
it they may have the means of living. They receive merchants into their
States from the different 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 customs 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 difficulty 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 contracts 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 conjunction 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 everyone likes to be industrious, their labors being slight and
profitable. 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 belong 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 loathing 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 marvellous 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 living is better and more approved than the rest. They
admire the Christian institutions and look for a realization of the
apostolic 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 secrets. 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 medicine.
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, unless 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 catarrh, 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 gradual 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
unprepared patients, and by means of herbs producing effects opposite to
the humors of this fever. All these secrets they told me in opposition
to their own wishes. They take more diligent pains to cure the lasting
fevers, which they fear more, and they strive to counteract these by
the observation of stars and of plants, and by prayers to God. Fevers
recurring every fifth, sixth, eighth or more days, you never find
whenever heavy humors are wanting.
They use baths, and moreover they have warm ones according to the Roman
custom, and they make use also of olive oil. They have found out, too, a
great many secret cures for the preservation of cleanliness and health.
And in other ways they labor to cure the epilepsy, with which they are
often troubled.
G.M. A sign this disease is of wonderful cleverness, for from it
Hercules, Scotus, Socrates, Callimachus, and Mahomet have suffered.
Capt. They cure by means of prayers to heaven, by strengthening the
head, by acids, by planned gymnastics, and with fat cheese-bread
sprinkled with the flour of wheaten corn. They are very skilled in
making dishes, and in them they put spice, honey, butter, and many
highly strengthening spices, and they temper their richness with
acids, so that they never vomit. They do not drink ice-cold drinks nor
artificial hot drinks, as the Chinese do; for they are not without aid
against the humors of the body, on account of the help they get from the
natural heat of the water; but they strengthen it with crushed garlic,
with vinegar, with wild thyme, with mint, and with basil, in the summer
or in time of special heaviness. They know also a secret for renovating
life after about the seventieth year, and for ridding it of affliction,
and this they do by a pleasing and indeed wonderful art.
G.M. Thus far you have said nothing concerning their sciences and
magistrates.