I Am Louis XIV

The absence of anyone else made Spinoza relax a little. He got a seat, and while chatting with the king around philosophy and history, Bontemps also brought hot tea and sweet snacks. As we all know, sweetness can make people happy. Although he was relaxed, Spinoza had no idea when their conversation deepened into politics. When he suddenly woke up, he no longer knew how many dangerous words he had said.

Bontang listened on the sidelines, and finally understood why Louis XIV took such a big risk to bring this man back to France.

Some of his ideas reminded Bontang of Plato's Utopia and Machiavelli's Theory of the Prince. He seemed to combine these two ideas and vaguely tower over them. While he supported people's ideological development Openness and freedom, while supporting the restriction and control of the body by the government or the king. He is not like most scholars who advocate ancient Greek philosophy, who blindly ask humans to get rid of the shackles imposed by social and personal responsibilities; nor is he like some scholars who advocate ancient Greek philosophy. A legal person believes that strict laws and punishments are the stable foundation of the entire world. He believes that the best political system is to limit the scope of power that the state can interfere with only to people's actions, rather than people's thoughts.

The country, or the king, should not be a dictator. They should be more like a coordinator, constantly coordinating various aspects and forms of things and events, making them harmonious and unified, so as to enhance the overall strength—— Of course, in this process, a dynamic government is necessary and absolutely necessary. Not everyone knows how to make good use of their own power and ideas.

But at the same time, he solemnly pointed out that when he said this, he did not mean that the government would restrict and control everyone as if it were a child. It should believe that human nature tends to be good and bright after all, and they should recognize that human beings Inevitably, all weaknesses and dark sides should be guided to learn, let them think, talk to their hearts, and improve their own moral character instead of barbarically denying or rejecting.

As the church did in the past, monopolizing education and not allowing people to possess wisdom is a slave master's behavior towards slaves, and will only lead to extreme tragedies.

…

Afterwards, Bontang did not even want to think about his even more rebellious words. He now understood how crazy, how evil, and how precious Baruch Spinoza was, even in his life. In the words, he could vaguely find parts of the king's behavior that fit with them. Spinoza's thoughts, like some of Louis XIV's hidden thoughts, were hundreds of years older than the current human race, or even more.

His ideas are like a dagger, pointing directly into the depths of people's hearts, and can easily arouse their instincts - the dual pursuit of freedom and order. It is not surprising that he was in The Hague and Florence, in such an embarrassing environment, Students can also be recruited using pseudonyms. As long as they listen to his lectures, it is difficult for anyone not to be convinced. At the same time, Bontang also felt a chill - Louis XIV said that Spinoza was the enemy of religion before, but now he sees Well, from a deep perspective, he is also the king's enemy - if he is a foolish or conservative king, he will definitely hate the dangerous ideas he spreads.

A smart person is not scary, what is scary is a person who can teach a group of smart people.

Bontan could even say that Spinoza's legacy will harm Bourbon for generations. After all, Louis XIV is still a human being. He can guarantee that his son will be a good king and his grandson will be a good king, but still Can you control what happens a hundred years from now?

What made Spinoza suddenly wake up was a strong cough - he held his mouth to avoid being rude in front of the king, and felt a wave of fear. Maybe some of Louis XIV's ideas coincided with his. , this is the first person he has met, who understands him better than his friends and relatives, no, it should be said, is extremely consistent with his thoughts. He unknowingly started to speak freely, and almost everything in his heart was expressed. Pour out.

"Now," Louis waited patiently for him to endure this for a while - the three scholars did a physical examination as soon as they arrived in Paris. Although the current medical technology cannot completely analyze the human body, with the help of wizards, like some Obvious illnesses can be discovered and treated - Torricelli has no major physical problems, and some of the sequelae left behind in the standing cage can be cured with proper rest, mainly his wife and unweaned children. Because he was frightened and had to travel long distances, he became weak and sick, but with the king, these problems were not a problem; Huygens had a common problem among nobles, and his liver was enlarged because he liked to drink. People who like to eat seafood and suffer from gout are two diseases that even wizards cannot solve in one fell swoop. They can only start by restricting their diet. The most dangerous one is Spinoza. As we mentioned before, he suffered from gout in his twenties. After being expelled from Amsterdam, he made a living by grinding lenses for more than 20 years. Whether it is crystal or glass, when it is sharpened on the grinding wheel, a large amount of fine dust will be raised, and these dust will be polished into the lens. Craftsmen inhaled their lungs, and they usually died in middle age due to lung pain and inability to breathe. Spinoza was no exception. He also had some diseases on the cervical spine, spine and lumbar spine.

The wizards were treating him at the king's request, using an extremely rare lung-washing technique. The process was painful, difficult, and time-consuming, but the effect was quite good. At least now Spinoza would only be in a state of agitation. Or you may cough violently during strenuous exercise, but you no longer have the feeling of being out of breath like before.

"I have an idea, Mr. Spinoza," Louis XIV said: "But first I want to ask you, you have looked into the infinite distance, have you ever looked at your feet?"

"If you mean where I am now," said Spinoza, "I see it."

"Then you have two choices now," Louis XIV said: "You continue your research and teaching under my protection. You will teach some satisfactory students and write some articles that condense your hard work. You You will definitely want to see your ideas spread among them," he raised his hand to signal Spinoza not to interrupt him, "but as soon as they, people or books, leave France, they will be banned. Being arrested, after my death, you and your teachings will definitely come to an end." He smiled: "I know my child, little Louis will not accept what you want to convey to people."

"But it is also possible that your doctrine will be carried forward in some remote place, but can you take a look? In such a case, what will happen to the outcome?"

"...war and chaos," said Spinoza.

Louis nodded approvingly. Martin Luther only wanted to reform the church. The religious war between Protestants and Catholics lasted for hundreds of years. The people guided by Spinoza's "freedom" would definitely not only point to the church. Once the kings became aware of this problem, Spinoza and his ideas would be strangled in their infancy.

Moreover, Spinoza suspected that if it came to that point, Louis XIV would never allow him and his thoughts to leave France, or even leave such a small place as the Chateau de Vaux-Vicomte.

"I like your article and your thoughts - even if it has many disadvantages for me and my descendants, it allows me to see the future of mankind, a future as brilliant and bright as the sun. I don't want it to "It doesn't make you a heresy, and you don't want to turn you into an evil villain - just like they did with Savonarola, you know how he was portrayed after his death," Louis said Finger: "Absurd, stupid, and evil. They said that the reason why he became a priest was not because he was inspired by God, but because he was too ugly and was born incompetent. He could not win the love of a woman, so he gave up everything His wrath is poured out on those who are pious.”

"As for his reforms, his aspirations, his hopes," Louis went on, "they were destroyed at the moment of his execution, nay, even earlier."

"Humanity will one day face up to his achievements."

"But can you still find his articles?" Louis said: "His disciples are also dead. You said that you are willing to face the cowardice in human nature, then you will ask your students, those eager and persistent young people, to Sacrifice your ideals?”

Spinoza moved his lips, and the long-lost feeling of suffocation came to him. He could indeed imagine it, and he didn't need to imagine it - before, his students had only been criticized and punished by some families and churches, just because of his ideas. It has not been implemented in reality, but if it is...those people will not be merciful.

"Now," Louis XIV continued, "please look outside."

Spinoza looked outside. From this window, you could see the Grand Canal. Although it was dug manually, the water was sparkling, no less than the Arno River in Florence. "You saw it," Louis said. Fourteen stood up and came to the window. Spinoza stood up immediately - no one can sit down when the king stood up. "If I throw a torch into the river, will it burn?"

"How is that possible?" said Spinoza.

"So if I drain the river, put wood in it, and pour grease on it, will it burn?"

"Of course, Your Majesty."

"But it will take a long time."

Spinoza did not answer immediately. He looked out the window: "It will be a long time."

"It may be so long that even you and I can't see it." Louis XIV said unceremoniously: "Your theory cannot be developed now, when most people are still ignorant, although you can convince scholars , to convince their students, but for those people who can't even understand the scriptures and can only say "Amen", they will only listen to the words of the priests or lords, just like the one who killed Archimedes A Roman soldier, did he know what kind of crime he had committed? No, he didn't understand, it couldn't even be said to be his responsibility."

"What we have to do now is to try to drain the people's minds, and then see if we can fill in some basic things, at least let them learn to think for themselves," Louis sighed: "Your idea is not No, sir, I want to say, it’s great. Anyone, as long as he understands what you mean, will be willing to dedicate everything to such a future, but because of this-"

"Torches," Spinoza said with difficulty.

"Yes, they are the torches thrown into the river." Louis said: "So, you have to make a choice now. I like you, sir. In the future, I may be written in the history books because of you. You are such a great person." I hope I can lay the foundation stone for your monument, but not now, sir, not now. Are you willing to wait? Maybe you can't see it, but I can assure you that your name will become the most important person in the history of human development. A shining pearl.”

Spinoza shook hands and asked, "What do you want me to do?"

"Become a scholar who has sworn silence." Louis said: "You are free in Paris and Versailles. You are my guest. You can go to any salon at will, choose any student or... I won’t place any restrictions on you when you talk with other scholars, but you have to write down some things that cannot be understood by people for the time being, compile them into a collection, and then give them to your students, or people you can trust, or even It’s a bank safe and you’ll leave a legacy to print your book.”

Spinoza thought for a while: "You are saying that you want me to postpone what I want to do now until decades or a hundred years later."

"Wherever your eyes can see, that's where it is," Louis said.

No scholar would not want to see his works published in his lifetime, or to see his ideas promoted and recognized by everyone. But of course Spinoza could also see the problems mentioned by Louis XIV. He had previously Desperately searching for students, risking execution, with a fiery heart and an empty stomach, just because he knew that he was being suppressed and monitored by the Judean Church and the Roman Church. Maybe once he died, all The manuscripts would be burned, so he tried his best to leave some roots of his thoughts.

It would also be a good idea to store the manuscript in a bank safe, or even better, deposit it with friends and students respectively, and wait until they feel the situation is right to take it out and print it. Before, he was so poor that he didn't even have ink and paper. They all need funding from others, so of course it is impossible to do this, but - Louis XIV's appreciation for him cannot be faked, and why does the Sun King need to fake it?

He has it all.

Although it is a pity that I cannot see my thoughts recognized and praised before I die. But without Louis XIV, Spinoza would have died in a cage in Florence. What reason did he have to refuse?

"One last question," said Spinoza.

Louis nodded.

"You understand me and my thoughts so deeply," a voice in Spinoza's heart told him not to say any more. That's it. This compassionate majesty has already thought very carefully about a humble scholar. , as long as he accepts it gratefully, he can then live the life he dreams of - teaching students, talking, debating and thinking with colleagues and confidants, without having to worry about a bed or a piece of bread, and there is no need to waste precious time on It is a worthless job, but as an upright and noble man, he feels that he must get the answer to this question, "Then you can also see that even a hundred years later, once my doctrine can be published publicly, it will be Accept it, it will affect many people, and they... they may not continue to be willing to follow the original path - your rule, your dynasty, maybe overnight..."

He took a deep breath: "Overnight, he was overturned..."

After saying this, he almost fainted. Fortunately, he was leaning against the window and could hold the curtain to steady his body.

"But that's the course of history."

Unexpectedly, the king answered him immediately. He must have thought about these things in his heart for a long time before he finally said it: "As you said, sir, human nature is selfish. This is the reason why human beings can learn from thousands of things." The reason why we have survived to this day by fighting among living things - I have read a lot of books, from the earliest Sumerian civilization until now, Mr. Spinoza, you should have discovered that the gradual evolution of social system - can also be called Civilization is produced as the wisdom possessed by human beings gradually increases from less to more. The smarter the people are, the more advanced, reasonable and just the system will be. On the contrary, just as the church and kings once did , limiting the people's knowledge can put you in a very advantageous position, but I want to say that if you and I go back to the Sumerian era, with the knowledge and experience you and I have, you can become the high priest. , I can become a king or even the incarnation of a god. The question is, if you have a choice, would you be willing to rule a group of monkeys?"

Sometimes it is difficult for people to understand why a society changes from top to bottom, and some who gain benefits will oppose those who give them privileges. In fact, this is not surprising at all. Human genes seem to have been engraved with the idea of ​​promoting the entire society. The element of constant forward movement that unites them and transforms them from apes into humans will not stop at a certain moment.

Spinoza stared at him. "I must be dreaming," he murmured. "How else could I hear a king saying such things?"

"I'm also very selfish," Louis smiled slightly: "Although I have put a glorious crown on France, I don't want it to fall into the quagmire and be laughed at. If I have descendants, I will want the surname of Bourbon." Always stand at the pinnacle of power - but sometimes, some processes cannot be stopped, just like floods, the dam will always be washed away, so you are the safe haven I reserve for my children and grandchildren, as long as I listen to your lessons , after reading your book and understanding your thoughts, even if they don’t want to accept it, they will make the right choice when the time comes.”

Spinoza closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

I suggest you read some of Spinoza's books when you have time - some of his... contents have really transcended the society at that time for hundreds of years and directly fit our current situation. I won't stop here. It’s detailed, but recommended, highly recommended!

If you know a lot about Spinoza and feel that there are some problems with my explanation of his ideas in this chapter, that is a last resort. Please understand and sigh.