Chapter 17
How Fear Controls Our Minds
OF FEAR “Obstupui, steteruntque comae et vox faucibus haesit.” [“I was amazed, my hair stood on end, and my voice stuck in my throat.” Virgil, AEneid, ii. 774.] I am not so good a naturalist (as they call it) as to discern by what secret springs fear has its motion in us; but, be this as it may, ‘tis a strange passion, and such a one that the physicians say there is no other whatever that sooner dethrones our judgment from its proper seat; which is so true, that I myself have seen very many become frantic through fear; and,…
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Key Quotes & Analysis
"no other whatever that sooner dethrones our judgment from its proper seat; which is so true, that I myself have seen very many become frantic through fear; and, even in those of the best settled temper it is most certain that it begets a terrible astonishment and confusion during the fit."
Context: Opening claim about fear's power
Fear evicts reason before other passions.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne cites physicians saying no passion dethrones judgment faster than fear. It does not nudge your thinking; it removes it. When your chest tightens and every option looks catastrophic, assume your first read is unreliable until you have slept or talked to someone calm who is not inside the panic with you.
"converted flocks of sheep into armed squadrons, reeds and bullrushes into pikes and lances, friends into enemies, and the French white cross into the red cross of Spain! When Monsieur de Bourbon took Rome,--[In 1527]--an ensign who was upon guard at Borgo San Pietro was seized with such a fright upon the first alarm, that he threw himself out at a breach with his colours upon his shoulder, and ran directly upon the enemy, thinking he had retreated toward the inward defences of the city, and with much ado, seeing Monsieur de Bourbon’s people, who thought it had been a sally upon them, draw up to receive him, at last came to himself, and saw his error; and then facing about, he retreated full speed through the same breach by which he had gone out, but not till he had first blindly advanced above three hundred paces into the open field."
Context: Fear among soldiers
Terror manufactures enemies from nothing.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne says fear turned sheep into squadrons and reeds into lances for terrified soldiers. The mind paints weapons onto harmless things when adrenaline is high. Before you escalate at work or home, verify the threat is not a story fear invented overnight in your own head.
"The thing in the world I am most afraid of is fear, that passion alone, in the trouble of it, exceeding all other accidents."
Context: After Pompey's friends flee before grieving
Meta-fear exceeds ordinary dangers.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne says the thing he fears most is fear itself, because it blocks duty and honor while the danger is still distant. Pompey's friends rowed from Egyptians before they mourned him. Watch when panic about panic is driving you more than the actual problem in front of you.
"slaves, or exiles, ofttimes live as merrily as other folk."
Context: Anticipated loss versus actual hardship
Dread can exceed present suffering.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne notes that people actually poor, enslaved, or exiled often live as merrily as others, while those who only fear those fates live in perpetual anguish. Dreading ruin can cost more than the ruin itself. Ask what is happening today, not what your fear says is coming.
Thematic Threads
Self-Knowledge
In This Chapter
Montaigne admits his greatest fear is fear itself, showing radical honesty about his own psychological vulnerabilities
Development
Deepening from earlier self-examination to recognizing how emotions can completely override rational thought
In Your Life:
You might notice how admitting your fears out loud often reduces their power over you
Social Contagion
In This Chapter
Mass panic can grip entire cities without real cause, spreading fear like a virus through communities
Development
Expanding from individual psychology to collective behavior and social dynamics
In Your Life:
You might see how workplace anxiety or family drama can spread and escalate through emotional contagion
Reality vs Perception
In This Chapter
People living in actual hardship often seem happier than those merely anticipating it
Development
Building on earlier themes about how our mental constructions often create more suffering than reality
In Your Life:
You might find that dreading a difficult conversation is often worse than actually having it
Mental Resilience
In This Chapter
Fear can completely override everything else we know to be true, making clear thinking a skill to develop
Development
Moving from passive self-observation to active mental training and emotional regulation
In Your Life:
You might recognize that staying calm under pressure is a learnable skill, not just a personality trait
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
This is not a test. Five prompts guide you through the chapter, from how it opens to how it closes, so you notice context and rhythm rather than facts to memorize. Sit with each question in your own words. When you see "One way to read it," treat it as a starting point, not the only answer.
- 1
What does Montaigne mean when he says fear 'dethrones our judgment from its proper seat'?
analysis • surfaceOne way to read it
Fear hijacks our ability to think clearly, making us see threats that aren't there. His soldiers mistook sheep for enemy squadrons and ran toward danger thinking it was safety.
- 2
Why does the ensign's story at Borgo San Pietro illustrate fear's power so effectively?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
The soldier did exactly the opposite of what he intended, running toward enemies while thinking he was retreating. Fear didn't just scare him, it completely reversed his sense of direction.
- 3
Where do you see Montaigne's 'panic terrors' spreading in today's world?
application • mediumOne way to read it
Social media can create mass hysteria over rumors or misinformation. People share fears without checking facts, creating collective panic over threats that may not exist.
- 4
How would you apply Montaigne's insight about anticipation versus reality to a personal fear?
application • deepOne way to read it
Before a difficult conversation, the anticipation often torments us more than the actual talk. Recognizing this pattern helps us act despite the fear rather than letting it control our choices.
- 5
What does the contrast between actual hardship and feared hardship reveal about human psychology?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
Our imagination often creates more suffering than reality delivers. The mind's ability to conjure future pain can be more destructive than present difficulties we can actually handle.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Fear Audit: Map Your Mental Hijacking
Think of a current situation that's making you anxious or fearful. Write down what you're afraid will happen, then list the specific actions fear is pushing you toward. Next, imagine you had no fear about this situation - what would you do differently? Finally, ask yourself: what's the worst realistic outcome, and how would you handle it?
Consider:
- •Notice if your feared outcome is actually likely or if you're catastrophizing
- •Pay attention to whether fear is making you avoid action that would actually help
- •Consider if the energy you're spending on worry could be redirected toward problem-solving
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when fear made you act in a way that created the very problem you were trying to avoid. What did you learn about how fear operates in your life?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 18: Don't Count Your Blessings Too Early
After fear's false alarms, Montaigne asks when a life can be called happy. Croesus will cry Solon, Solon on the pyre, and Solon's warning that fortune must be seen through the last day.
