卷九
霍光赏功
汉武帝外事四夷,出(chu)爵(jue)(jue)劝赏,凡将(jiang)士有军功(gong),无问贵贱(jian),未有不封候者。及昭(zhao)帝时(shi),大(da)鸿胪田广明平益(yi)州夷,斩(zhan)首(shou)捕虏三万(wan),但赐(ci)爵(jue)(jue)关内候。盖霍交为政(zheng),务与民休息,故不欲求(qiu)边(bian)功(gong)。益(yi)州之师(shi),不得(de)已耳,与唐宋璟抑郝灵佺斩(zhan)默啜之意同。然(ran)数年之后(hou),以范(fan)明友击乌桓,傅(fu)介子刺楼兰,皆即候之,则(ze)为非(fei)是(shi)。盖明友,光(guang)女婿也。
棰取半
《庄子》载惠(hui)子之语曰:“一尺之棰,日取其半(ban),万世不竭。”虽为(wei)(wei)寓言,然此理固具(ju)。盖(gai)但取其半(ban),正碎为(wei)(wei)微尘,余(yu)半(ban)犹(you)存,虽至于无穷可也。特所谓卵有毛、鸡三足、犬(quan)可以为(wei)(wei)羊(yang)、马有卵、火不热(re)、龟长于蛇、飞鸟之景未尝动(dong),如是之类,非(fei)词说所能(neng)了也。
汉文失材
汉文(wen)帝(di)见李广(guang)(guang)曰:“惜广(guang)(guang)不(bu)逢时(shi),令当高祖世,万户侯岂足道(dao)哉!”贾(jia)山(shan)上书言治乱(luan)之道(dao),借秦为喻,其言忠(zhong)正(zheng)明白,不(bu)下贾(jia)谊,曾(ceng)不(bu)得一官。史臣犹赞美文(wen)帝(di),以为山(shan)言为激切(qie),终不(bu)加罚,所以广(guang)(guang)谏争之路。观此二(er)事,失材(cai)多矣(yi)。吴楚反时(shi),李广(guang)(guang)以都(dou)尉战昌邑下,显(xian)名,以梁王授广(guang)(guang)将军(jun)印,故(gu)赏不(bu)行。武帝(di)时(shi),五为将军(jun)击匈(xiong)奴,无(wu)尺寸功,至(zhi)不(bu)得其死。三朝不(bu)遇,命也夫!
陈轸之说疏
战(zhan)国权谋之(zhi)(zhi)士(shi),游说从横,皆趋一(yi)时之(zhi)(zhi)利,殊不(bu)(bu)顾(gu)义(yi)理曲直(zhi)所在。张(zhang)(zhang)(zhang)仪(yi)(yi)欺楚(chu)(chu)怀王,使之(zhi)(zhi)绝(jue)(jue)齐(qi)而(er)(er)献商(shang)於之(zhi)(zhi)地。陈轸(zhen)谏曰(yue):“张(zhang)(zhang)(zhang)仪(yi)(yi)必负(fu)王,商(shang)於不(bu)(bu)可得而(er)(er)齐(qi)、秦(qin)(qin)合,是北绝(jue)(jue)齐(qi)交(jiao),西生秦(qin)(qin)患。”其言可谓善矣。然(ran)至云:“不(bu)(bu)若(ruo)阴(yin)合而(er)(er)阳绝(jue)(jue)于(yu)齐(qi),使人(ren)随张(zhang)(zhang)(zhang)仪(yi)(yi),苟与吾地,绝(jue)(jue)齐(qi)未晚(wan)。”是轸(zhen)不(bu)(bu)深(shen)计(ji)齐(qi)之(zhi)(zhi)可绝(jue)(jue)与否,但以得地为(wei)意耳。及秦(qin)(qin)负(fu)约,楚(chu)(chu)王欲(yu)攻之(zhi)(zhi),轸(zhen)又劝曰(yue):“不(bu)(bu)如因赂(lu)之(zhi)(zhi)以一(yi)名(ming)都,与之(zhi)(zhi)并兵而(er)(er)攻齐(qi),是我(wo)亡地于(yu)秦(qin)(qin),取(qu)偿于(yu)齐(qi)也(ye)。”此策尤(you)乖谬不(bu)(bu)义(yi)。且(qie)秦(qin)(qin)加亡道(dao)于(yu)我(wo),乃欲(yu)赂(lu)以地;齐(qi)本(ben)与国,楚(chu)(chu)无故而(er)(er)绝(jue)(jue)之(zhi)(zhi)!宜割地致币,卑词谢罪,复求其援。而(er)(er)反(fan)欲(yu)攻之(zhi)(zhi),轸(zhen)之(zhi)(zhi)说于(yu)是疏矣。乃知(zhi)鲁仲连、虞(yu)卿为(wei)豪杰之(zhi)(zhi)士(shi),非轸(zhen)辈所能企(qi)及也(ye)。
颜率儿童之见
秦兴师临周(zhou)而求九鼎,周(zhou)君患(huan)之(zhi)(zhi)。颜(yan)率请借救(jiu)于齐(qi)(qi)。乃诣齐(qi)(qi)王(wang)许以鼎。齐(qi)(qi)为(wei)(wei)发兵(bing)救(jiu)周(zhou),而秦兵(bing)罢。齐(qi)(qi)将(jiang)求鼎,周(zhou)君又患(huan)之(zhi)(zhi)。颜(yan)率复诣齐(qi)(qi)曰(yue):“愿献(xian)九鼎,不(bu)识何途之(zhi)(zhi)从而致之(zhi)(zhi)齐(qi)(qi)?”齐(qi)(qi)王(wang)将(jiang)寄径(jing)于梁、于楚,率皆(jie)以为(wei)(wei)不(bu)可,齐(qi)(qi)乃止。《战国策》首载此事,盖以为(wei)(wei)奇谋(mou)。予谓此特(te)儿童(tong)之(zhi)(zhi)见尔(er)!争(zheng)战虽急,要当有信。今(jin)一(yi)绐齐(qi)(qi)可也,独不(bu)计后日(ri)诸侯来伐,谁(shei)复肯救(jiu)