The Thoughts of Marcus Aurelius - College of Stoic Philosophers

AN ESSAY ON FRIENDSHIP 281
his faction, one only excepted, who was related to your
family, Scsevola, by the ties of hospitality : I mean
Blosius, of Cumse. This man (as I was appointed an
assessor with the two consuls Lsenas and Rupilius) applied
to me to obtain his pardon, alleging, in his justification,
that he entertained so high an esteem and affection for
Gracchus, as to hold himself obliged to concur with him
in any measure he might propose. What ! if he had even
desired you to set fire to the Capitol ? Such a request,
I am confident, replied Blosius, he never would have
made. But admitting that he had, how would you have
determined ? In that case, returned Blosius, I
should most certainly have complied.
Infamous as this
confession was, he acted agreeably to it ;
or rather,
indeed, his conduct exceeded even the impiety of his
professions, for, not contented with encouraging the
seditious schemes of Tiberius Gracchus, he actually took
the lead in them, and was an instigator as well as an
associate in all the madness of his measures. In conse
quence of these extravagant proceedings, and alarmed
to find that extraordinary judges were appointed for his
trial, he made his escape into Asia, where, entering into
the service of our enemies, he met with the fate he so
justly merited for the injuries
wealth.
he had done to the common
I lay it down, then, as a rule without exception, that
no degree of friendship can either justify or excuse the
commission of a criminal action. For true amity being
founded on an opinion of virtue in the object of our
affection, it is scarcely possible that those sentiments
should remain, after an avowed and open violation of the
principles which originally produced them.
To maintain that the duties of this relation require a
compliance with every request a friend shall offer, and
give a right to expect the same unlimited concessions
in return, would be a doctrine, I confess, from which no