The Thoughts of Marcus Aurelius - College of Stoic Philosophers

300 UELTUS; OR,
still
retaining a grateful
affection for the honest rustic
to whom he had so long supposed himself indebted for
his birth ;
but how much more are these sentiments due
to him who has a legitimate claim to his filial tenderness
and respect
1 In a word, the most sensible satisfaction
that can result from advantageous distinctions of every
sort is in the pleasure a well-constituted mind must feel
by exerting them for the benefit of every individual to
whom he stands related, either by the ties of kindred or
amity.
But if he who, on account of any of those superiorities
which I have mentioned, appears the most conspicuous
figure in the circle of his friends, ought by no means to
discover in his behaviour towards them the least apparent
sense of the eminence on which he stands, so neither
should they, on the other hand, betray sentiments of envy
or dissatisfaction in seeing him thus exalted above them.
It must be acknowledged, however, that in situations of
this kind the latter are too apt to be unreasonable in
their expectations to complain that their friend is not
;
sufficiently attentive to their interest, and sometimes
even to break out into open remonstrances, especially if
they think they are entitled to plead the merit of any
considerable services to strengthen their respective claims.
But to be capable of reproaching a man with the obligations
you have conferred upon him is a disposition exceedingly
contemptible and odious it is his
; part, indeed, not to
forget the good offices he has received ;
but ill, certainly,
would it become his friend to be the monitor for that
purpose.
It is not sufficient, therefore, merely to behave with an
easy
condescension towards those friends who are of less
considerable note than oneself ;
it is incumbent upon
him to bring them forward, and, as much as possible,
to raise their consequence. The apprehension of not
being treated with sufficient regard
sometimes creates