Moral essays. With an English translation by J.W. Basore

ON ANGER, I. XIX. 8-xx. 4^„^^utmost caution—the use of power over life and death.•^''^trusting an angry man .^\ith a sword.Tis illAnd^.j;SiiJ[]?ust not suppose this, either—^that anger 3nijtt Jfcontributes anything to greatness of soul. That is mar^'J/inot greatness, it is a swelling ; nor when disease disten(£'theBody with a mass of watery corruption isthe result growth, hut a pestilent excess.All whomfrenzy of soul exalts to powers that are more thanhuman believe that they breathe forth somethinglofty and sublime ; but it_x£stsJ3li-O0thing sohd, andwhatever rises without a firm foundation is liableto fall. Anger has nothing on which to stand ; it -^springs from nothing that is stable and lasting, butis a pufFed-up, empty thing, as far removed fromgreatness of soul as foolhardiness is from bravery,^arrogance from confidence, sullenness from austerity,or cruelt}' from sternness. The difference betweena lofty and a haughty soul, I say, is great. Angeraims at nothing splendid or beautiful. On the otherhand, it seems to me to show a feeble and harassedspirit, one conscious of its ovm weakness and oversensitive,just as the body is when it is sick andcovered ^\ith sores and makes moan at the shghtesttouch. Thus anger is a most womanish and childishweakness. " But," you will say, " it is found inmen also." True, for even men may have childishand womanish natures. " WTiat then?" you cry;" do not the utterances of angry men sometimesseem to be the utterances of a great soul " ? Yes,to those who do not know what true greatness is.Take the famous Avords " : Let them hate if onlythey fear," " which are so dread and shocking thatyou might know that they were written in the timesof Sulla. I am not sure which wish was worse—thatVOL. I M 161