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

ON ANGER, II. XIV. 3-xv. 3when advantage, prompts. PjTrhus, the mostfamous trainer for gymnastic contests, made it a rule,it is said, to warn those whom he was training againstgetting angr)^ ; for anger confounds art and looksonlyjfqr a chance to injure. Often, therefore, reasoncounsels patience, but anger revenge, and when wehave" been able to escape our first misfortunes, weare plunged into greater ones. Some have beencaTt into exile because they could not bear calmlyone insulting word, and those who had refused to bearin silence a slight >\Tong have been crushed -w-ith theseverest misfortunes, and, indignant at any diminutionof the fullest liberty, have brought upon themselvesthe yoke of slavery." That you may be con\-inced," says our opponent," that anger does have in it something noble, you\vi\\ see that such nations as are free—for example,the Germans' and Scythians—are those which aremost prone t« anger." The reason of this isthat natures which are inherently brave and sturdyare prone to anger before they become softened bydisciphne. For certain qualities are innate only inbetter natures, just as rich ground, although it isneglected, produces a strong growth and a tall forestis the mark of fertile soil. And so natures^that have^innate \igoiir_like\vise produce A\Tath, and being hotand fiery they have no room for anything weak andfeeble, but their energj' is defective, as is the casewitli even'thing that springs up A^thout cultivationthrough the bounty merely of nature herself ;yes,and, unless such natures are quickly tamed, wliat wasa disposition to braverv' tends to become recklessnessand temerit}". And tell me, is it not A\-ith the moregen'Eteteniprei^-that th^ "ffilMer fatdtsrsuch as pityi199