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

ON ANGER, III. 11. 1-5which masters alike both Greeks and barbarians, andis no less ruinous to those who respect the law thanto those who make might the only measure of theirright. Lastly, though the other \'ices lay hold ofindividual men, this is the only passion that can attimes possess a whole state. No entire people hasever burned with love for a woman, no whole statehas set its hope upon money or gain ; ambition ispersonal and seizes upon the individual ; only furyis an affliction of a whole people. Often in a single rr^ •mass~tHey^rush into anger ; men and women, old menand boys, the gentrj^ and the rabble, are all in fullaccord, and the united body, inflamed by a veryfew incendiary words, outdoes the incendiary himself;they fly forthwith to fire and sword, and proclaimwar against their neighbours or wage it against theircountrymen ; whole houses are consumed, root andbranch, and the man who but lately was held in highesteem and applauded for his eloquence receives nowthe anger of his foUoA^ing ; legions hurl their javelinsupon their o>vn commanders ; all the commoners areat discord ^\•ith the nobles ; the senate, the highcouncil of the state, without waiting to levy troops,without appointing a commander, chooses impromptuagents of its vvrath, and hunting down its high-bornvictims throughout the houses of the cit}-, takespunishment in its own hand ; embassies are outraged,the law of nations is broken, and unheard of madnesssweeps the state, and no time is given for the pubhcferment to subside, but fleets are launched forthvvithand loaded with hastily gathered troops ; withouttraining, without auspices, under the leadership of itsown anger, the populace goes forth, snatching up forarms whatever chance has offered, and then atonesVOL. I s 257