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

ON ANGER, III. vni. 3-6their fierceness is blunted and gradually aniid peacefulconditions is forgotten. Moreover, the man whohves ^^ith tranquil people not only becomes betterfrom their example, but finding no occasions foranger he does not indulge in his weakness. It will,therefore, be a man's dutv to avoid all those who heknows aWII provoke his anger. " Just whom do youmean " ? you ask. Tliere are many wlio fromvarious causes will produce the same result. Theproud man will offend you by his scorn, the causticman by an insult, the forward man by an affront, thespiteful man by his mahce, the contentious by his^vranghng, the windy har by his hollowness ;you^\ill not endure to be feared by a suspicious man, tobe outdone by a stubborn one, or to be despised bya coxcomb. Choose frank, good-natured, temperatepeople^^ivha will not call forth your anger and yetwilllbfiar with it. Still more helpful will be thosewho are yielding and kindly and suave—not, however,to the point of fa^^Tiing, for too much cringingincenses hot-tempered people. I, at any rate, hada friend, a good man, but too prone to anger, whomit was not less dangerous to wheedle than to curse.It is well kno>^-n that Caelius, the orator, was veryhot-tempered. A cUent of rare forbearance was,as the story goes, once dining ^\ith Caelius in hischamber, but it was difficult for him, ha\-ing got intosuch close quarters, to avoid a quarrel vriih the companionat his side ; so he decided that it was bestto agree with whatever Caelius said and to play upto him. Caelius, however^ could not endure hiscomphant attitude, and cried out, " Contradict me,'*that there may be two of us I But even he, angrybecause he was not angered, quickly subsided when275