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

ON ANGER, III. xxviii. 4-xxix. 2thwarts my msh or fails to further it, whether he robsme or merely fails to give. And yet we attach thesame value to both—whether a man deprives us ofsomething or merely withholds it, whether he shattersour hope or defers it, whether he acts against us orin his o^^n interest, whether from love of another orfrom hatred of us. Some men, indeed, have not onlyjust, but even honourable, reasons for opposing us.One is protecting his father, another his brother,another his country, another his friend. Nevertheless,we do not excuse these for doing the very thingwhich we should blame them for not doing ; nav,more, though it is quite unbeUevable, we often thinkw6tt-of an act, but ill of its doer. But, in very truth,a great and just man honours those of his foes whoare bravest and are most stubborn in the defenceof the hberty and the safet}- of their country; andprays that fortune may grant him such men as fellowcitizens,such as fellow-soldiers.It is base to hate a man who commands your praise,but how much baser to hate any one for the veryreason that he deserv'^es your pity. If a captive,suddenly reduced to servitude, still retains sometraces of his freedom and does not run nimbly tomean and toilsome tasks, if sluggish from inactionhe does not keep pace with the speed of his master'shorse and carriage, if worn out by his daily vigils heyields to sleep, if when transferred to hard labour fromservice in the city with its many holidays he eitherrefuses the toil of the farm or does not enter into itwith energy—in such cases let us discriminate, askingwhether he cannot or will not serve. We shallacquit many if we begin Avith discernment instead ofMithanger. But as it is,we obey our first impulse; then,327