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

;ON ANGER, III. XXX. 4-xxxi. 3indeed to do so—for no man ever made a more generoususe of \'ictory, from which he claimed nothing forhimself except the right to give away—but how couldhe gratify such unconscionable desires, since every oneof them coveted as much as any one could possiblycovet ? And so he saw his fellow-soldiers aroundhis chair with their swords drawn—Tillius Cimber, ahttle while before the boldest defender of his cause,and others who, after Pompey was no more, had atlength become Pompeians." It is this that turnsagainst kings their o^vn weapons, and drives theirmost trusted followers to the point of planning forthe death of those for whom and before whom theyhad vowed to die.No man when he views the lot of others is contentwith his own! This is why we grow angry even at thegod§rbecause some person is ahead of us, forgettinghow many men there are behind us, and how huge amass of envy follows at the back of him who envies buta few. Nevertheless such is the presumptuousnessof men that, although they may have received much,they count it an injury that they might have receivedmore. " He gave me the praetorship, but I hadhoped for the consulship ; he gave me the twelvefasces, but he did not make me a regular consulhe was ^^illing that my name should be attached tothe year,* but he disappointed me A\"ith respect tothe priesthood ; I was elected a member of thecollege, but why of one only ? he crowned me withpublic honour, but he added nothing to my patrimonywhat he gave me he had to give to somebody—hetook nothing out of his own pocket." Express thanksrather for what you have received ; wait for the rest,and be glad that you are not yet surfeited. There is a331