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

;ON MERCY, I. III. 5-iv. 3reason, and would crush and cripple itself with itsown power if it were not upheld by >visdom.It is, therefore, their ovra safety that men love, "when for one man they lead ten legions at a time intobattle, when they rush to the forefront and exposetheir breasts to wounds that they may save thestandards of their emperor from defeat. For he isthe bond by which the commonwealth is united, thebreath of life which these many thousands draw, whoin their own strength would be only a burden tothemselves and the prey of others if the great mindof the empire should be withdrawn.If safe their king, one mind to allBereft of him, they troth recall."Such a calamity would be the destruction of theRoman peace, such a calamity will force the fortuneof a mighty people to its downfall. Just so long willthis people be free from that danger as it shall knowhow to submit to the rein ; but if ever it shall tearaway the rein, or shall not suffer it to be replaced ifshaken loose by some mishap, then this unity andthis fabric of mightiest empire will fly into manyparts, and the end of this city's rule will be one withthe end of her obedience. Therefore it is not strangethat kings and princes and guardians of the publicorder, whatever different name they bear, are heldmore dear even than those bound to us by privateties ; for if men of sense put public interests above-lprivate,it follows that he too is dearer upon whomthe whole state centres. At an earlier day, in fact,Caesar so clothed himself with the powers of statethat neither one could be withdrawn without thedestruction of both. For while a Caesar needs power,the state also needs a head.VOL. I 2 B 369