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

—ON MERCY, I. V. 1-4My discourse seems to have withdra\vTi somewhatfar from its purpose, but, in very truth, it bearsclosely upon the real issue. For if—and this is whatthus far it is estabhshing—^j'ou are the soul of thestate and the state your body, you see, I think, howrequisite is mercy ; for you are merciful to yourselfwhen you are seemingly merciful to another. Andso even reprobate citizens should have mercy as beingthe weak members of the body, and if there shouldever be need to let blood, the hand must be heldunder control to keep it from cutting deeper thanmay be necessary. The quality of mercy, then, as Iwas saying, is indeed for all men in accordance withnature, but in rulers it has an especial comehnessinasmuch as with them it finds more to save, andexhibits itself amid ampler opportunities. For howsmall the harm the cruelty of a private citizen cando ! But when princes rage there is war. Though,moreover, the virtues are at harmony with eachother, and no one of them is better or more noblethan another, yet to certain people a certain \Trtue^]Avill be more suited. Greatness of soul is a virtueseemly for every human being, even for himthat iswho is the lowliest of the lowly. For what is greateror braver than to beat do^\Ti misfortune ? Yet thisgreatness of soul has freer play under circumstancesof good fortune, and is shown to better advantageupon the judge's bench than on the floor.Every house that mercy enters she ^\i\\ renderpeaceful and happy, but in the palace she is morewonderful, in that she is rarer. For what is moreremarkable than that he whose anger nothing canwithstand, to whose sentence, too heavy though it be,even the \ictims bow the head, whom, if he is very371