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

ON MERCY, I. XXVI. 1-4some were suffering from it and others felt itsmenace. At times the tyrants' own guards haverisen up against them, and have practised upon theirpersons the treachery and disloyalty and brutalityand all else that they themselves had taught them.For what can any one expect from him whom hehimself has taught to be bad ? Wickedness is notobsequious long, nor guil;:y of crime only to the extentthat it is bid. But suppose that cruel rule is safe,what sort of a kingdom has it ? Nothing but thebare outUnes of captured cities and the terrorstrickencountenances of widespread fear. Everywhereis sorrow, panic, and disorder ; even pleasuresgive rise to fear ; men are not safe when they go tothe festal board, for there the tongue even of thedrunkard must guard itself with care, nor to thepubUc shows where the material is sought for accusationand ruin. Provided though they are at hugeexpense, in regal opulence, and with artists of thechoicest reputation, yet whom would games dehghtin prison ?Ye gods ! what curse is this—to kill, to rage, totake dehght in the clank of chains and in cutting offthe heads of fellow-countrymen, to spill streams ofblood wherever one may go, and by one's appearanceto terrify and repel ? What else would living be iflions and bears held sway, if serpents and all thecreatures that are most destructive were givensupremacy over us ? These, devoid of reason anddoomed to death by us on the plea of their ferocity,yet spare their kind, and even among wild beastslikeness forms a safeguard ; but t}Tants do notwithhold their fury even from their kin, strangersand friends are treated just alike, and the more they427