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

ON MERCY, II. VI. 3-vii. 1will benefit, and since he is born to be of help to alland to serve the common good, he will give to each hisshare thereof. He will extend a due measure of hisgoodness even to the unfortunates who deserve to becensured and disciphned ; but much more gladlywill he come to the rescue of the distressed and thosestrugghng with mishap. Whenever he can, he willparry Fortune's stroke : for in what way will hemake better use of his resources or his strengththan in restoring what chance has overthrown ?And, too, he will not avert his countenance or hissympathy from any one because he has a witheredleg, or is emaciated and in rags, and is old andleans upon a staff ; but all the worthy he will aid,and will, like a god, look graciously upon the unfortunate.Pity is akin to wretchedness ; for it is partly composedof it and partly derived from it. One knowsthat his eyes are weak if they too are suffused at thesight of another's blear eyes, just as always to laughwhen other people laugh is, in faith, not merriment,but a disease, and for one to stretch his jaws too wheneverybody else yawns is a disease. Pity is a weaknessof the mind that is over-much perturbed by suffering,and if any one requires it from a wise man, that isvery much like requiring him to wail and moan atthe funerals of strangers." But," you ask, " why Avill he not pardon "?Come then, let us now also decide what pardon is,and we shall perceive that the wise man ought notto grant it. Pardon is the remission of a deservedpunishment. Why a wise man ought not to givethis is explained more at length by those who make apoint of the doctrine ; I, to speak briefly as if giving443