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

;ON FIRMNESS, vn. 4-vin.man's wife, he v^ill be an adulterer, though she willnot be an adulteress. Some one gave me poison, butthe poison lost its efficacy by being mixed ^^ith foodthe man, by giving the poison, became guilty of acrime, even if he did me no injurj'. A man is no lessa murderer because his blow was foiled, interceptedby the victim's dress. All crimes, so far as guilt isconcerned, are completed even before the accomplishmentof the deed. Certain acts are of such acharacter, and are linked together in such a relation,that while the first can take place without the second,the second cannot take place vvithout the first. Ishall endeavour to make clear what I mean. I canmove my feet without running, but I cannot runwithout moving my feet. It is possible for me,though being in the water, not to svvim ; but if Isvvim, it is impossible for me not to be in the water.To the same category belongs the matter under discussion.If I have received an injury, it mustnecessarily have been done. If an injury was done,I have not necessarily received it ; for many thingscan happen to avert the injury. Just as, for example,some chance may strike down the hand while it takesaim and turn the speeding missile aside, so it ispossible that some circumstance may ward off injuriesof any sort and intercept them in mid-course, vvith theresult that they may have been done, yet not received.Moreover, justice can suffer no injustice, becauseopposites do not meet. But no injury can be donevvithout injustice ; therefore no injury can be doneto the Avise man. And you need not be surprised ;if no one can do him an injury, no one can do hima service either. The v\-ise man, on the one hand,"lacks nothing that he can receive as a gift ; the evill71