Plutarch's Morals
from us all jealousy and envy? For as in war many necessary things,
otherwise bad, are customary and have as it were the sanction of law, so
that they cannot be abolished in spite of the injury they do, so enmity
drags along in its train hatred, and envy, and jealousy, and malignity,
and revenge, and stamps them on the character. Moreover knavery, and
deceit, and villainy, that seem neither bad nor unfair if employed
against an enemy, if they once get planted in the mind are difficult to
dislodge; and eventually from force of habit get used also against
friends, unless they are forewarned and forearmed through their previous
acquaintance with the tricks of enemies. If then Pythagoras,[531]
accustoming his disciples to abstain from all cruelty and inhumanity to
the brute creation, did right to discountenance bird-fowling, and to buy
up draughts of fishes and bid them be thrown into the water again, and
to forbid killing any but wild animals, much more noble is it, in
dissensions and differences with human beings, to be a generous, just
and true enemy, and to check and tame all bad and low and knavish
propensities, that in all intercourse with friends a man may keep the
peace and abstain from doing an injury. Scaurus was an enemy and accuser
of Domitius, but when one of Domitius' slaves came to him to reveal some
important matters which were unknown to Scaurus, he would not hear him,
but seized him and sent him back to his master. And when Cato was
prosecuting Murena for canvassing, and was getting together his
evidence, he was accompanied as was usual by people who watched what he
was doing,[532] and would often ask him if he intended that day to get
together his witnesses and open the case, and if he said "No," they
believed him and went their way. All this is the greatest proof of the
credit which was reposed in Cato, but it is better and more important,
that we should accustom ourselves to deal justly even with our enemies,
and then there will be no fear that we should ever act unjustly and
treacherously to our friends and intimates.
Sec. X. But since, as Simonides says, "all larks must have their
crests,"[533] and every man's nature contains in it pugnacity and
jealousy and envy, which last is, as Pindar says, "the companion of
empty-headed men," one might get considerable advantage by purging
oneself of those passions against enemies, and by diverting them, like
sewers, as far as possible from companions and friends.[534] And this it
seems the statesmanlike Onomademus had remarked, for being on the
victorious side in a disturbance at Chios, he urged his party not to
expel all of the different faction, but to leave some, "in order," he
said, "that we may not begin to quarrel with our friends, when we have
got entirely rid of our enemies." So too our expending these passions
entirely on our enemies will give less trouble to our friends. For it
ought not to be, as Hesiod[535] says, that "potter envies potter, and
singer envies singer, and neighbour neighbour," and cousin cousin, and
brother brother, "if hastening to get rich" and enjoying prosperity. But
if there is no other way to get rid of strife and envy and quarrels,
accustom yourself to be vexed at your enemies' good fortune, and sharpen
and accentuate on them your acerbity. For as judicious gardeners think
they produce finer roses and violets by planting alongside of them
garlic and onions, that any bitter or strong elements may be transferred
to them, so your enemy's getting and attracting your envy and malignity
will render you kinder and more agreeable to your prosperous friends.
And so let us be rivals of our enemies for glory or office or righteous
gain, not only being vexed if they get ahead of us, but also carefully
observing all the steps by which they get ahead, and trying to outdo
them in industry, and hard work, and soberness, and prudence; as
Themistocles said Miltiades' victory at Marathon would not let him
sleep.[536] For he who thinks his enemy gets before him in offices, or
advocacies, or state affairs, or in favour with his friends or great
men, if from action and emulation he sinks into envy and despondency,
makes his life become idle and inoperative. But he who is not blinded by
hate,[537] but a discerning spectator of life and character and words
and deeds, will perceive that most of what he envies comes to those who
have them from diligence and prudence and good actions, and exerting
himself in the same direction he will increase his love of what is
honourable and noble, and will eradicate his vanity and sloth.
Sec. XI. But if our enemies seem to us to have got either by flattery, or
fraud, or bribery, or venal services, ill-got and discreditable power at
court or in state, it ought not to trouble us but rather inspire
pleasure in us, when we compare our own liberty and purity and
independence of life. For, as Plato[538] says, "all the gold above or
below the earth is not of equal value with virtue." And we ought ever to
remember the precept of Solon, "We will not exchange our virtue for
others' wealth."[539] Nor will we give up our virtue for the applause of
banqueting theatres, nor for honours and chief seats among eunuchs and
harlots, nor to be monarchs' satraps; for nothing is to be desired or
noble that comes from what is bad. But since, as Plato[540] says, "the
lover is blind as respects the loved one," and we notice more what our
enemies do amiss, we ought not to let either our joy at their faults or
our grief at their success be idle, but in either case we ought to
reflect, how we may become better than them by avoiding their errors,
and by imitating their virtues not come short of them.
[497] So Pliny, viii. 83: "In Creta Insula non vulpes
ursive, atque omnino millum maleficum animal praeter
phalangium."
[498] See the same remark of Chilo, "On Abundance of
Friends," Sec. vi.
[499] "Oeconom." i. 15.
[500] A treatise of Plutarch still extant.
[501] A line from a lost Satyric Play of AEschylus,
called "Prometheus Purphoros."
[502] So fire is called [Greek: pantechnon] in AEschylus,
"Prometheus Desmotes," 7.
[503] Compare Seneca, "De Animi Tranquillitate," cap.
xiii.: "Zeno noster cum omnia sua audiret submersa,
Jubet, inquit, me fortuna expeditius philosophari."
[504] See Horace, "Epistles," i. I. 28; Pausanias, iv.
2.
[505] See Plautus, "Trinummus," 205-211.
[506] Homer, "Iliad," i. 255.
[507] Literally "the artists of Dionysus." We know what
they were from our author's "Quaestiones Romanae," Sec. 107:
[Greek: dia ti tous peri ton Dionuson technitas
histrionas Rhomaioi kalousin];
[508] Compare "De Audiendis Poetis," Sec. iv.
[509] AEschylus, "Septem contra Thebas," 593, 594.
[510] Pindar, "Fragm." 253.
[511] Demosthenes, "De Falsa Legatione," p. 406.
[512] Euripides, "Orestes," 251.
[513] A line from Euripides. Quoted also "De Adulatore
et Amico," Sec. xxxii.
[514] Compare "De Audiendo," Sec.vi. See also Horace,
"Satires," i, 4. 136, 137.
[515] The story is somewhat differently told, "Quaest.
Conviv.," Lib. ii. Sec. ix.
[516] From a lost play of Euripides.
[517] In some lost play. Compare Hesiod, "Works and
Days," 719-721; Terence, "Andria," 920.
[518] The sentiment is assigned to Diogenes twice
elsewhere by our author, namely, "How One may be aware
of one's Progress in Virtue," Sec. xi., and "How One may
discern a Flatterer from a Friend," Sec. xxxvi.
[519] See Propertius, ii. 1. 63, 64; Ovid,
"Metamorphoses," xii. 112; xiii. 171; "Tristia," v. 2.
15, 16; "Remedia Amoris," 47, 48; Erasmus, "Adagia," p.
221.
[520] "Jason Pheraeus cognomine Prometheus dictus est.
Vide Ciceronem, 'Nat. Deor.' iii. 29; Plinium, vii. 51;
Valerium Maximum, i. 8, Extem. 6."--_Wytttenbach._
[521] She was a Vestal Virgin. See Livy, iv. 44.
[522] See Thucydides, i. 135, 136.
[523] From a lost play of Euripides. Compare the
proverb, [Greek: pathemata mathemata].
[524] "Laws," v. p. 731 E.
[525] Told again "Reg. et Imperator. Apophthegm.," p.
175 B.
[526] A favourite image of Homer, employed "Iliad," iv.
350; xiv. 83; "Odyssey," i. 64; xxiii. 70.
[527] "Laws," xi. p. 935 A. Quoted again "On
Talkativeness," Sec. vii.
[528] See Pausanias, v. 14.
[529] From a Fragment of Pindar.
[530] See Suetonius, "Divus Julius," 75: "Sed et statuas
L. Sullae atque Pompeii a plebe disjectas reposuit."
[531] Compare our author, "Quaestiones Convivalium,"
viii. p. 729 E.
[532] No doubt in the interest of the defendant. See our
author, "Cato Minor," p. 769 B.
[533] A Greek proverb, see Erasmus, "Adagia," p. 921.
[534] So Cicero, "Nat. Deor." ii. 56: "In aedibus
architecti avertunt ab oculis naribusque dominorum ea
quae profluentia necessario taetri essent aliquid
habitura."
[535] "Works and Days," 23-26. Our "Two of a trade
seldom agree."
[536] Compare "How One may be aware of one's Progress in
Virtue," Sec. xiv.
[537] For as the English proverb says, "Hatred is blind
as well as love."
[538] "Laws," v. p. 728 A.
[539] Quoted more fully "How One may be aware of one's
Progress in Virtue," Sec. vi.
[540] "Laws," v. p. 731 E. See also above, Sec. vii.
ON TALKATIVENESS.[541]
Sec. I. Philosophy finds talkativeness a disease very difficult and hard to
cure. For its remedy, conversation, requires hearers: but talkative
people hear nobody, for they are ever prating. And the first evil this
inability to keep silence produces is an inability to listen. It is a
self-chosen deafness of people who, I take it, blame nature for giving
us one tongue and two ears. If then the following advice of Euripides to
a foolish hearer was good,
"I cannot fill one that can nought retain,
Pumping up wise words for an unwise man;"
one might more justly say to a talkative man, or rather about a
talkative man,
"I cannot fill one that will nothing take,
Pumping up wise words for an unwise man;"
or rather deluging with words one that talks to those who don't listen,
and listens not to those who talk. Even if he does listen for a short
time, talkativeness hurries off what is said like the retiring sea, and
anon brings it up again multiplied with the approaching tide. The
portico at Olympia that returns many echoes to one utterance is called
seven-voiced,[542] and if the slightest utterance catches the ear of
talkativeness, it at once echoes it all round,
"Moving the mind's chords all unmoved before."[543]
For their ears can certainly have no passages leading to the brain but
only to the tongue. And so while other people retain what they hear,
talkative people lose it altogether, and, being empty-headed, they
resemble empty vessels, and go about making much noise.[544]
Sec. II. If however it seems that no attempt at cure has been left untried,
let us say to the talkative person,
"Be silent, boy; silence has great advantages;"
two of the first and foremost of which are hearing and being heard,
neither of which can happen to talkative people, for however they desire
either so unhappy are they that they must desist from it. For in all
other diseases of the soul, as love of money, love of glory, or love of
pleasure, people at any rate attain the desired object: but it is the
cruel fate of talkative people to desire hearers but not to get them,
for everyone flees from them with headlong speed; and if people are
sitting or walking about in any public place,[545] and see one coming