Lxii.

The ladies at Rome have Plato’s Republic in their hands, because he allows a community of wives; for they attend merely to the words of the author, and not to his sense. For he does not first order one man and one woman to marry and live together, and then allow a community of wives; but he abolishes that system of marriage, and introduces one of another kind. And, in general, men are pleased in finding out excuses for their own faults. Yet philosophy says, it is not fit even to move a finger without some reason.

It is the rarest pleasures which especially delight us.

Once exceed moderation, and the most delightful things may become the most undelightful.

Agrippinus was justly entitled to praise on this account, that, though he was a man of the highest worth, he never praised himself; but blushed, even if another praised him. And he was a man of such a character, as to commend every untoward event that befell him: if he was feverish, the fever; if disgraced, the disgrace; if banished, the banishment. And, when once, as he was going to dine, a messenger brought him word that Nero ordered him to banishment; Well then, said Agrippinus, let us dine at Aricia.

Diogenes affirmed no labor to be good, unless the end were a due state and tone of the soul, and not of the body.

As a true balance is neither set right by a true one, nor judged by a false one; so likewise a just person has neither to be set right by just persons, nor to be judged by unjust ones.

As what is straight needs no straightness, so what is just needs [to borrow] no justice.

Give no judgment from another tribunal before you have yourself been judged at the tribunal of absolute justice.

If you would give a just decision, heed neither parties nor pleaders, but the cause itself.

You will commit the fewest faults in judging, if you are faultless in your own life.

It is better, by giving a just judgment, to be blamed by him who is deservedly condemned, than by giving an unjust judgment, to be justly censured by Nature.

As the touchstone which tries gold, but is not itself tried by the gold; such is he, who has the standard of judgment.

It is scandalous for a judge to have to be judged by others.

As nothing is straighter than absolute straightness, so nothing is juster than absolute justice.

Who among you does not admire the action of Lycurgus the Lacedemonian? For when he had been deprived of one of his eyes by one of the citizens, and the people had delivered the young man to him, to be punished in whatever manner he should think proper, Lycurgus forbore to give him any punishment. But having instructed him, and rendered him a good man, he brought him into the theatre; and while the Lacedemonians were struck with admiration: “I received,” said he, “this person from you, dangerous and violent, and I restore him to you gentle and a good citizen.”