#Enn. Aj., Vahlen^2, 18#
Salmácida, spolia síne sudore et sánguine.
Contraque in laudibus, quae magno animo et fortiter excellenterque gesta
sunt, ea nescio quo modo quasi pleniore ore laudamus. Hinc rhetorum
campus de Marathone, Salamine, Plataeis, Thermopylis, Leuctris, hinc
noster Cocles,[56] hinc Decii, hinc Cn. et P. Scipiones, hinc M.
Marcellus, innumerabiles alii, maximeque ipse populus Romanus animi
magnitudine excellit. Declaratur autem studium bellicae gloriae, quod
statuas quoque videmus ornatu fere militari.
[51] _et ... capienda_ om. Facciolati, Edd.
[52] _deducendoque_ p; _ducendoque_ A B H L a b (superscr.
sec. m. _demendo_); _demendoque_ c.
[53] _iis_ Edd.; _his_ MSS.
[54] _enim_ A B H b c; _etenim_ a.
[55] _illa" virgo "viri"_ Ed.; _illa virgo viri_ MSS.;
_virago_ Orelli.
[56] _Leuctris, hinc noster Cocles_ Baldwin, Edd.; _leutris
stercocles_ A B H a b; _leutrister chodes_ c; _leutris
stercodes_ L.
#Duties may vary under varying circumstances.#
*59* XVIII. But in the performance of all these duties we shall have to
consider what is most needful in each individual case and what each
individual person can or cannot procure without our help. In this way we
shall find that the claims of social relationship, in its various
degrees, are not identical with the dictates of circumstances; for there
are obligations that are due to one individual rather than to another:
for example, one would sooner assist a neighbour in gathering his
harvest than either a brother or a friend; but should it be a case in
court, one would defend a kinsman and a friend rather than a neighbour.
Such questions as these must, therefore, be taken into consideration in
every act of moral duty [and we must acquire the habit and keep it up],
in order to become good calculators of duty, able by adding and
subtracting to strike a balance correctly and find out just how much is
due to each individual.
*60* But as neither physicians nor generals nor orators can achieve any
signal success without experience and practice, no matter how well they
may understand the theory of their profession, so the rules for the
discharge of duty are formulated, it is true, as I am doing now, but a
matter of such importance requires experience also and practice.
This must close our discussion of the ways in which moral goodness, on
which duty depends, is developed from those principles which hold good
in human society.
#C. Fortitude.#
*61* We must realize, however, that while we have set down four cardinal
virtues from which as sources moral rectitude and moral duty emanate,
that achievement is most glorious in the eyes of the world which is won
with a spirit great, exalted, and superior to the vicissitudes of
earthly life. And so, when we wish to hurl a taunt, the very first to
rise to our lips is, if possible, something like this:
"For ye, young men, show a womanish soul, yon maiden[M] a man's;"
and this:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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