=159. Civic courage.=--Although military courage is the most brilliant and popular form of courage, it may be asked whether there is not a higher and nobler form still, namely, civic courage. Cicero, who, to say the truth, was not sufficiently disinterested in the matter, persists in showing that civic virtues are equal to military virtues, and demand an equal amount of courage and energy.[124] A firm and high-souled man, he says, has no trouble in difficult circumstances, to preserve his presence of mind and the free use of his reason, to provide in advance against events, and to be always ready for action when necessary. This is a sort of courage more difficult perhaps than the one required in a hand-to-hand struggle with the enemy. Civic life, besides, has itself trials which often imperil one's existence. Antiquity has left us innumerable and admirable examples of civic courage against tyranny. Helvidius Priscus was thought to look with disapproval upon Vespasian's administration. The latter sent him word to keep away from the Senate: "It is in thy power," replied Helvidius, "to forbid my belonging to the Senate, but as long as I belong to it, I shall attend it."--"Go, then," said the emperor, "but hold thy tongue."--"If thou ask me no questions I will make thee no answers."--"But I must ask thee questions."--"And I must answer thee what I think just."--"If thou dost, I shall have thee put to death."--"When have I said to thee that I was immortal?" But nothing ever surpassed the intrepidity of Socrates, either before the Thirty Tyrants who wished to interdict him free speech,[125] or before the people's tribunals which condemned him to death: Plato in his _Apology_ makes him say: "If you were to tell me now, 'Socrates, we will not listen to Anytus: we send thee back absolved on condition that thou ceasest philosophizing and givest up thy accustomed researches,' I should answer you without hesitation, 'O Athenians, I honor and love you, but I shall obey God before I obey you.'" Then, after having been condemned to death, he closes with these admirable words: "I bear my accusers, and those who have condemned me, no resentment, although they did not seek my good, but rather to injure me. But I shall ask of them one favor: I beg you, when my children shall be grown up, to persecute them as I have myself persecuted you, if you see that they prefer riches to virtue.... If you grant us this favor, I and my children shall have but to praise your justice. But it is time we go each our way: I to die, you to live. Which of us has the better part, you or I? This is known to none but God."