Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 3 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"Plutarch
Philosophy
Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 3 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"
Plutarch
Classical literature; Essays; Ethics; Philosophy
Antiochus’s restless ambition after a crown was as much to be
condemned; but still we may admire this in him, that it did not totally
extinguish natural affection and destroy the love of a brother. He
went to war with his brother Seleucus for the kingdom, himself being
the younger brother, and having the assistance of his mother. In the
durance of which war Seleucus joins battle with the Galatians and is
defeated; being not heard of for a time, he is supposed to be slain and
his whole army to be slaughtered by the enemy. Antiochus, understanding
it, put off his purple, went into mourning, caused his palace to be
shut up, and retired to lament the death of his brother. But, within
a short time after, hearing that his brother was safe and raising new
forces, he went and offered sacrifices for joy, and commanded his
subjects to do the like and to crown themselves with garlands. But
the Athenians, though they made a ridiculous story about a falling
out amongst the Deities, compensated for the absurdity pretty well in
striking out the second day of their month Boedromion, because upon
that day Neptune and Minerva were at variance. And why should not we
cancel out of our memories, as an unhappy day and no more to be spoken
of, that wherein we have differed with any of our family or relations?
But rather, far be it from us that the feuds of that day should bury
the memory of all that happier time wherein we were educated and
conversed together. For, except nature has bestowed those virtues
of meekness and patience upon us in vain and to no purpose, we have
certainly the greatest reason to exercise them towards our intimate
friends and kindred. Now the acknowledgments of the offender and the
begging pardon for the crime express a kind and amicable nature no
less than the remitting of it. Wherefore it is not for us to slight
the anger of those whom we have incensed through our folly, neither
should they be so implacable as to refuse an humble submission; but
rather, where we have done the wrong, we should endeavor to prevent a
distaste by the earliest and humblest acknowledgments and impetrations
of pardon, and where we have received any, to be as ready and free in
the forgiving of it. Euclides, Socrates’s auditor, was famous in the
schools for his mild return to his raving brother, whom he heard bellow
out threats against him after this manner: Let me perish, if I be not
revenged on you. He answered: And let me perish, if I do not prevail
with you to desist from this passion, and to let us be as good friends
as ever we were. This Euclides spake; but what king Eumenes did was
an act of meekness seldom to be paralleled, and never yet outdone.
For Perseus king of Macedon, being his great enemy, had engaged some
persons to attempt the killing him. In order to which barbarous act
they lay in wait for him at Delphi, and, when they perceived him going
from the sea toward the Oracle, came behind him and set upon him with
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