Exercise and by Exercise in Health And the less defective then the other or the others is most desirable as being more sufficient Now the lesser is defective in wanting fewer or more easy or when this cannot be accomplish'd or be without that but that may be accomplish'd without this For that which is not defective is most sufficient in it self and therefore it is apparently the greater good Also if one be a Principle the other not if one thing be the cause the other not For without the Cause or the Principle nothing can be or be done Now where there are two Principles that which proceeds from the greater Principle is the greater Where there are two causes the Product of the greater cause is the greater So that either way the thing must be greater whether one be a Principle the other not or whether proceeding from the greater of two Principles For the end is greater and not the Principle As Leodamus said when he accus'd Callistratus He who advis'd was more in fault then he who acted For had not the thing been advis'd it had ne'r been put in Execution But Chabrias argu'd that he who acted was more to blame then he who advis'd because the thing had not been put in Execution had it not been advised for Action is the end of Consultation Moreover that which is more scarce is more desireable then that which more Plentiful as Gold then Iron For Iron is less profitable Therefore the possession of Gold is greater because it is more scarce to be found But in another Sence that which most abounds is the greater because we make more use of it At other times that which is scarce is exceeded by that which is Plentiful and therefore we say the best Water Briefly difficult things are exceeded by those things that are more easy because they are more scarce but in another Sence easy things exceed difficult because we can obtain 'em when we please Alsowhere the contrary exceeds as likewise where the Privation exceeds Also where the Vertues and Vices of Men are greater there their Actions are more eminent and greater For such as the Causes and Principles such are the Effects and such as are the Effects such the Principles and Causes Also where the excess is 〈◊〉 we desireable or more beautiful as a quick Sight is better then a quick Smell Sight being more desireable than Smelling also it is much nobler to covet Friends then Money wherefore love of Friends is better then love of Money The excesses of the best things are best and more vertuous the Excesses in Vertue and of which our desires are more honest and generous Such things also of which the Knowledg is more honest and ingenious As also the things themselves which are more honest and Lawful For as it is with Knowledg so it is with Truth for every Science teaches those things that belong to it and therefore the Sciences and the things taught hold the same Proportion Also what all or many or most Men of Prudence and Learning have deem'd and decreed to be the greatest good that either ought simply so to be or so far as they have in their Prudence adjudg'd it But that is common to other things For the what and how much and the what sort are to be look'd upon as Knowledg and Understanding have decreed But we have number'd Prudence however among good things as having defin'd Prudence to be that which all Men would desire if they had Prudence And therefore that must be greater which Prudence so adjudges Also what is contain'd in the better things either as they are simply so or as they are better as Fortitude is better then Strength of Body Also what a person of more worth would chuse as rather to suffer then do an Injury which a more just Man would chuse to do And what is more pleasing and delightful then what is less For all follow Pleasure and covet it for delights sake But the good and end of Pleasure is bounded within Limits For that which is more delightful is as well that which is less irksome as that which is more durably delightful and more honest or less honest For honest is either delightful or to be desired for its self And what Men most desire to be the Authors of either to themselves or Friends those are the greater benefits what they least desire the lesser Kindnesses and the more lasting then the less durable and the more solid then the less firm For the use exceeds of the one in time of the other in the Will For where the will is there the use of a thing constant prevails And as when from consequences and like cases other consequences arise as when that which is stoutly and honestly done is to be prefer'd before what is acted temperately also Fortitude is to be preferr'd before Temperance and to be strong before being temperate And what all preferr before what all do not preferr and what more then a few For good was that which all coveted therefore that is greater which is more desir'd Also in Law-Suits where are Plantiffs Judges and Defendants Here that prevails which all affirm there what the Judges Pronounce as excelling in Power and Knowledg Sometimes that is greatest of which all participate for it is a disgrace not to participate Sometimes those things which are most Praise-worthy as being most Honest Sometimes degrees of Honour make the Honours greater for Honour is a kind of price or value set upon a thing The greater Punishments also are the greater and such things as are greater than the things which are apparent and granted especially when divided into parts for then exuberancy of many is apparent which was the reason that the Poet to excite Meleagâ—r uses these words What Mischiefs most thy Subjects then bewail If into hostile Han is the City fall Slaughter and Fire their Masions will invade And helpless Children will be Captive led And then addition and aggravation as in Epich rmus which is apparent partly by the same reason that dividing the parts makes the thing greater for Aggravation plainly shews the Excess Partly because the Original and cause of things seems greater and then because that is greater which is less frequent and more difficult Opportunity Age Time Place and Force make things greater for beyond the Strength the Age of such an one beyond others here there and then denote excess of Beauty Goodness Justice or their Opposites Whence the Epigram upon the Olympian Victor Though formerly 't is true so mean my Trade With heavy Dossers on my Shoulders laid From Argos to Tegea still I trudg'd To sell my Fish till Victor here adjudg'd And Iphicrates gave himself this Encomium from whence all these Moreover Genuine than acquir'd wherfore said the Poet School'd only by my self these Songs I sing Also the greater part of a great thing As Pericles speaks in an Epitaph that Youth being taken from a City render'd it
Performances but as for things ridiculous we have discours'd in our Art of Poetry And so let this suffice to shew what things are delightful what things are irksome will appear by their Contraries And thus much for those things which are the causes of Injustice and Injury CHAP. XII How Men believe themselves capacitated to do Injustice and by what means they do it NOW let us see how Men are capacitated to do an Injury and by what means they do it These People therefore when they think the thing possible to be done and to be done by themselves they consider likewise whether they can conceal themselves when they have done it or if they cannot whether they shall be question'd or if they come to suffer whether the Punishment will be greater then what they have got by the Act. But as to what may be done and what not we shall afterwards declare for these things are common to all the parts of Rhetoric Now they believe themselves most able to do an Injury who think themselves of greatest ability both to speak and act whether out of their Experience in contention and controversy or confiding in their Friends and their Riches for if they find themselves thus supported they believe themselves able Or otherwise whether they have such or such for their Friends Assistants or Accomplices for perhaps by the help of such Aids they may accomplish their ends without fear of Punishment or else conceal themselves from it Or if they be in Friendship with those that suffer the Injury or with the Judges for Friends are careless of Injuries and easily reconcil'd before Prosecution The Judges also are willing to gratify their Friends either by acquitting 'em or by inflicting but a small Punishment Moreover it is easy for them to conceal themselves who are adjudg'd unable to commit the offence as if a lame Person should be accus'd for beating a Man or a poor or a deform'd person be accus'd of Adultery Or if the Crime be said to be committed publickly and in the face of the World for People are not apt to believe such things or if the Crimes be so great or so many that never were committed before For Men are not aware of such Injuries in regard all Men shun common actors of mischief like so many Pests or Diseases But as for him that never was sick no Man avoids him and such as have no Enemies or many For these believe they may conceal themselves because they are not suspected Others believe they may conceal themselves because it cannot be thouâ—ht they would set upon those who are aware of 'em or that it would be an Argument that thev did never make the attempt because they were sure to find resistance The same may be said of such as are provided of a means to escape or of some place at hand to secure themselves and of such who if they cannot conceal themselves can put off the cause by delay of Justice and corruption of the Judges Or if he be amerc'd is sure to delay or buy off the Payment or if he be such a one who through Poverty has nothing to lose or such whose gains are apparent great and at hand their Fines but small hard to be found and at a distance And where the Punishment cannot be equal to the Profit And such as gain by the Injury but are only sham'd by the Punishment Or where the Injury may seem commendable as if a Man revenge an Injury done to his Father or Mother as it was Zeno's Case where the Punishment is only a Fine or Banishment or some such thing for both do an Injury whether this way or that way done tho' both are not the same Persons but contrary in their Manners and Dispositions Also they who have often had the good Fortune to conceal themselves and never more to be call'd in question also such as frequently fail in their Attempts For there are some in such things as well as in warfare who are still prepared to renew the Fight Or such as obtain a present Pleasure but the loss follows afterwards as it fares with the Intemperate for there is Intemperance in all things which are desired On the contrary such as presently suffer pain or loss but attain to Pleasure or Profit afterwards tho' later And such are the things which the abstemious and prudent seek after And such as may seem to have acted by Fortune or Necessity or by Nature or Custom and to have been mistaken â—ltogether and not to have done any Injury Partly such as could not otherwise obtain their right partly such as were in want Now Men happen to be in want two ways either they want Necessaries as the Needy or Superfluities as the Rich. Partly they who are Men of Repute or Infamous Those because they shall not be the less esteem'd these because they shall not be the more esteem'd and under these Circumstances they both attempt And they injure those who are furnish'd with such things of which they stand in need either necessaries or for superfluity or pleasure and as well those that live at a distance as those that live near at hand The one are soon apprehended the other more slowly punish'd as they who rob'd the Carthaginians Also the unwary and such as are not watchful but credulous for it is easy to deceive all these also the negligent For he that seeks revenge must be dilligent The bashful also for they seldom contend for gain Also those who being injur'd by many never care to take revenge For to use the common Proverb these are the Mysians Prey Also those who never or they who were frequently injur'd for both are neglectful These because never those because they think they shall be no more Also those that are or may be easily oppress'd with scandalous Reports For such never chuse to defend themselves fearing the Judges nor can perswade the contrary of which sort are they whom many hate or many envy And against whom they have any Pretences either of their Parents or of their own or of their Friends either that they have or would do wrong either to their Parents themselves or such as are their dearest Relations who are under their Protection For as the Proverb says Improbity only wants a pretence We also injure our Friends and our Enemies for it is easy to do the one pleasing to do the other Also those who have no Friends who are not in a condition to say or do Also such as are neglectful of Revenge or apt to be reconcil'd or never prosecute to the end Or such as to whom it is not worth their while to spend time to stay for Judgment and recompence as Forraigners and Handicraft Tradesmen who are contented with small satisfaction for an Injury committed Or such as have done many Injuries to others or themselves have suffered several like to what they have done For that does not seem an Injury when a Man has suffered no more
affront to another despises him For to affront is to vex and trouble another in such things wherein it is an Indiginty to him to suffer not that he aims at any thing more then what he does but only that he delights in the Act. For they that return the Injury do not affront but take revenge But it is a pleasure to him that offers the affront to think that in doing the Injury he excells the other and shews himself to be the better Man Therefore young Men and Rich People are Contumelious believing it shews their Superiority to give an affront For it is the nature of Contumely to disgrace and he that disgraces another contemns him For whatsoever is worth nothing has no esteem or repute either of being good or evil Therefore says Achilles in his Fury The asfront my Honour stains While he my Valours Guerdon thus detains And that other As is some Despiâ—able Runagate Which were the reasons of his Provocation Now Men think it convenient to be exalted above their Superiours because of their Birth their Strength their Vertue and briefly in every thing that is an excellency in others as the wealthy excells in Riches the Eloquent in the gift of utterance he that commands him that is commanded and he that is thought worthy to govern excells him that is not thought worthy And therefore it is said Great is the wrath of Jove descended King's And in another Place Deep in his breast his brooding Anger lyes To perfect what is fury shall devise For they impatiently brook affronts in regard of their high dignity and superexcellency Others by reason of the benefits they have done or do either by themselves or their friends or will or would do for his sake And thus it is Apparent how men come to be angry with whom and for what causes they are angry For some are angry when they are aggreiv'd For he that is aggreiv'd desires something whether it be by any Opposition directly made against him as to hinder a man from drinking that is a thirsty or not directly as if a man does not oppose yet does not lend his Assistance or if any other greivance happen all these things raise anger in a man And therefore sick People Poor People Lovers thirsty People and in a word all that desire without obtaining their desires are angry and easily provok'd especially with those that dispise their present Condition As those that are sick with those that upbraid or whatever is the cause of their Distemper The Poor are angry with their Poverty the Warriour with his ill success the Lover for want of his satisfaction and so of the rest seeing that every one is prepar'd for his Passion by the disturbance that is within him Moreover if the person expected things contrary For what is great and unexpected causes a greater greivance as it causes greater delight when a thing happens contrary to expectation Hence it happens that seasons hours ages and dispositions make it apparent who and which are most Subject to anger and when and where and which overruling render the Tempers of men more froppish and testy They also are angry with those that laugh deride and scoff at 'em for such affront 'em and with those that offend 'em in such things as are the signs of contumely of which number are those things which are done to no end and are no way profitable to those that give the Offence and therefore they are contumelious People also are angry with those that slight and speak ill of those things wherein they cheifly delight as when they speak evil of Philosophy before such as study to excel therein or if another dispraise the shape of such a Mans Body which they think handsom and so in other things more especially if they suspect themselves to want those Perfections which are tax'd to be wanting in others But if they are confident of their own parts and beauty they never mind what others say Also men take these things more unkindly at their friends hands then at the hands of others as expecting at their hands more civility and respect Also with such as were wont to respect and honour 'em but forbear their former civilitys for then they think themselves contemn'd otherwise they would continue their friendship Also with those that shew themselves ungrateful and do not return Quid for Quo and with such as act quite contrary to what they do especially if their Inferiours For all these things are lookt upon as contempts the one of Inferiors the other by Inferiors More especially if they be contemn'd by those who are of no esteem themselves For Anger rises from a contempt that no way becomes the Contemners now it does not become Inferiours to despise their Superiours And friends are no friends if they do not say and do well much more if they act or say quite contrary to their friends and if they are not lensible of their wants as was Antipho's Plexippos with Meleager for it is a sign we are not sensible of the disrespect we show for where we are careful of our behaviour we consider what we do People are also angry with those that rejoyce at their Misfortunes more especially if they sport with their Calamities for both are signs of contempt or Enmity Also with them that care not whether they be troublesom or no. Wheresore they are angry with those that tell 'em ill news and with those that hear of or see their Misfortunes without being concern'd for they resemble Enemies or Contemners For friends condole with friends and all men greive at their own Misfortunes People are also angry with five sorts of men with those with whom they stand in-Competition for honour those whom they admire with those by whom they would be admir'd with those whom they reverence and with those by whom they are reverenc'd For if they are despis'd by any of these they are more Passionately incens'd And if they are contemn'd by those whom they are oblig'd to assist as Parents Children Wives Subjects And with the ungrateful for such a contempt is unbeseeming and with such as disâ—emble toward such as are serious For Dissimulation is affrontive And with those that are liberal to others not to them for it argues contempt to be only thought unworthy Forgetfulness also causes anger as of names tho' it be a small matter for it proceeds from negligence and negligence denotes contempt Thus it is manifest that an Orator ought to frame his Auditors to such a Temper as they use to be in when they are angry and the Adversary to be guilty of such things which provoke their anger and to be such with whom they have just cause to be angry CHAP. III. Of Mildness NOW in regard that to be Angry is contraty to be Mild and anger opposite to mildness we are to consider the temper of mild People what things render 'em so and towards what sort of Persons they so carry themselves Mildness