Page:On Friendship (Howe, 1915).pdf/41

 he kept Gracchus’s desires in his pocket, both by power of friendship and by understanding him: they were more friends than citizens, more friends than friends or enemies of their country, than friends of ambition and of disturbance.

Having committed themselves entirely to each other, they entirely held the reins of each other’s inclination: and only let the equipage have been guided by virtue and driven by reason, and indeed it is quite impossible to harness it otherwise, the reply of Blossius is such as it should have been. If their actions flew off the handle, they were neither friends, by my measure, of each other, nor even friends to themselves. Besides which, this reply does not sound at all different from what mine would if somebody inquired of me: “Should your will command you to kill your daughter, would you kill her?” and I should admit it; for here is no testimony of consenting to the deed; because I am not in any doubt about my will, and in just as little about that of such a friend. Not all the arguments in the world have the power to dislodge me from the certitude I have as to the intentions and judgments of my friend; no one of his actions could