Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/128

106 necessity requireth to use them, we shall not easily admit the same, and suffer them to have entrance into us. For surely at such a time of extremity, the soul heareth not a word that is said unto it without, for the trouble and confusion within, unless her own reason be assistant ready both to receive and understand quickly every commandment and precept, and also to prompt the same accordingly unto her. And say that she doth hear: look what is said unto her after a mild, calm, and gentle manner, that she despiseth; again, if any be more instant, and do urge her somewhat roughly, with those she is displeased, and the worse for their admonitions: for wrath being of the own nature proud, audacious, unruly, and hardly suffering itself to be handled or stirred by another, much like unto a tyrant attended with a strong guard about his person, ought to have something of the own which is domestical, familiar, and (as it were) inbred together with it, for to overthrow and dissolve the same.

Now the continual custom of anger and the ordinary or often falling into a chafe, breedeth in the mind an ill habit called wrathfulness, which in the end groweth to this pass, that it maketh a man choleric and hasty, apt to be moved at everything; and besides, it engendereth a bitter humour of revenge, and a testiness implacable, or hardly to be appeased; namely, when the mind is exulcerate once, taking offence at every small occasion, quarrelling and complaining for toys and trifles, much like unto a thin or a fine edge that entereth with the least force that the graver putteth it to. But the judgment of reason opposing itself straightways against such motions and fits of choler, and ready to suppress and keep them down, is not only a remedy for the present mischief, but also for the time to come doth strengthen and fortify the mind, causing it to be more firm and strong to resist such passions when they arise.

And now to give some instance of myself: The same happened unto me after I had twice or thrice made head against choler, as befel sometimes to the Thebans; who having once repelled and put to flight the Lacedsemonians (warriors thought in those days invincible) were never in any one battle afterward defeated by them. For from that time forward I took heart and courage, as seeing full well that conquered it might be with the discourse of reason. I perceived, moreover, that anger would not only be quenched with cold water poured and cast upon it, as Aristotle hath reported unto us, but also that it would go out and be extinguished, were it never so light a fire before, by