Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/136

114 quickly falleth out and brawleth with his wife; the vain-glorious fool is soonest offended with them that speak anything amiss of him; but the most bitter and intolerable of all others, are ambitious persons in a city, who lay for high places and dignities, such also as are the heads of a faction in a sedition; which is a trouble and mischief (as Pindarus saith) conspicuous and honourable. Lo, how from that part of the mind which is wounded, grieved, suffereth most and especially upon infirmity and weakness, ariseth anger, which passion resembleth not (as one would have it) the sinews of the soul, but is like rather to their stretching sprains and spasmatic convulsions, when it straineth and striveth overmuch in following revenge.

Well, the examples of evil things yield no pleasant sight at all, only they be necessary and profitable; and for mine own part, supposing the precedents given by those who have carried themselves gently and mildly in their occasions of anger, are most delectable, not only to behold, but also hear: I begin to contemn and despise those that say thus:

 To man thou hast done wrong: be sure At man's hand wrong for to endure.

Likewise:

 Down to the ground with him, spare not his coat, Spurn him and set thy foot upon his throat.

and other such words which serve to provoke wrath and whet choler; by which some go about to remove anger out of the nursery, and women's chamber into the hall where men do sit and keep; but herein they do not well: For prowess and fortitude according in all other things with justice, and going fellow-like with her, methinks is at strife and debate with her about meekness and mildness only, as if she rather became her, and by right appertained unto her: For otherwhiles it hath been known that the worst men have gone beyond and surmounted the better. But for a man to erect a trophy and set up a triumphal monument in his own soul against ire (with which, as Heraclitus saith, the conflict is hard and dangerous: for what a man would have he buyeth with his life) is an act of rare valour and victorious puissance, as having in truth the judgment of reason, for sinews, tendons, and muscles to encounter and resist passions. Which is the cause that I study, and am desirous always to read and gather the sayings and doings, not only of learned clerks and philosophers; who, as our sages and wise men say, have no gall in them, but also and much