9.
Lastly, O Romans, since they are altogether four classes of men who injured
me,—one of them, those who were most hostile to me out of hatred to the republic,
because I had preserved it against their will; another, those who most wickedly betrayed me
under pretence of friendship; a third, those who envied my credit and dignity, because they,
from their laziness, could not obtain the same honours; the fourth was composed of those men
who, while they ought to have been guardians of the republic, sold (as far as was in their
power) my safety, the constitution of the state, and the dignity of its empire; I will revenge
myself on each class in proportion as I have been challenged by each—on wicked
citizens, by conducting the republic successfully; on my perfidious friends, by trusting them
in nothing, and taking every sort of precaution against them; on the envious, by obeying
virtue and glory; on the buyers of provinces, by recalling them home, and by exacting from
them an account of their conduct in those provinces.
[22]
Although I feel greater anxiety as to how I am to show my gratitude to you who have deserved
excellently well of me than how I am to chastise the injustice and cruelty of my enemies. In
truth the means of revenging an injury are easier than those of requiting a kindness; because
there is less trouble in being superior to the wicked than in being equal to the good; and
also because it is not so necessary to requite bad men as good men for what you are indebted
to them.
[23]
Hatred may either be appeased by entreaties, or
may be laid aside out of consideration for the emergencies of the republic and the general
advantage, or it may be restrained by the difficulty of avenging oneself, or it may be worn
out by the antiquity of the injury which gave rise to it; but a man ought not to require to be
entreated to show attention to virtuous men, 1
***** Nor is the excuse of difficulty to be admitted; nor is it just to limit the recollection of a kindness to a certain time or to a fixed day. Lastly, he who is somewhat indifferent about seeking revenge is soon openly praised; but he is most exceedingly blamed who is in the least slow in requiting such benefits as you have showered on me; and he must inevitably be called, not only ungrateful, which itself is serious enough, but impious also. And the principle of requiting a kindness is different from that of repaying money; because he who keeps the money does not pay it, he who has repaid it has not get it; but in the case of gratitude, he who repays it still keeps it and he who keeps it pays it.
***** Nor is the excuse of difficulty to be admitted; nor is it just to limit the recollection of a kindness to a certain time or to a fixed day. Lastly, he who is somewhat indifferent about seeking revenge is soon openly praised; but he is most exceedingly blamed who is in the least slow in requiting such benefits as you have showered on me; and he must inevitably be called, not only ungrateful, which itself is serious enough, but impious also. And the principle of requiting a kindness is different from that of repaying money; because he who keeps the money does not pay it, he who has repaid it has not get it; but in the case of gratitude, he who repays it still keeps it and he who keeps it pays it.
