Amongst the Ancients, it was common to transmit to posterity the
characters and exploits of memorable men: nor in truth in our own times
has the Age, however indifferent about what concerns itself, failed to
observe the like usage, whenever any spirit eminent for great and signal
virtue has vanquished and triumphed over the blindness of such as cannot
distinguish right from wrong, as well as over the spite of malignants;
for, spite and blindness are evils common to great States and to small.
But, as in those early times there was found greater propensity to feats
of renown, and more scope to perform them; so whoever excelled in a happy
genius was naturally led to display the merits and memory of the virtuous
dead, without all view to court favour, or to gain advantages, but only by
the motives and recompense flowing from a benevolent and conscientious
mind. Indeed there were several who, in recounting their own lives,
concluded, that they thence showed rather a confidence in their own
integrity and demeanour than any mark of arrogance. Neither was the
account which Rutilius and Scaurus gave of themselves, thence the less
credited or the more censured.
Pages:
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433