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Now if, by positing Ibid. iii. p. 119. that all errors and faults are equal, they are in some other way overlooking the truth, this present discourse is not the proper occasion to confute them; but in the case of the emotions they certainly appear to be in opposition to reason and contrary to plain evidence. For, according to them, every emotion is an error, and every one who grieves or fears or desires is guilty of error. Yet there are seen to be great differences in the emotions according to their greater or lesser intensity. For who would declare that Dolon’s Cf. Homer, Il., x. 374 ff.; Moralia, 76 a. fear was no greater than that of Ajax, Cf.Il., xi. 547; De Vita et Poesi Hmeri, 135 (Bernardakis, vol. vii. p. 409). who often faced about and departed slowly from the midst of his enemies, scarcely changing knee for knee? Or that the grief of Alexander, Cf. for the slaying of Cleitus by Alexander Plutarch’s Life of Alexander, li.; and for Alexander’s grief Ibid. lii. (694 d-e). who attempted to kill himself because of Cleitus, was equal to Plato’s grief for the death of Socrates? For griefs are increased immoderately by unpredictable circumstances, Cf. 463 d, infra; 474 e-f, infra (Carneades). and an unexpected occurrence is more painful than one quite likely to happen; if, for instance, one should expect to see someone in prosperity and honour and then should learn that he had been cruelly tortured, as ParmenionPhilotas, the son of Alexander’s general Parmenion, was suddenly executed on suspicion of conspiracy; cf.Life of Alexander, xlix. (693 b). did of Philotas. And who would affirm that the rage of Nicocreon against AnaxarchusA friend of Alexander who insulted Nicocreon, tyrant of Cyprus, so markedly that the latter took his revenge after Alexander’s death; Cf. Diogenes Laertius, ix. 58-59. was equal to that of Magas Cf. 458 a, infra; see Hartman, De Plutarcho, p. 205, for the absurdity of this comparison. against Philemon, though they had both been reviled by their opponents? For Nicocreon with iron pestles ground Anaxarchus to powder, but Magas merely ordered the public executioner to place his naked blade on Philemon’s neck and then to let him go. That is the reason why Plato Republic, 411 b; contrast Moralia, 457 b-c, infra. also called anger sinews of the soul on the ground that it is intensified by harshness and relaxed by gentleness.
