Book 7
18
For in general, of the three kinds of friendship, it is in useful friendship that most recriminations occur (for goodness is not given to recrimination, and pleasant friends having got and given their share break it off, but useful friends do not dissolve the association at once, if their intercourse is on comradely and not merely legal lines);
19
nevertheless the legal sort of useful friendship is not given to recrimination. The legal method of discharging the obligation is a matter of money, for that serves as a measure of equality; but the moral method is voluntary. Hence in some places there is a law prohibiting friendly associates of this sort from actions as to their voluntary contracts—rightly, since it is not natural for good men to go to law,Or, adopting another conjectural emendation, since it is natural for good men to be just of their own accord. and these men make their contracts as good men and as dealing with trustworthy people.
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And in fact in this sort of friendship the recriminations are doubtful on both sides—what line of accusation each party will take, inasmuch as their confidence was of a moral kind and not merely legal.Solomon renders It is uncertain how either will recriminate on the other, seeing that they trust each other, not in a limited legal way but on the basis of their characters. But the Greek text may be questioned.
21
Indeed it is a question in which of two ways one ought to judge what is a just return, whether by looking at the actual amount or quality of the service rendered, or by its amount or quality for the recipient; for it may be as Theognis says— Goddess, ’tis small to thee, but great to me , Theog. 14. This quotation illustrates that the amount of a service is subjective, the next quotation shows that its quality is. and also the result may be opposite, as in the saying This is sport to you but death to me.
