the comparison of alcibiades with coriolanus-第2章

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when　combined　with　a　passion　for　distinction　passes　into　absolute
savageness　and　mercilessness。　Men　decline　to　ask　favours　of　the
people；　professing　not　to　need　any　honours　from　them；　and　then　are
indignant　if　they　do　not　obtain　them。　Metellus；　Aristides；　and
Epaminondas　certainly　did　not　beg　favours　of　the　multitude；　but　that
was　because　they；　in　real　truth；　did　not　value　the　gifts　which　a
popular　body　can　either　confer　or　refuse；　and　when　they　were　more　than
once　driven　into　exile；　rejected　at　elections；　and　condemned　in　courts
of　justice；　they　showed　no　resentment　at　the　ill…humour　of　their
fellow…citizens；　but　were　willing　and　contented　to　return　and　be
reconciled　when　the　feeling　altered　and　they　were　wished　for。　He　who
least　likes　courting　favour；　ought　also　least　to　think　of　resenting
neglect；　to　feel　wounded　at　being　refused　a　distinction　can　only　arise
from　an　overweening　appetite　to　have　it。
　　Alcibiades　never　professed　to　deny　that　it　was　pleasant　to　him　to　be
honoured；　and　distasteful　to　him　to　be　overlooked；　and；　accordingly；
he　always　tried　to　place　himself　upon　good　terms　with　all　that　he　met；
Coriolanus's　pride　forbade　him　to　pay　attentions　to　those　who　could
have　promoted　his　advancement；　and　yet　his　love　of　distinction　made
him　feel　hurt　and　angry　when　he　was　disregarded。　Such　are　the　faulty
parts　of　his　character；　which　in　all　other　respects　was　a　noble　one。
For　his　temperance；　continence；　and　probity　he　claims　to　be　compared
with　the　best　and　purest　of　the　Greeks；　not　in　any　sort　or　kind　with
Alcibiades；　the　least　scrupulous　and　most　entirely　and　most　entirely
careless　of　human　beings　in　all　these　points。




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