The first admonition, therefore, is very clear, easily obtained,
and is common to all men. For it is a sane assertion, which every
man will consider as evident. And it is this: Act by every one,
in the same manner as if you supposed yourself to be him, and him
to be you[47]. For he will use a servant well who considers with
himself, how he would think it proper to be used by him, if he indeed
was the master, and himself the servant. The same thing also must
be said of parents with respect to children, and of children with
respect to parents; and, in short, of all men with respect to all.
This admonition, however, is transcendently adapted to the alliance
of brothers to each other; since nothing else is necessary for him
to admit previously, who considers how he ought to conduct himself
towards his brother, than promptly to assume the natural sameness of
the person of each of them. This, therefore, is the first admonition,
that a man should act towards his brother in the same way in which
he would think it proper that his brother should act towards him.
But, by Jupiter, some one may say, I do not exceed propriety in my
manners and am equitable, but my brother’s manners are rough and
without affability. Such a one, however, does not speak rightly.
For, in the first place, perhaps he does not speak the truth; since
an excessive love of self is sufficient [to induce a man] to magnify
and extol what pertains to himself, but to diminish and vilify what
pertains to others. Frequently, therefore, men of inferior worth,
prefer themselves to others who are far more excellent characters.
And, in the next place, though the brother should be in reality such
a person [as above described], I should say, prove yourself to be
a better man than he is, and you will vanquish his rusticity by
your beneficence. For no great thanks are due to those who conduct
themselves moderately towards worthy and benignant men; but to render
him more mild who is stupid, and whose manners are rough, is the
work of a man [properly so called], and deserves great applause. Nor
is it at all impossible for the exhortation to take effect. For in
men of the most absurd manners, there are the seeds of a mutation to
a better condition, and of honour and love for their benefactors.
For are not even savage animals, and such as are naturally most
hostile to our race, and who are taken away by violence, and at
first are detained by chains, and confined in iron cages,—are not
these afterwards rendered mild by a certain mode of treatment, and
by daily supplying them with food? And will not the man who is a
brother, or even any casual person, who deserves attention in a much
greater degree than a brute, be changed to milder manners by proper
treatment, though he should not entirely forsake his rusticity? In
our behaviour, therefore, towards every man, and in a much greater
degree towards a brother, we should imitate the reply of Socrates to
one who said to him, “May I die unless I am revenged on you.” For
his answer was, “May I die, if I do not make you my friend.” And
thus much concerning these particulars.
In the next place, a man should consider that after a manner his
brothers are parts of him, just as my eyes are parts of me; and
likewise my legs, my hands, and the remaining members of my body.
For brothers have the same relation to a family considered as one
thing [as the parts to the whole of the body]. As, therefore, the
eyes and the hands, if each of them should receive a peculiar soul
and intellect, would, by every possible contrivance, pay a guardian
attention to the remaining parts of the body, on account of the
before-mentioned communion, because they could not perform their
proper office well without the presence of the other members; thus
also it is requisite that we who are men, and who acknowledge that we
have a soul, should omit no offices which it becomes us to perform
to our brothers. For again, brothers are more naturally adapted to
assist each other, than are the parts of the body. For the eyes,
indeed, being present with each other, see what is before them, and
one hand cooperates with the other which is present; but the mutual
works of brothers are, in a certain respect, much more multifarious.
For they perform things which are profitable in common, though they
should be at the greatest distance from each other; and they greatly
benefit each other, though the interval which separates them should
be immeasurable. In short, it must be considered, that our life
appears to be a certain long war continued to the extent of many
years; and this partly through the nature of the things themselves
which possess a certain opposition; and partly through the sudden
and unexpected occurrences of fortune; but most of all through vice
itself, which neither abstains from any violence, nor from any fraud
and evil stratagems. Hence nature, as not being ignorant of the
purpose for which she generated us, produced each of us accompanied,
after a certain manner, by an auxiliary. No one, therefore, is alone,
nor does he derive his origin _from an oak or a rock_, but from
parents, and in conjunction with brothers, and kindred, and other
familiars. But reason affords us great assistance, conciliating to
us strangers, and those who have no connection with us by blood,
and procuring for us an abundance of auxiliars. On this account we
naturally endeavour to allure and make every one our friend. Hence it
is a thing perfectly insane to wish to be united to those who have
not any thing from nature which is capable of procuring our love,
and voluntarily to become familiar with them in the most extended
degree; and yet neglect those prompt auxiliars and associates which
are supplied by nature herself, such as brothers happen to be.