When thou art offended with any man's shameless conduct, immediately ask thyself, Is it possible, then, that shameless men should not be in the world? It is not possible. Do not, then, require what is impossible. For this man also is one of those shameless men who must of necessity be in the world. EXERCISELet the same considerations be present to thy mind in the case of the knave, and the faithless man, and of every man who TERMdoes wrong in any way. For at the same time that thou dost remind thyself that it is impossible that such kind of men should not exist, thou wilt become more kindly disposed towards every one individually.

It is useful to perceive this, too, immediately when the occasion arises, what TERMvirtue TERMnature has given to man to oppose to every wrongful act. For she has given to man, as an antidote against the stupid man, mildness, and against another kind of man some other power. And in all cases it is possible for thee to correct by teaching the man who is gone astray; for TERMevery man who errs misses his object and is gone astray. DOGMABesides wherein hast thou been injured? For thou wilt find that no one among those against whom thou art irritated has done anything by which thy mind could be made worse;

TERMbut that which is evil to thee and harmful has its foundation only in the mind. And what harm is done or what is there strange, if the man who has not been instructed does the acts of an uninstructed man? Consider whether thou shouldst not rather blame thyself, because thou didst not expect such a man to err in such a way. For thou hadst means given thee by thy TERMreason to suppose that it was likely that he would commit this error, and yet thou hast forgotten and art amazed that he has erred.

But most of all when thou blamest a man as faithless or ungrateful, turn to thyself. For the TERMfault is manifestly thy own, whether thou didst trust that a man who had such a disposition would keep his promise, or when conferring thy kindness thou didst not confer it absolutely, nor yet in such way as to have received from thy very act all the profit. For what more dost thou want when thou hast done a man a service? Art thou not content that thou hast done something DOGMAconformable to thy nature, DOGMAand dost thou seek to be paid for it? MOTIFJust as if the eye demanded a recompense for seeing, or the feet for walking. For as these members are formed for a particular purpose, and by working according to their several constitutions obtain what is their own; so also as man is formed by nature to acts of benevolence, when he has done anything benevolent or in any other way TERMconducive to the common interest, he has acted conformably to his constitution, and he gets what is his own.

When you are offended at someone's shamelessness, ask yourself at once: is it possible, then, that there be no shameless men in the world? It is not. Do not, then, demand the impossible. This man too is one of those shameless men who must of necessity be in the world. EXERCISELet the same be ready to hand in the case of the knave, the faithless man, and of every man who TERMdoes wrong in any way. For the moment you remind yourself that this kind of men cannot but exist, you will be kinder toward them one by one.

It is useful, too, to consider at once what TERMvirtue TERMnature has given to man against this particular fault. For she has given, as an antidote against the thoughtless man, gentleness, and against another kind of man some other power. And in every case you are free to teach the man who has gone astray out of his error; for TERMeveryone who errs misses the mark set before him and has gone astray. DOGMAAnd what harm have you suffered? You will find that no one of those at whom you are exasperated has done anything by which your mind could be made worse;

TERMand it is there, and only there, that what is evil and harmful to you has its whole substance. What is new or strange in it, if the uninstructed man does what an uninstructed man does? See whether you should not rather blame yourself for not having expected this man to commit this error. For TERMreason gave you the means to reckon that this man was likely to commit it — and yet you forgot, and are amazed that he has erred.

Most of all, when you blame a man as faithless or ungrateful, turn to yourself. For the TERMfault is plainly your own, whether you trusted that a man of such a disposition would keep faith, or, in conferring the kindness, did not confer it as complete in itself, nor in such a way as to have had the whole fruit from the act itself. For what more do you want, when you have done a man a service? Is it not enough that you have done something DOGMAin accordance with your own nature — DOGMAdo you seek a wage for it besides? MOTIFAs though the eye should demand a recompense for seeing, or the feet for walking. For just as these were made for this particular work, and, working according to their own constitution, have what is their own, so too man, made by nature to do good, when he has done something benevolent or otherwise TERMco-operative in the sphere of indifferents, has done what he was constituted for, and has what is his own.