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them, that he cared nothing for the matter. And observe how wise he was. For he did not say immediately in response, "I don't care"; but what? "If it were a matter of wrongdoing or a wicked crime, O Jews, I would have borne with you with reason; but if it is a question about a word and names, and your own law, see to it yourselves; for I do not wish to be a judge of these things." He walled off the tribunal from them. The victory was brilliant. And taking hold of Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, they beat him before the judgment seat, and Gallio cared for none of these things. O the shame with which they were shamed. And for none of these things, it says, did Gallio care; 60.279 and yet the whole thing was an insult to himself; but as if having taken authority, they themselves beat him, doing the work of unreasoning anger because of the shame. And why did he not strike back, although he also had authority? But they were being taught to be philosophical. But he does not strike back, so that the judge might also learn who was the more reasonable. This helped those present not a little; for both their reasonableness and the others' insolence taught that such things require a judicial vote. But these men do everything in a disorderly way. And he did not say, "It is not necessary," lest they should strike him again; but, "I do not wish." "For a judge," he says, "of these things I do not wish to be"; so reasonable was the man. This Pilate also said in the case of Christ: "Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law." He deemed it right for them to judge according to the law, but they were disposed like those who are drunk and mad. For this reason he departed from Athens, because there was a large populace there. He was being beaten, and said nothing. 3. Let us also imitate him; let us strike back at those who strike us with reasonableness, with silence, with long-suffering. These wounds are harsher, the blow is greater and more grievous; for it is not the being struck in the body, but in the mind, that is harsh. We strike many, but since it is in the manner of friendship, they are even pleased; but if you strike any random person insolently, since you have touched their heart, you have greatly grieved them; so we strike their heart more. But that reasonableness strikes more than insolence, come let us prove it as far as possible with reason. For the clear proof is through deeds and experience; but if it seems good, let us also make the examination with reason, although we have already done so many times. For in insults nothing grieves us so much as the opinion of the onlookers; for it is not the same to be insulted in public and in private, but those insults we bear easily, when it is in a deserted place, when we suffer this with no one present to witness it, nor anyone aware of it. Thus it is not the nature of the insult that stings, but suffering this in front of everyone; so that if someone were to honor us in front of everyone, but insult us in private, we would even be grateful. Therefore, the grievous thing is not in the nature of the insult, but in the judgment of the onlookers, so that one might not seem to be contemptible. What then, if this be in our favor? Is not the one who insults more insulted, when they cast their votes in our favor? Tell me, whom do those present despise? The one who insults, or the one who is insulted and is silent? For anger suggests that it is the one being insulted; but now, when we are free from the passion, let us see, so that we may not be carried away then. Whom then do we all condemn? It is clear that it is the one who insults; and if he is an inferior, we will say he is mad, if an equal, that he is being foolish, and if a superior, not even so will we approve. For who, tell me, is worthy of approval? The one who is troubled, who is storm-tossed, who is made savage, who is so disposed toward our common nature, or the one who is in calm and in a harbor and in great philosophy? Does not the one resemble an angel, and the other not even a man? For the one cannot even bear his own evils, while the other bears even those of others; this one was not able even to bear himself, while the other bears another also; the one is in a shipwreck, while this one sails in safety, his ship being carried by fair winds; for he did not allow the wind of anger, falling upon the sails, to overturn the vessel of his mind; but a certain light and pleasant breeze blowing toward him, the breath of forbearance, leads him with great tranquility to the 60.280 harbor of philosophy.

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ἐκείνους, ὅτι οὐδὲν μέλει αὐτῷ τὰ τοῦ πράγματος. Καὶ σκόπει ἐκεῖνος πῶς ἦν συνετός. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν εὐθέως ἀποκρινόμενος· Οὐ μέλει μοι· ἀλλὰ τί; Εἰ μὲν ἦν τι ἀδίκημα ἢ ῥᾳδιούργημα πονηρὸν, ὦ Ἰουδαῖοι, κατὰ λόγον ἂν ἠνεσχόμην ὑμῶν· εἰ δὲ ζήτημά ἐστι περὶ λόγου καὶ ὀνομάτων, καὶ νόμου τοῦ καθ' ὑμᾶς, ὄψεσθε αὐτοί· κριτὴς γὰρ ἐγὼ τούτων οὐ βούλομαι εἶναι. Ἀπετείχισεν αὐτοῖς τὸ δικαστήριον. Λαμπρὰ γέγονεν ἡ νίκη. Ἐπιλαβόμενοι δὲ Σωσθένην τὸν ἀρχισυνάγωγον, ἔτυπτον ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος, καὶ οὐδὲν τούτων τῷ Γαλλίωνι ἔμελεν. Ὢ τῆς αἰσχύνης, ἣν ᾐσχύνθησαν. Καὶ οὐδὲν τούτων, φησὶ, τῷ Γαλλίωνι ἔμελε· 60.279 καίτοι εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ὕβριν τὸ πᾶν ἦν· ἀλλ' ὡς δῆθεν ἐξουσίαν λαβόντες αὐτοὶ τύπτουσιν, ἔργον ἀκρίτου θυμοῦ διὰ τὴν αἰσχύνην ποιοῦντες. Καὶ διὰ τί μὴ ἐκεῖνος ἀντετύπτησε, καίτοι καὶ αὐτὸς ἐξουσίαν εἶχεν; Ἀλλ' ἐπαιδεύοντο φιλοσοφεῖν. Οὐκ ἀντιτύπτει δὲ, ὥστε καὶ τὸν δικαστὴν μαθεῖν, τίς ἦν ὁ ἐπιεικέστερος. Οὐ μικρὰ τοῦτο ὤνησε τοὺς παρόντας· ἐδίδαξε γὰρ ἥ τε τούτων ἐπιείκεια καὶ ἡ ἐκείνων θρασύτης, ὅτι τὰ τοιαῦτα δικαστικῆς ψήφου δεῖται. Ἀλλ' οὗτοι πάντα ἀτάκτως ποιοῦσι. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Οὐ δεῖ, ἵνα μὴ πάλιν κόπτωσιν αὐτόν· ἀλλ', Οὐ θέλω. Κριτὴς γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐγὼ τούτων εἶναι οὐ βούλομαι· οὕτως ἐπιεικὴς ἦν ὁ ἀνήρ. Τοῦτο καὶ Πιλᾶτος ἔλεγεν ἐπὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ· Λάβετε αὐτὸν ὑμεῖς, καὶ κατὰ τὸν νόμον ὑμῶν κρίνατε. Ὁ μὲν κατὰ τὸν νόμον ἠξίου κρίνειν αὐτοὺς, οἱ δὲ, ὥσπερ οἱ μεθύοντες καὶ οἱ μαινόμενοι, οὕτω διέκειντο. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἐχωρίζετο τῶν Ἀθηνῶν, Ἐπειδὴ λαὸς ἦν ἐκεῖ πολύς. Ἐτύπτετο, καὶ οὐδὲν ἔλεγε. γʹ. Τοῦτον καὶ ἡμεῖς μιμώμεθα· ἀντιτυπτήσωμεν τοὺς τύπτοντας τῇ ἐπιεικείᾳ, τῇ σιγῇ, τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ. Χαλεπώτερα ταῦτα τὰ τραύματα, μείζων ἡ πληγὴ καὶ φορτικωτέρα· οὐ γὰρ τὸ πλήττεσθαι τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλὰ τὸ τὴν διάνοιαν, χαλεπόν. Πολλοὺς πλήττομεν, ἀλλὰ ἐπειδὴ ἐν τάξει φιλίας, καὶ ἥδονται· ἂν δὲ τὸν τυχόντα πλήξῃς ὑβριστικῶς, ἐπειδὴ τῆς καρδίας ἥψω, σφόδρα ἐλύπησας· οὕτω μᾶλλον τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν πλήττομεν. Ὅτι δὲ μειζόνως ἐπιείκεια πλήττει θρασύτητος, φέρε ἀποδείξωμεν ὡς δυνατὸν τῷ λόγῳ. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ σαφὴς ἀπόδειξις διὰ τῶν ἔργων καὶ τῆς πείρας ἐστίν· εἰ δὲ δοκεῖ, καὶ τῷ λόγῳ τὴν ἐξέτασιν ποιησώμεθα, καίτοι πολλάκις ἤδη ἐποιησάμεθα. Ἐν γὰρ ταῖς ὕβρεσιν οὐδὲν οὕτως ἡμᾶς λυπεῖ, ὡς ἡ παρὰ τῶν ὁρώντων ψῆφος· οὐ γὰρ ἴσον δημοσίᾳ τε ὑβρίζεσθαι καὶ ἰδίᾳ, ἀλλ' ἐκείνας μὲν καὶ φέρομεν εὐκόλως τὰς ὕβρεις, ὅταν ἐπ' ἐρημίας, ὅταν μηδενὸς ὄντος τοῦ μαρτυροῦντος τοῦτο πάθωμεν, μηδὲ τοῦ συνειδότος. Οὕτως οὐχ ἡ τῆς ὕβρεως φύσις ἐστὶν ἡ δάκνουσα, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐπὶ πάντων τοῦτο παθεῖν· ὡς εἴ γέ τις τιμῶν ἐπὶ πάντων, ὑβρίζοι κατ' ἰδίαν, καὶ χάριν εἰσόμεθα. Οὐκοῦν οὐκ ἐν τῇ τῆς ὕβρεως φύσει τὸ λυπηρόν ἐστιν, ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ ψήφῳ τῶν ὁρώντων, ὥστε μὴ δόξαι εὐκαταφρόνητον εἶναι. Τί οὖν, ἂν αὕτη ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ᾖ; οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ὁ ὑβρίζων ὕβρισται, ὅταν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τὰς ψήφους φέρωσιν; Εἰπέ μοι, τίνος καταφρονοῦσιν οἱ παρόντες; τοῦ ὑβρίζοντος, ἢ τοῦ ὑβρισθέντος καὶ σιγῶντος; Ὁ μὲν γὰρ θυμὸς ὑποβάλλει, ὅτι τοῦ ὑβριζομένου· νῦν δὲ, ὅτε καθαροὶ τοῦ πάθους ἐσμὲν, ἴδωμεν, ἵνα μὴ τότε συναρπασθῶμεν. Τίνος οὖν καταγινώσκομεν ἅπαντες; Εὔδηλον ὅτι τοῦ ὑβρίζοντος· κἂν μὲν ἐλάττων ᾖ, καὶ μαίνεσθαι αὐτὸν φήσομεν, ἂν δὲ ὁμότιμος, ἀνοηταίνειν, ἂν δὲ μείζων, οὐδ' οὕτως ἀποδεξόμεθα. Τίς γὰρ, εἰπέ μοι, ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος; ὁ ταραττόμενος, ὁ χειμαζόμενος, ὁ ἐκθηριούμενος, ὁ πρὸς τὴν κοινὴν φύσιν οὕτω διακείμενος, ἢ ὁ ἐν γαλήνῃ καὶ λιμένι καὶ φιλοσοφίᾳ πολλῇ; οὐχ ὁ μὲν ἀγγέλῳ προσέοικεν, ὁ δὲ οὐδὲ ἀνθρώπῳ; Ὁ μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲ τὰ οἰκεῖα δύναται βαστάσαι κακὰ, ἐκεῖνος δὲ καὶ τὰ ἀλλότρια· οὗτος οὐδὲ ἑαυτὸν ἐνεγκεῖν ἐδυνήθη, ἐκεῖνος δὲ καὶ ἕτερον· ὁ μὲν ἐν ναυαγίῳ ἐστὶν, οὗτος δὲ ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ πλεῖ, ἐξ οὐρίων αὐτῷ τῆς νηὸς φερομένης· οὐ γὰρ εἴασε τὸ τοῦ θυμοῦ πνεῦμα τοῖς ἱστίοις ἐμπεσὸν ἀνατρέψαι τῆς διανοίας τὸ σκάφος· ἀλλὰ λεπτή τις αὔρα καὶ ἡδεῖα προσπνεύσασα, τῆς ἀνεξικακίας ἡ πνοὴ, μετὰ πολλῆς αὐτῷ τῆς ἡσυχίας ἐπὶ τὸν 60.280 τῆς φιλοσοφίας ἄγει λιμένα.