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so as to take possession of the genuine plants. Be kind, he says. For if, after the thorns have been pulled up, the ground 62.114 remains idle, it will again bear useless weeds. Therefore, one must forestall its leisure and idleness with the sowing of good seeds and plants. He removed anger, he put in kindness; he removed bitterness, he put in tenderheartedness; he cut out malice and slander, he planted forgiveness; for "forgiving one another" means this. Be forgiving, he says. For this grace is greater than that which is in money matters. For one who forgives money to the one who borrowed from him, does a new and wonderful work, yet the grace extends only to the body, even if he gives the reward to himself in spiritual and soulish gifts; but he who forgives sins has benefited both his own soul and that of the one who obtained forgiveness; for in this way he has made not only himself but also that other person more gentle. For we do not sting the souls of those who have wronged us so much by retaliating as by forgiving, shaming and confounding them. For in that way we have benefited neither ourselves nor them, but have harmed both, we ourselves pursuing retribution like the rulers among the Jews, and kindling the anger in them; but if we repay injustice with gentleness, having dispelled all his anger, we have set up a tribunal within him that casts its votes for us, condemning him more severely than we could. For he will condemn and vote against himself, and will seek every pretext by which he may repay the loan of long-suffering with more than the measure, knowing that if he pays back an equal amount, he is still diminished, because he did not take the initiative, but by receiving the example from us bears the lesser part. He will strive, therefore, to exceed the measure, so that by the excess of his repayment he might hide the inferiority which he sustained by coming second in the recompense, and might by his excessive gentleness make up for the disadvantage which the timing created for him with respect to the one who was wronged first. For people, when they are of a good mind, do not groan so much over the evils, as over the good things, which they receive from those they have wronged. For the one is a matter of malice, but the other is full of reproach and ridicule, for one who has been treated well not to return the good deed. For this has praise and applause and acclaim from all, for one who has suffered wrong not to retaliate. For this reason they are especially stung by this. So, if you wish to take revenge, take revenge in this way: return good for evil, so that you may both make him a debtor and win a wonderful victory. Have you suffered evil? Do good, thus you take revenge on your enemy. For if you retaliate, all will blame both you and him alike; but if you endure, on the other hand they will applaud and admire you, but they will accuse him. 3. What could be greater for an enemy than to see his foe admired and applauded by all? what is more bitter for an enemy than to see himself insulted by all in the sight of his foe? If you take revenge on him, you too perhaps have been condemned, and you have taken revenge alone; but if you let it go, all will take revenge on him in your place; which is harder to bear than suffering wrong, for the enemy to have so many taking revenge. If you open your 62.115 mouth, they will be silent; but if you are silent, you strike him no longer with one mouth, but with the ten thousand mouths of others, and you take greater revenge. And many will even accuse you for insulting him; for they will say that the words are from passion; but when one who has not been wronged at all so washes him with insults, then especially is the revenge free from all suspicion. For when those who have suffered nothing terrible, because of the excess of your gentleness, feel pain and suffer with you as if they had been wronged, this vengeance is free from all suspicion. What then, if no one takes revenge? he says. It is not possible for people to be made of stone, so as not to admire such great philosophy when they see it; and even if they do not take revenge then, later nevertheless, having come to their senses, they will do this, mocking and reviling him. And even if no one else admires you, he himself will surely admire you,