em se tamen ense petunt.
An distant quia dissidentque mores,
Iniustas acies et fera bella mouent
Alternisque uolunt perire telis?
Non est iusta satis saeuitiae ratio. 10
Vis aptam meritis uicem referre?
Dilige iure bonos et miseresce malis."

IV.

Why should we strive to die so many ways,
And slay ourselves with our own hands?
If we seek death, she ready stands,
She willing comes, her chariot never stays.
Those against whom the wild beasts armed be,
Against themselves with weapons rage.[153]
Do they such wars unjustly wage,
Because their lives and manners disagree,
And so themselves with mutual weapons kill?
Alas, but this revenge is small.
Wouldst thou give due desert to all?
Love then the good, and pity thou the ill."

[153] Literally, "Men whom serpent, lion, tiger, bear, and boar attack
with tooth, yet attack each other with the sword."

V.

Hic ego: "Video," inquam, "quae sit uel felicitas uel miseria in ipsis
proborum atque improborum meritis constituta. Sed in hac ipsa fortuna
populari non nihil boni maliue inesse perpendo. Neque enim sapientum
quisquam exul inops ignominiosusque esse malit, potius quam pollens opibus,
honore reuerendus, potentia ualidus, in sua permanens urbe florere. Sic
enim clarius testatiusque sapientiae tractatur officium, cum in
contingentes populos regentium quodam modo beatitudo transfunditur, cum
praesertim carcer, nex[154] ceteraque legalium tormenta poenarum
perniciosis potius ciuibus propter quos etiam constituta sunt debeantur.
Cur haec igitur uersa uice mutentur scelerumque supplicia bonos premant,
praemia uirtutum mali rapiant, uehementer admiror, quaeque tam iniustae
confusionis ratio uideatur ex te scire desidero. Minus etenim mirarer, si
misceri omnia fortuitis casibus crederem. Nunc stuporem meum deus rector
exaggerat. Qui cum saepe bonis iucunda, malis aspera contraque bonis dura
tribuat, malis optata concedat, nisi causa deprehenditur, quid est quod a
fortuitis casibus differre uideatur?" "Nec mirum," inquit, "si quid ordinis
ignorata ratione temerarium confusumque credatur. Sed tu quamuis causam
tantae dispositionis ignores, tamen quoniam bonus mundum rector temperat,
recte fieri cuncta ne dubites.

[154] lex _plerique codd._

V.

"I see," quoth I, "what felicity or misery is placed in the deserts of
honest and dishonest men. But I consider that there