o do more than enough in order that they may do what
is enough. The purpose of all exaggeration is to arrive at the truth by
falsehood. Consequently, he who spoke of horses as being:

"Whiter than snows and swifter than the winds,"

said what could not possibly be in order that they might be thought to
be as much so as possible. And he who said:

"More firm than crags, more headlong than the stream,"

did not suppose that he should make any one believe that a man could
ever be as firm as a crag. Exaggeration never hopes all its daring
flights to be believed, but affirms what is incredible, that thereby it
may convey what is credible. When we say, "let the man who has bestowed
a benefit, forget it," what we mean is, "let him be as though he had
forgotten it; let not his remembrance of it appear or be seen." When
we say that repayment of a benefit ought not to be demanded, we do not
utterly forbid its being demanded; for repayment must often be extorted
from bad men, and even good men require to be reminded of it. Am I not
to point out a means of repayment to one who does not perceive it? Am I
not to explain my wants to one does not know them? Why should he (if
a bad man) have the excuse, or (if a good man) have the sorrow of not
knowing them? Men ought sometimes to be reminded of their debts, though
with modesty, not in the tone of one demanding a legal right.

XXIV. Socrates once said in the hearing of his friends: "I would have
bought a cloak, if I had had the money for it." He asked no one for
money, but he reminded them all to give it. There was a rivalry between
them, as to who should give it; and how should there not be? Was it not
a small thing which Socrates received? Yes, but it was a great thing
to be the man from whom Socrates received it. Could he blame them more
gently? "I would," said he, "have bought a cloak if I had had the money
for it." After this, however eager any one was to give, he gave too
late; for he had already been wanting in his duty to Socrates. Because
some men harshly demand repayment of debts, we forbid it, not in order
that it may never be done, but that it may be done sparingly.

XXV. Aristippus once, when enjoying a perfume, said: "Bad luck to those
effeminate persons who have brought so nice a thing into disrepute." We
also may say, "Bad luck to those base extortioners who pester us for a
fourfold return of their benefits, and have brought into disrepute
so nice a thing as rem