o know the common methods
of ingratiating yourself, will not be at the pains of practising them.
Why do you scruple to begin to practise those methods? Is it because you
are afraid that, should you begin with your brother, and first do him a
kindness, you would appear to be of a mean-spirited and cringing
disposition? Believe me, my friend, you will never, on that account,
appear such. On the contrary, I take it to be the part of an heroic and
generous soul to prevent our friends with kindness and our enemies with
valour. Indeed, had I thought that Chaerephon had been more proper than
you to propose the reconciliation, I would have endeavoured to have
persuaded him to prevent you; but I take you to be more fit to manage
this matter, and believe you will bring it to pass rather than he." "What
you say is absurd and unworthy of you," replied Chaerecrates. "Would you
have me break the ice; I, who am the younger brother? Do you forget that
among all nations the honour to begin is reserved to the elder?" "How do
you mean?" said Socrates. "Must not a younger brother give the
precedency to the older? Must he not rise up when he comes in, give him
the best place, and hold his peace to let him speak? Delay, therefore,
no longer to do what I desire you; go and try to appease your brother. He
will receive you with open arms; it is enough that he is a friend to
honour, and of a generous temper, for as there is no readier way to gain
the goodwill of the mean and poor than by being liberal to them, so
nothing has more influence on the mind of a man of honour and note than
to treat him with respect and friendship." Chaerecrates objected: "But
when I have done what you say, if my brother should not be better
tempered, what then?" "What harm would it be to you?" said Socrates. "It
will show your goodness, and that you love him, and make him appear to be
ill-natured, and not deserving to be obliged by any man. But I am of
opinion this will not happen, and when he sees that you attack him with
civilities and good offices, I am certain he will endeavour to get the
better of you in so kind and generous a contention. You are now in the
most wretched condition imaginable. It is as if the hands which God has
given us reciprocally to aid each other were employed only to hinder one
another, or as if the feet, which by the divine providence were made to
assist each other to walk, were busied only in preventing one another
from goi