Des bienfaits Chapitre 25

Quid ergo ? Non repeteret beneficium ab imperatore, cuius memoriam multitudo rerum confuderat, quem fortuna ingentes exercitus disponentem non patiebatur singulis militibus occurrere ? Non est hoc repetere beneficium, sed resumere bono loco positum et paratum, ad quod tamen, ut sumatur, manus porrigenda est. Repetam itaque, quia hoc aut ex magna necessitate facturus ero aut illius causa, a quo repetam. Ti. Caesar inter initia dicenti cuidam: " Meministi - " antequam plures notas familiaritatis veteris proferret : " Non memini," inquit, " quid fuerim." Ab hoc quidni non esset repetendum beneficium ? Optanda erat oblivio ; aversabatur omnium amicorum et aequalium notitiam et illam solam praesentem fortunam suam adspici, illam solam cogitari ac narrari volebat. Inquisitorem habebat veterem amicum ! Magis tempestive repetendum est beneficium quam petendum. Adhibenda verborum moderatio, ut nec gratus possit offendi nec ingratus dissimulare. Tacendum erat et expectandum, si inter sapientes viveremus ; et tamen sapientibus quoque indicare melius fuisset, quid rerum nostrarum status posceret. Deos, quorum notitiam nulla res effugit, rogamus, et illos vota non exorant, sed admonent. Dis quoque, inquam, Homericus ille sacerdos adlegat officia et aras religiose cultas. Moneri velle ac posse secunda virtus est. Equus obsequens facile et parens huc illuc frenis leniter motis flectendus est. Paucis animus sui rector optimus ; proximi sunt, qui admoniti in viam redeunt; his non est dux detrahendus. Opertis oculis inest acies, sed sine usu ; quam lumen diei iis immissum ad ministeria sua evocat. Instrumenta cessant, nisi illa in opus suum artifex movit. Inest interim animis voluntas bona, sed torpet modo deliciis ac situ, modo officii inscitia. Hanc utilem facere debemus nec irati relinquere in vitio, sed ut magistri patienter ferre offensationes puerorum discentium memoriae labentis; quae quemadmodum saepe subiecto uno aut altero verbo ad contextum reddendae orationis adducta est, sic ad referendam gratiam admonitione revocanda est.

In this case, what ought he to have done? Because his commander's memory was confused by a multitude of incidents, and because his position as the leader of vast armies did not permit him to notice individual soldiers, ought the man not to have asked for a return for the benefit which he had conferred? To act as he did is not so much to ask for a return as to take it when it lies in a convenient position ready for us, although we have to stretch out our hands in order to receive it. I shall therefore ask for the return of a benefit, whenever I am either reduced to great straits, or where by doing so I shall act to the advantage of him from whom I ask it. Tiberius Caesar, when some one addressed him with the words, "Do you remember....?" answered, before the man could mention any further proofs of former acquaintance, "I do not remember what I was." Why should it not be forbidden to demand of this man repayment of former favours? He had a motive for forgetting them: he denied all knowledge of his friends and comrades, and wished men only to see, to think, and to speak of him as emperor. He regarded his old friend as an impertinent meddler. We ought to be even more careful to choose a favorable opportunity when we ask for a benefit to be repaid to us than when we ask for one to be bestowed upon us. We must be temperate in our language, so that the grateful may not take offence, or the ungrateful pretend to do so. If we lived among wise men, it would be our duty to wait in silence until our benefits were returned. Yet even to wise men it would be better to give some hint of what our position required. We ask for help even from the gods themselves, from whose knowledge nothing is hid, although our prayers cannot alter their intentions towards us, but can only recall them to their minds. Homer's priest, [Il. i. 39 sqq.] I say, recounts even to the gods his duteous conduct and his pious care of their altars. The second best form of virtue is to be willing and able to take advice.[Hes. Op. 291.] A horse who is docile and prompt to obey can be guided hither and thither by the slightest movement of the reins. Very few men are led by their own reason: those who come next to the best are those who return to the right path in consequence of advice; and these we must not deprive of their guide. When our eyes are covered they still possess sight; but it is the light of day which, when admitted to them, summons them to perform their duty: tools lie idle, unless the workman uses them to take part in his work. Similarly men's minds contain a good feeling, which, however, lies torpid, either through luxury and disuse, or through ignorance of its duties. This we ought to render useful, and not to get into a passion with it, and leave it in its wrong doing, but bear with it patiently, just as schoolmasters bear patiently with the blunders of forgetful scholars; for as by the prompting of a word or two their memory is often recalled to the text of the speech which they have to repeat, so men's goodwill can be brought to return kindness by reminding them of it.

Et pourquoi ce soldat n’aurait-il pas réclamé à son général le prix d’un service dont le souvenir, s’était brouillé sous l’impression de tant d’autres faits ? Car la haute fortune de César et plusieurs armées à conduire ne lui permettaient pas de songer à chacun de ses soldats. Ce n’est plus là répéter un bienfait, c’est reprendre ce qu’on a mis en lieu sûr et comme à portée, de manière toutefois que pour le reprendre il faille étendre la main. Je redemanderai donc, soit par besoin, soit dans l’intérêt même de ceux à qui je redemanderai. Quelqu’un disait à Tibère, aux premiers temps de son élévation : « Vous souvient-il, César ?… » Mais avant qu’il poussât plus loin les preuves d’une familiarité antérieure : « Je ne me souviens plus, interrompit Tibère, de ce que j’ai été. » Est-ce à un tel homme qu’il eût fallu rappeler un service ? Il fallait souhaiter son oubli. Il lui répugnait qu’aucun de ses amis ou des gens de son âge l’eussent connu jadis ; il voulait qu’on n’eût les yeux que sur sa fortune présente, qu’on ne se souvînt, qu’on ne parlât pas d’autre chose : il tenait pour un espion tout ancien ami. Il faut plus d’à-propos pour répéter un bienfait que pour le demander. Modérons tellement nos termes que l’ingrat même ne puisse dissimuler sa dette. On devrait se taire et attendre, si l’on vivait chez un peuple de sages ; et même à des sages il serait mieux d’indiquer ce que réclame l’état dé nos affaires. Rien n’échappe à la connaissance des dieux, et toutefois nous les prions, mais nos vœux n’opèrent que comme avertissements. Oui, les dieux mêmes entendent le prêtre d’Homère alléguer son zèle et ses soins religieux pour leurs autels. Vouloir et souffrir les avertissements est le second devoir de la reconnaissance ; déférons-y, pour nous faire écouter plus tard. Quelques âmes n’ont besoin pour incliner dans tel ou tel sens que d’un léger mouvement des rênes : elles vont déjà bien d’elles-mêmes. Viennent ensuite celles qu’un simple avertissement fait rentrer dans la voie : à celles-là n’ôtons pas leur guide. L’œil endormi a la faculté de voir, bien qu’il n’en use pas ; c’est la lumière envoyée par les dieux qui le rappelle à ses fonctions. L’outil ne sert de rien tant que l’ouvrier ne s’en aide point pour son travail. Parfois la bonne volonté est en nous, mais engourdie par la mollesse et l’inertie, ou par l’ignorance du devoir. 11 s’agit de l’utiliser, non de se dépiter et de la laisser se rouiller ; comme le maître avec les enfants qu’il enseigne, souffrons avec patience les achoppements d’une mémoire défaillante. Souvent par un mot ou deux qu’on leur souffle on ramène les enfants au texte qu’ils doivent réciter : de même un avertissement réveillera la reconnaissance. LIVRE VI.