CHAPTER VIII Chrysostom’s apology and recrimination
CHAPTER VIII
Chrysostom’s apology and recrimination
[CHRYSOSTOM.] 54. Take heart, said I; for I am not only ready to rectify all this, but I will attempt, to the best of my ability, to render you an account for the very matters wherein you freed me from responsibility; and, if you will, the beginning and first words of my defence shall be from them.
55. For I should be very stupid and irrational, if, while caring for the opinions of others, and doing all I can to make them cease from calumniating me, I should be unable to persuade the man who is dearest of all to me, (and pays me so much respect as not to accuse me even of what he says I have wronged him in, but accounting his own interests nothing, still is anxious for mine), that I do not wrong him, but should seem to manifest towards him an indifference which is greater than the zeal he has shown for me.
56. Wherein then have I wronged you? For hence have I determined to embark on the sea of my defence: is it that I have circumvented you, and concealed my intention? Still it was for the profit of you who were deceived, and of those to whom I delivered you when I had deceived you.
57. If indeed all guile be evil, and one is never to employ it when expedient, I am prepared to pay what penalty you will; or rather, since you will never bear to inflict punishment upon me, I shall pronounce on myself the same sentence as judges pronounce upon criminals when the plaintiffs carry conviction.
58. But if an act be not always wrong, but becomes bad or good according to the motive of the doer, cease to accuse me for deceiving, and show that I devised it for evil; for so long as this is not done, it would only be just that such as desire to be well-disposed, should not bring rebukes and accusations upon him that has practised deceit, but should even express their approval of him.
59. For deceit when well-timed and practised with a right intention, is so profitable that many have often been punished because they have not circum vented.
60. And if you will search into the records of the most celebrated military commanders since the world began, you will find that most of their trophies were the results of stratagem, and that these have been applauded rather than those who have conquered in the open field.
61. For these carry on their wars with a much greater expenditure both of money and of men, so that they gain nothing beyond their victory, but the conquerors are no less injured than the defeated, in the sacrifice of armies as well as in the emptying of treasuries; and besides, men do not allow them to enjoy all the glory consequent on victory, for it comes to pass that no small share of it is the portion of those who have fallen, seeing that conquering in spirit they were defeated in body alone: therefore, if the willing had been fated not to fall, and death had not come in to stop them, they would never have cast aside their bravery.
62. But he that is able to conquer by stratagem involves his enemies not only in misfortune but ridicule. For it is not here in reference to prudence, as it is in the other case on the score of valour, where both carry off equal praises, but the whole of the prize falls to the victors; and, what is no less, they preserve for the state, unsullied, the pleasure of victory. Prudence of mind is not like abundance of resources, and a multitude of men; for whereas these are apt to be expended and to fail those who have them, when one constantly employs them in wars,—this, the more it is called into action, the more it is increased.
63. We may find the use of deceit to be great and needful, not only in war, but also in peace; and not in affairs of state only, but also at home,—by the husband towards the wife, and by the wife towards her husband, and by the father towards the son, and by friend towards friend, and even by children towards a father.
64. For the daughter of Saul could not otherwise deliver her husband out of the hands of Saul, than by defrauding her father; and her brother, who wished to save him whom she had delivered, when he was again in danger, used the same weapons as the woman had done.