Book 4, Chapter 23

51 “There is no courage without reason. ‘Human affairs are to be held of little account; death is to be disregarded; pain and toil are to be thought bearable.’ Once these principles have been established by judgment and conviction, courage is strong and stable—unless perhaps we suspect that whatever is done vigorously, sharply, and spiritedly is done in anger. I do not think even that Scipio, the chief pontiff who proved the Stoics’ claim that the wise person is never a private citizen, was angry with Tiberius Gracchus when he abandoned the faltering consul and, though himself a private citizen, ordered all who wished the commonwealth safe to follow him, as though he were consul.

52 “I do not know whether I myself have done anything courageous in public affairs. If I have, I certainly did not do it in anger. Is anything more like insanity than anger? How well Ennius called it ‘the beginning of insanity’! The complexion, voice, eyes, breathing, the loss of control in words and deeds—what share have they in sanity? What is uglier than Homer’s Achilles, or Agamemnon in their quarrel? As for Ajax, anger led him to madness and death. Courage, then, needs no anger summoned to its aid: it is sufficiently equipped, prepared, and armed in itself. By that reasoning, we might also call drunkenness useful to courage, and even madness useful, because madmen and drunkards often act with greater violence. Ajax was always courageous, but most courageous when mad; for

“‘He did his greatest deed when, with the Greeks giving way,“‘His hand brought the decisive work to completion.’”

51 “Reason is essential to any courage at all. Settle in judgment and conviction that ‘Human concerns deserve contempt; death deserves no attention; pains and hardships can be endured,’ and courage stands strong and firm. Unless we’re to label every forceful, energetic, spirited action angry! Think even of Scipio the chief priest, the man who proved the Stoic claim that the wise person never has merely private standing. I don’t think he was angry with Tiberius Gracchus when he abandoned the inactive consul and, despite holding no office, gave a consul’s order: everyone wanting to save the republic was to follow him.

52 “Whether my own public conduct includes any brave act, I don’t know. Any I did perform certainly weren’t angry ones. What resembles madness more closely than anger? Ennius’ description, ‘the start of insanity,’ is excellent. Look at the complexion, voice, eyes, breath, uncontrolled speech and deeds: where’s sanity in any of it? In Homer’s quarrel, could anything be uglier than Achilles or Agamemnon? Ajax’s anger actually ended in madness and death. Courage needs no angry helper. Its own equipment, readiness, and weapons are quite sufficient. The same argument would recommend drunkenness for courage, and madness too: drunk and mad people often do things with unusual force. Ajax never lacked courage, yet in madness he showed the most, since “‘His greatest deed came as the Greeks began to yield: “‘His hand brought the decisive struggle to success.’”