[51]
And again, it seems to me at any rate, that those
who1 falsely assume expediency to be the basis of
friendship, take from friendship's chain its loveliest
link. For it is not so much the material gain procured through a friend, as it is his love, and his love
alone, that gives us delight; and that advantage
which we derive from him becomes a pleasure only
when his service is inspired by an ardent zeal. And
it is far from being true that friendship is cultivated
because of need; rather, is it cultivated by those who
are most abundantly blessed with wealth and power
and especially with virtue, which is man's best
defence; by those least in need of another's help;
and by those most generous and most given to acts
of kindness. Indeed, I should be inclined to think
that it is not well for friends never to need anything at all. Wherein, for example, would my zeal
have displayed itself if Scipio had never been in
need of my advice or assistance either at home or
abroad?2 It is not the case, therefore, that friendship attends upon advantage, but, on the contrary,
that advantage attends upon friendship.
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