[64]
But the mischief is that from this exaltation and
greatness of spirit spring all too readily self-will and
excessive lust for power. For just as Plato tells us that
the whole national character of the Spartans was on
fire with passion for victory, so, in the same way, the
more notable a man is for his greatness of spirit, the
more ambitious he is to be the foremost citizen, or, I
should say rather, to be sole ruler. But when one
begins to aspire to pre-eminence, it is difficult to
preserve that spirit of fairness which is absolutely
essential to justice. The result is that such men do
not allow themselves to be constrained either by
argument or by any public and lawful authority; but
they only too often prove to be bribers and agitators
in public life, seeking to obtain supreme power and
to be superiors through force rather than equals
through justice. But the greater the difficulty, the
greater the glory; for no occasion arises that can
excuse a man for being guilty of injustice.
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