Tully's three books of offices, in English with notes explaining the method and meaning of the author.

CHAP. XIX.

The Carriage of a truly Honest Man, when 'tis in his power to be Dishonest, so as not to be discover'd. The true Notion of a Good Man. A Saying of Fim∣bria's in the Case of Lutatius Pinthia, to this pur∣pose. A Proverb borrow'd from the Country, shew∣ing, That nothing Dishonest how secret soever can be Profitable.

IF a Good Man therefore should have such a po∣wer, as that by snapping of his Fingers he could slip his Name cunningly into rich Peoples Wills, he'd never make use of it: no, not altho' he were fully assur'd, that no one living could either know or suspect it: But give such a power to Marcus Crassus, that by doing the same thing he should make him∣self Heir, where he really was not so, and he'd

a 1.1 Dance, I dare warrant you, publickly in the Mar∣ket-place. But he that is Honest, and answers to our Notion of a Good Man, will never take any thing a∣way from another for the enriching himself, and fil∣ling his own Coffers; which whoever admires at, let him e'en confess at the same time, that he does not understand what a Good Man is. For if any one will thro'ly examin his own Thoughts, and clear up a little his obscure Conceptions, he'll quickly be able to tell himself, that a Good Man is one, Who does all the Good that he can to others, but never any Harm; unless necessarily forc'd upon't for his own Security. I desire to know then; is not that Man guilty of Harming another, that outs the rightful Heirs, as it were, by a Spell, and procures himself to be put into their Rooms? How then! (will some Men say) what, would not you have People consult their own Interest? Yes; but withal I would have 'em un∣derstand, That nothing can be so, that's Base or Dishonest: which is a necessary Maxim for all those to learn, who ever design to be Good Men. I remember I heard my own Father tell, as long ago as when I was a Boy, That Fimbria, one who had formerly been b 1.2 Consul, was Judge in a case of Lutatius Pinthia's, a Roman Knight, and a very Honest Man; who, c 1.3 upon pain of losing a cer∣tain

Sum of Money, was to prove himself to be a Good Man. Hereupon Fimbria plainly told him, that he'd never pass Judgment upon such a matter; least either, by giving the Cause against him, he should spoil the Credit of a well-approv'd Citizen; or else should be forc'd, by giving it for him, to pronounce that any one was a Good Man: which he could not do, considering the infinite Virtues and Duties, that are requisite to the completing any Person of that Character. This Good Man then, of whom Fimbria had a Notion, as well as Socrates, will never judge any thing Profitable, that's Disho∣nest: From whence it follows, That such a one will always be so far from doing, as that he will never so much as think of any thing, which he's afraid should be laid open to the rest of the World. And is it not a shame that Philosophers should doubt of this, when there is not e'er a Peasant in the Coun∣try but assents to it? For from them we have got∣ten that common Saying, which is now by long U∣sage become a Proverb among us, which they bring in to signifie the faithful Dealing and Ho∣nesty of a Man, He's one (say they) that you may venture d 1.4 to play with at Even and Odd in the dark. The meaning of which, what can it be but this, That nothing can be Profitable, which is not Ho∣nest and Becoming, tho' a Man could be certain of being never found out in it? You see then accord∣ing

to this Proverb, that neither that Gyges, whom we mention'd above; nor that other, whom we just now suppos'd to have a power, by the snap∣ping of his Fingers to become all Peoples Heir, can by any means be excus'd. For as that, which is Scandalous and Dishonest in it self, however it may be hid from the Eye of the World, can never be brought to be Honest and Creditable; so also that, which is not Honest and Creditable, can never be brought to be Profitable and Advantagious; the ve∣ry e 1.5 Nature of the things resisting and opposing it.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Dancing was esteem'd but a scandalous Practice, and un∣becoming a sober and prudent Person, among the Romans: wherefore our Author tells us in his Oration for Muraena, chap. 6. No body almost Dances, unless he be Drunk or Mad; and calls it, Omnium vitiorum extremum, A Vice that no one would be guilty of, 'till he had utterly abandon'd all Virtue; and Umbram luxuriae that which follows Riot and Debauchery, as the Shadow does the Body. The meaning therefore of this place is, That Crassus would not stick at the basest Actions, if he could but fill his Coffers by them.
• b 1.2

  With C. Marius, An. Rom. Cond. 649, when Cicero was but three Years old.
• c 1.3

  The Plaintiff in a Cause was to lay down a Sum of Mo∣ney, which if his Case was not just, he was to lose. The Defendant was to do the same, or give up the Cause to the Plaintiff. This Money was call'd Sponsio or Sacramentum. See Val. Max. Book 7. chap. 2.
• d 1.4

  Micare signifies to hold up the Fingers; a Play among the Romans, said to be in use to this Day in Italy, wherein one holding up such a number of his Fingers, the other on a sudden (or something like it) was to guess how many they were. 'Twas easie therefore to Cheat in the dark, by hold∣ing up more or fewer before the other could be able to see. Hence to express a very Honest Man, and one that would scorn to Cheat, tho' sure not to be discover'd, they us'd this Proverb. See Erasm. Adag.
• e 1.5

  That which is not Honest is contrary to Reason; that which is Profitable must be agreeable to Reason; otherwise it deprives Men of their Good, viz. Virtue, and consequent∣ly would be Unprofitable. The Natures therefore of these two being opposite, can never let the same Action be not Ho∣nest, and yet Advantagious.