Pagina 487 de 734

Equality, then, and similarity are a tie to Friendship, and

specially the similarity of goodness, because good men, being

stable in themselves, are also stable as regards others, and

neither ask degrading services nor render them, but, so to say,

rather prevent them: for it is the part of the good neither to do

wrong themselves nor to allow their friends in so doing.

The bad, on the contrary, have no principle of stability: in

fact, they do not even continue like themselves: only they come

to be friends for a short time from taking delight in one

another's wickedness. Those connected by motives of profit, or

pleasure, hold together somewhat longer: so long, that is to say,

as they can give pleasure or profit mutually.