A person who lives by these rules will rise high and reach toward the gods. Even if he fails, he still "fails in a high emprise" — he fails at something great.
But you who hate virtue and virtuous people — your behavior is no surprise. Sick eyes can't stand sunlight. Night creatures avoid the brightness of day. When dawn comes, they get confused and scurry back to their holes. Animals that fear light hide in dark cracks.
So go ahead and croak your complaints. Use your miserable tongues to attack good people. Open your jaws wide and bite hard. You'll break many teeth before you leave a mark.
He who sets up these as the rules of his life will soar aloft and strive to make his way to the gods: of a truth, even though he fails, yet he
"Fails in a high emprise."[4]
But you, who hate both virtue and those who practise it, do nothing at which we need be surprised, for sickly lights cannot bear the sun, nocturnal creatures avoid the brightness of day, and at its first dawning become bewildered and all betake themselves to their dens together: creatures that fear the light hide themselves in crevices. So croak away, and exercise your miserable tongues in reproaching good men: open wide your jaws, bite hard: you will break many teeth before you make any impression.