A fight often stops when someone shouts "Fire!" nearby. The sight of a wild animal will separate a robber from his victim. People don't have time to worry about small problems when they face real terror. Why do we bother with fighting and plotting revenge? Do you want something worse than death to happen to the person who made you angry? Well, even if you do nothing, he's going to die anyway. You're wasting your effort trying to do something that's already guaranteed to happen. You might say, "I don't want to kill him. I just want to punish him with exile, public shame, or financial ruin." I can forgive someone who wants to wound his enemy more easily than someone who wants to give him a small hurt. The second person isn't just bad — he's petty.
A quarrel is often brought to an end by a cry of “Fire!” in the neighbourhood, and the appearance of a wild beast parts the highwayman from the traveller: men have no leisure to battle with minor evils when menaced by some overpowering terror. What have we to do with fighting and ambuscades? do you want anything more than death to befall him with whom you are angry? well, even though you sit quiet, he will be sure to die. You waste your pains: you want to do what is certain to be done. You say, “I do not wish necessarily to kill him, but to punish him by exile, or public disgrace, or loss of property.” I can more easily pardon one who wishes to give his enemy a wound than one who wishes to give him a blister: for the latter is not only bad, but petty-minded.