So whenever someone provokes you, ask yourself this: "Am I more powerful than Philip? Yet he let a man curse him without punishment. Do I have more authority in my own house than Emperor Augustus had over the whole world? Yet he was content to simply avoid the company of someone who spoke badly of him. Why should I make my slave pay with beatings and chains just because he answered me too loudly, gave me a stubborn look, or muttered something I couldn't hear? Who am I to think that offending my ears should be a crime? Many people have forgiven their enemies — can't I forgive people for being lazy, careless, and gossipy?" We should make excuses for others: children are young, women are different, strangers don't know our ways, and house servants are too familiar with us.
Let every one, then, say to himself, whenever he is provoked, “Am I more powerful than Philip? yet he allowed a man to curse him with impunity. Have I more authority in my own house than the Emperor Augustus possessed throughout the world? yet he was satisfied with leaving the society of his maligner. Why should I make my slave atone by stripes and manacles for having answered me too loudly or having put on a stubborn look, or muttered something which I did not catch? Who am I, that it should be a crime to shock my ears? Many men have forgiven their enemies: shall I not forgive men for being lazy, careless, and gossipping?” We ought to plead age as an excuse for children, sex for women, freedom for a stranger, familiarity for a house-servant.