Discourses - Book I   

rashly and not carelessly? And if he does not take care, how can he be
such a man as we conceive him to be? But without some such exercise
and preparation, can he maintain a continuous and consistent argument?
Let them show this; and all these speculations become superfluous, and
are absurd and inconsistent with our notion of a good and serious man.
Why are we still indolent and negligent and sluggish, and why do
we seek pretences for not labouring and not being watchful in
cultivating our reason? "If then I shall make a mistake in these
matters may I not have killed my father?" Slave, where was there a
father in this matter that you could kill him? What, then, have you
done? The only fault that was possible here is the fault which you
have committed. This is the very remark which I made to Rufus when
he blamed me for not having discovered the one thing omitted in a
certain syllogism: "I suppose," I said, "that I have burnt the
Capitol." "Slave," he replied, "was the thing omitted here the
Capitol?" Or are these the only crimes, to burn the Capitol and to
kill your father? But for a man to use the appearances resented to him
rashly and foolishly and carelessly, not to understand argument, nor
demonstration, nor sophism, nor, in a word, to see in questioning
and answering what is consistent with that which we have granted or is
not consistent; is there no error in this?

CHAPTER 8

That the faculties are not safe to the uninstructed

In as many ways as we can change things which are equivalent to
one another, in just so many ways we can change the forms of arguments
and enthymemes in argumentation. This is an instance: "If you have
borrowed and not repaid, you owe me the money: you have not borrowed
and you have not repaid; then you do not owe me the money." To do this
skillfully is suitable to no man more than to the philosopher; for
if the enthymeme is all imperfect syllogism. it is plain that he who
has been exercised in the perfect syllogism must be equally expert
in the imperfect also.
"Why then do we not exercise ourselves and one another in this
manner?" Because, I reply, at present, though we are not exercised
in these things and not distracted from the study of morality, by me
at least, still we make no progress in virtue. What then must we
expect if we should add this occupation? and particularly as this
would not only be an occupation which would withdraw us from more
necessary things, but would also be a cause of self conceit and
arrogance, and no small cause. For great is the power of arguing and
the faculty of persuasion, and particularly if it should be much
exercised, and also receive additional ornament from language: and
so universally, every faculty acquired by the uninstructed and weak
brings with it the danger of these persons being elated and inflated
by it. For by what means could one persuade a young man who excels
in these matters that he ought not to become an appendage to them, but
to make them an appendage to himself? Does he not trample on all