1In general, that honourable quality which we look for from a lofty and magnificent spirit is produced by strength of mind, not of body. 1Yet the body must be exercised and so trained that it can obey counsel and reason in carrying out business and in enduring toil. 1But that honourable quality which we are examining lies wholly in the care and thought of the mind; 1and in this, those who preside over the state in the toga render no less service than those who wage war. 1And so by their counsel wars have often either not been undertaken or been ended, and sometimes even been begun, as the Third Punic War was by Marcus Cato, in which his authority prevailed even after he was dead.
80Therefore the art of deciding is indeed more to be sought than the courage of fighting, but we must beware of doing this from an aversion to war rather than from a consideration of advantage. 80War, moreover, should be undertaken in such a way that nothing but peace may seem to have been sought. 80It is the mark of a brave and steadfast spirit not to be disturbed in hard circumstances, nor to be thrown off one's footing in confusion, as the saying goes, but to keep presence of mind and counsel and not to depart from reason. 81And though this is the mark of a great spirit, that is the mark of a great intellect as well: to anticipate the future in thought, and to decide some time in advance what may happen either way, and what must be done when something has happened, and never to let it come about that one must say at some point, 'I had not thought of it.' 81These are the works of a spirit great and lofty and trusting in foresight and counsel; 81but to rush about rashly in the battle line and fight hand to hand with the enemy is something savage and like the beasts; 81but when the occasion and necessity demand it, we must fight hand to hand and prefer death to slavery and disgrace.