The normal Greek or Roman might be deterred by the law, which means fear of punishment, or by the opinion of his neighbors, which means ignominy.

He might recognize the fact that comfort would combine itself with innocence, or disease and want with lust and greed.

In this there was little need of a conscience--hardly, perhaps, room for it.

But when ambition came, with all the opportunities that chance, audacity, and intellect would give--as it did to Sylla, to Caesar, and to Augustus--then there was nothing to restrain the men.

There was to such a man no right but his power, no wrong but opposition to it.