[27] And for the wealth, I would rather have made largess of it to yourself than receive it at your hands in the way you give it now.

Goods so gotten only leave me the poorer.

And for my subjects--I think I would have suffered less if you had injured them a little than I suffer now when I see how much they owe you.

[28] Perhaps," he added, "you find it inhuman of me to feel thus, but I would ask you to forget me and imagine that you are in my place and see how it would appear to you then.

Suppose a friend of yours were to take care of your dogs, dogs that you bred up to guard yourself and your house, such care that he made them fonder of him than of yourself, would you be pleased with him for his attention?
[29] Or take another instance, if that one seems too slight: suppose a friend of yours were to do so much for your own followers, men you kept to guard you and to fight for you, that they would rather serve in his train than yours, would you be grateful to him for his kindness?
[30] Or let me take the tenderest of human ties: suppose a friend of yours paid court to the wife of your bosom so that in the end he made her love him more than yourself, would he rejoice your heart by his courtesy?
Far from it, I trow; he who did this, you would say, did you the greatest wrong in all the world.