speaking of small benefits one ought to make
some mention of the greatest, and because also this shameless and
hateful vice (of ingratitude), starting with these, transfers itself
from them to all the rest. If a man scorn these, the greatest of all
benefits, to whom will he feel gratitude, what gift will he regard as
valuable or deserving to be returned: to whom will he be grateful for
his safety or his life, if he denies that he has received from the gods
that existence which he begs from them daily? He, therefore, who teaches
men to be grateful, pleads the cause not only of men, but even of the
gods, for though they, being placed above all desires, cannot be in want
of anything, yet we can nevertheless offer them our gratitude.

No one is justified in seeking an excuse for ingratitude in his own
weakness or poverty, or in saying, "What am I to do, and how? When can I
repay my debt to my superiors the lords of heaven and earth?" Avaricious
as you are, it is easy for you to give them thanks, without expense;
lazy though you be, you can do it without labour. At the same instant at
which you received your debt towards them, if you wish to repay it,
you have done as much as any one can do, for he returns a benefit who
receives it with good will.

XXXI. This paradox of the Stoic philosophy, that he returns a benefit
who receives it with good will, is, in my opinion, either far from
admirable, or else it is incredible. For if we look at everything merely
from the point of view of our intentions, every man has done as much
as he chose to do; and since filial piety, good faith, justice, and in
short every virtue is complete within itself, a man may be grateful in
intention even though he may not be able to lift a hand to prove his
gratitude. Whenever a man obtains what he aimed at, he receives the
fruit of his labour. When a man bestows a benefit, at what does he aim?
clearly to be of service and afford pleasure to him upon whom he bestows
it. If he does what he wishes, if his purpose reaches me and fills us
each with joy, he has gained his object. He does not wish anything to be
given to him in return, or else it becomes an exchange of commodities,
not a bestowal of benefits. A man steers well who reaches the port for
which he started: a dart hurled by a steady hand performs its duty if it
hits the mark; one who bestows a benefit wishes it to be received with
gratitude; he gets what he wanted if it be well received. "But," yo