CHAPTER VI.

OF FEAR.

_Fear_ is a trouble or vexation of the mind, arising from the apprehension of an evil at hand, which may hurt or destroy. _Danger_ is the nearness of the evil feared.

The _things_ to be feared are: such as have power to hurt. And the signs of will to do us hurt; as anger and hatred of powerful men. And injustice joined with power. And valour provoked, joined with power. And the fear of powerful men.

The _men_ that are to be feared, are: such as know our faults. And such as can do us injury. And such as think they are injured by us. And such as have done us injury. And our competitors in such things as cannot satisfy both. And such as are feared by more powerful men than we are. And such as have destroyed greater men than we are. And such as use to invade their inferiors. And men not passionate, but dissemblers and crafty, are more to be feared than those that are hasty and free.

The things _especially_ to be feared, are: such, wherein if we err, the error cannot be repaired; at least, not according to ours, but our adversary’s pleasure. And such as admit either none, or not easy help. And such as being done, or about to be done to others, make us pity them.

They that _fear not_ are: such as expect not evil; or not now; or not this; or not from these. And therefore men fear little in _prosperity_. And men fear little, that think they have suffered already.

An orator therefore that would put _fear_ into the auditor, must let him see that he is obnoxious; and that greater than he do suffer and have suffered from those, and at those times, they least thought.

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