While the other, Aristotle, has filled four large volumes with a discussion on abstract justice.
For I did not expect anything grand or magnificent from Chrysippus, who, after his usual fashion, examines everything rather by the signification of words than the reality of things.

But it was surely worthy of those heroes of philosophy to ennoble by their genius a virtue so eminently beneficent and liberal, which everywhere exalts the social interests above the selfish, and teaches us to love others rather than ourselves.

It was worthy of their genius, we say, to elevate this virtue to a divine throne, not far from that of Wisdom.
And certainly they neither wanted the will to accomplish this (for what else could be the cause of their writing on the subject, or what could have been their design ?) nor the genius, in which they excelled all men.

But the weakness of their cause was too great for either their intention or their eloquence to make it popular.

In fact, this justice on which we reason is a civil right, but no natural one; for if it were natural and universal, then justice and injustice would be recognized similarly by all men, just as the heat and cold, sweetness and bitterness.
IX.