Fame and Noble Birth

'Again, how misleading, how base, a thing ofttimes is glory! Well does the tragic poet exclaim:

'"Oh, fond Repute, how many a time and oft
Hast them raised high in pride the base-born churl!"

For many have won a great name through the mistaken beliefs of the multitude—and what can be imagined more shameful than that? Nay, they who are praised falsely must needs themselves blush at their own praises! And even when praise is won by merit, still, how does it add to the good conscience of the wise man who measures his good not by popular repute, but by the truth of inner conviction? And if at all it does seem a fair thing to get this same renown spread abroad, it follows that any failure so to spread it is held foul. But if, as I set forth but now, there must needs be many tribes and peoples whom the fame of any single man cannot reach, it follows that he whom thou esteemest glorious seems all inglorious in a neighbouring quarter of the globe. As to popular favour, I do not think it even worthy of mention in this place, since it never cometh of judgment, and never lasteth steadily.

'Then, again, who does not see how empty, how foolish, is the fame of noble birth? Why, if the nobility is based on renown, the renown is another's! For, truly, nobility seems to be a sort of reputation coming from the merits of ancestors. But if it is the praise which brings renown, of necessity it is they who are praised that are famous. Wherefore, the fame of another clothes thee not with splendour if thou hast none of thine own. So, if there is any excellence in nobility of birth, methinks it is this alone—that it would seem to impose upon the nobly born the obligation not to degenerate from the virtue of their ancestors.'

"As for glory, how deceptive it often is, how shameful! Not without reason the tragic poet cries out:

O fame, fame, you have swelled the life of countless mortals who are nothing at all into something great.

For many have often won a great name by the false opinions of the crowd—and what could be thought more shameful than that? For those who are falsely praised must blush at their own praises. And even if these praises are earned by merit, what do they add to the conscience of the wise man, who measures his own good not by popular report but by the truth of his conscience?

"But if to have spread one's name abroad seems beautiful, it follows that not to have spread it is judged shameful. But since, as I argued a little earlier, there must be many peoples to whom the fame of a single man cannot reach, it comes about that the one you think glorious seems inglorious in the next region of the earth.

"Among these things, I think popular favor not even worthy of mention, since it neither comes by judgment nor ever lasts firm.

"And now, how empty, how futile is the name of nobility—who does not see it? For if it is referred to renown, it is another's. Nobility seems to be a kind of praise coming from the merits of one's ancestors. But if proclamation makes renown, then those must be renowned who are proclaimed. So another's renown does not make you splendid, if you have none of your own. But if there is anything good in nobility, I think it is this alone: that a kind of obligation seems imposed on the noble, not to fall away from the virtue of their ancestors."