And this is the advice one would offer to the excelling brother. The other should consider that, as his
brother excels him in wealth, learning, esteem, he must
expect to come behind not him only but millions more,
Who live o’ th’ offsprings of the spacious earth.
But if he envies all that are so happy, or is the only one
in the world that repines at his own brother’s felicity, his
malicious temper speaks him one of the most wretched
creatures in the world. Wherefore, as Metellus’s opinion
was, that the Romans were bound to thank the Gods that
Scipio, being such a brave man, was not born in another
city; so he who aspires after great things, if he miss of
his designs for himself, can do no less than entitle his
brother to his best wishes. But some are so unlucky in
estimating of virtuous and worthy actions that, whereas
they are overjoyed to see their friends grow in esteem, and
are not a little proud of entertaining persons of honor or
great opulency, their brother’s worth and eminency is in
the mean time looked upon with a jealous eye, as though
it threatened to cloud and eclipse the splendor of their
condition. How do they exalt themselves at the memory
of some prosperous exploits of their father, or the wise
conduct of their great-grandfather, by all which they are
nothing advantaged? But again, how are they daunted
and dispirited to see a brother preferred to inheritances,
dignities, or honorable marriage? But we should not
envy any one; but if this cannot be, we ought at least to
turn our malice and rancor out of the family against worse
objects, in imitation of those who ease the city of sedition
by turning the same upon their enemies without. We may
say, as Diomedes said to Glaucus: