REVENGE is a kind of wild justice; which the more man's nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out. For as for the first wrong, it doth but offend the law; but the revenge of that wrong, putteth the law out of office. Certainly, in taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing it over, he is superior; for it is a prince's part to pardon. And Solomon, I am sure, saith, It is the glory of a man, to pass by an offence. That which is past is gone, and irrevocable; and wise men have enough to do, with things present and to come; therefore they do but trifle with themselves, that labor in past matters. There is no man doth a wrong, for the wrong's sake; but thereby to purchase himself profit, or pleasure, or honor, or the like. Therefore why should I be angry with a man, for loving himself better than me? And if any man should do wrong, merely out of ill-nature, why, yet it is but like the thorn or briar, which prick and scratch, because they can do no other. The most tolerable sort of revenge, is for those wrongs which there is no law to remedy; but then let a man take heed, the revenge be such as there is no law to punish; else a man's enemy is still before hand, and it is two for one. Some, when they take revenge, are desirous, the party should know, whence it cometh. This is the more generous. For the delight seemeth to be, not so much in doing the hurt, as in making the party repent. But base and crafty cowards, are like the arrow that flieth in the dark. Cosmus, duke of Florence, had a desperate saying against perfidious or neglecting friends, as if those wrongs were unpardonable; You shall read (saith he) that we are commanded to forgive our enemies; but you never read, that we are commanded to forgive our friends. But yet the spirit of Job was in a better tune: Shall we (saith he) take good at God's hands, and not be content to take evil also? And so of friends in a proportion. This is certain, that a man that studieth revenge, keeps his own wounds green, which otherwise would heal, and do well. Public revenges are for the most part fortunate; as that for the death of Caesar; for the death of Pertinax; for the death of Henry the Third of France; and many more. But in private revenges, it is not so. Nay rather, vindictive persons live the life of witches; who, as they are mischievous, so end they infortunate.
REVENGE is a kind of wild justice. The more human nature turns toward it, the more the law should root it out. The first wrong merely breaks the law. But revenge for that wrong takes the law’s place. Certainly, taking revenge only makes a man equal to his enemy. But by letting the wrong pass, he rises above his enemy, for pardoning is the role of a prince. And Solomon, I am sure, says it is a man’s glory to overlook an offense. The past is gone and cannot be changed. Wise men have enough to do with the present and the future. Those who dwell on past wrongs are therefore wasting their time. No man does wrong simply for the sake of doing wrong. He does it to gain profit, pleasure, honor, or something similar. So why should I be angry with a man for loving himself more than he loves me? And if someone does wrong simply out of malice, he is like a thorn or briar. They prick and scratch because they can do nothing else. The most excusable kind of revenge is for wrongs that the law cannot remedy. But a man must make sure his revenge is something the law cannot punish. Otherwise, his enemy still has the advantage, and he suffers two wrongs for one. Some people, when taking revenge, want the other person to know where it came from. This is the nobler approach. Their pleasure seems to come less from causing harm than from making the other person regret the wrong. But vile, scheming cowards are like arrows flying in the dark. Cosimo, Duke of Florence, had a ruthless saying about treacherous or neglectful friends, as though their wrongs were unforgivable. He said that we are commanded to forgive our enemies, but nowhere commanded to forgive our friends. Yet Job showed a better spirit. He asked whether we should accept good from God’s hands but refuse to accept suffering too. The same principle applies, in its measure, to friends. This much is certain: a man who dwells on revenge keeps his own wounds fresh. Otherwise, they would heal and recover. Revenge taken for public wrongs generally turns out well. Examples include revenge for the deaths of Caesar, Pertinax, Henry III of France, and many others. But private revenge does not turn out that way. Instead, vindictive people live like witches. They cause harm, and they come to an unhappy end.