But still this is not the ideal; and he who gives up the
least thing of all for the sake of his brother, well knowing what it
is he gives up and wherefore he does it, stands higher by far in the
scale of morality than the other, who flings away life without
throwing one glance behind.
64. In this world there are thousands of weak, noble creatures who
fancy that sacrifice always must be the last word of duty; thousands
of beautiful souls that know not what should be done, and seek only
to yield up their life, holding that to be virtue supreme. They are
wrong; supreme virtue consists in the knowledge of what should be
done, in the power to decide for ourselves whereto we should offer
our life. The duty each holds to be his is by no means his permanent
duty. The paramount duty of all is to throw our conception of duty
into clearest possible light. The word duty itself will often
contain far more error and moral indifference than virtue.
Clytemnestra devoted her life to revenge--she murdered her husband
for that he had slain Iphigenia; Orestes sacrificed his life in
avenging Agamemnon's death on Clytemnestra. And yet it has only
needed a sage to pass by, saying, "pardon your enemies," for all
duties of vengeance to be banished for ever from the conscience of
man.
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