Antipater, in a letter written upon the death of Aristotle, the philosopher, observes, Amongst his other gifts he had that of persuasiveness”; and the absence of this in the character of Marcius made all his great actions and noble qualities unacceptable to those whom they benifited: pride and self-will the consort as Plato calls it of solitude made him insufferable. With the skill which Alcibiades on the contrary possessed to treat every one in the way most agreeable to him we cannot wonder that all his successes were attended with the most exuberant favour and honour; his very errors at time being accompanied by something of grace and felicity. And so in spite of great and frequent hurt that he had done the city he was repeatedly appointed to office and command; while Coriolanus stood in vain for a place which his great services had made his due. The one in spite of the harm he occasioned could not make himself hated nor the other with all the admiration he attracted succeed in being beloved by his countrymen.