these facts, both because when speaking of small benefits one ought
to make some mention of the greatest, and because also this
shameless and hateful vice (of ingratitude), starting with these,
transfers itself from them to all the rest. If a man scorn these,
the greatest of all benefits, to whom will he feel gratitude, what
gift will he regard as valuable or deserving to be returned: to
whom will he be grateful for his safety or his life, if he denies
that he has received from the gods that existence which he begs
from them daily? He, therefore, who teaches men to be grateful,
pleads the cause not only of men, but even of the gods, for though
they, being placed above all desires, cannot be in want of
anything, yet we can nevertheless offer them our gratitude.

No one is justified in seeking an excuse for ingratitude in his own
weakness or poverty, or in saying, "What am I to do, and how? When
can I repay my debt to my superiors the lords of heaven and earth?"
Avaricious as you are, it is easy for you to give them thanks,
without expense; lazy though you be, you can do it without labour.
At the same instant at which you received your debt towards them,
if you wish to repay it, you have done as much as any one can do,
for he returns a benefit who receives it with good will.

XXXI. This paradox of the Stoic philosophy, that he returns a
benefit who receives it with good will, is, in my opinion, either
far from admirable, or else it is incredible. For if we look at
everything merely from the point of view of our intentions, every
man has done as much as he chose to do; and since filial piety,
good faith, justice, and in short every virtue is complete within
itself, a man may be grateful in intention even though he may not
be able to lift a hand to prove his gratitude. Whenever a man