257．不要轻易断交

不要轻易断交。断交容易损害我们的名声。如果不能做朋友，所有人都有可能成为重要的敌人。对我们好的人少，但几乎每个人都可能对我们不好。在与甲壳虫断交之后，朱比特的鹰连在他怀里筑巢都不得安宁。暗藏的敌人借宣战敌人的手煽风点火，他们潜藏着，等待这个机会已经很久了。被得罪的朋友会成为让你最痛苦的敌人。为了掩饰自己的过错，他们会指责对方的错误。人们都是这样，事情在他们看来如何，他们就如何说；而事情看来如何，又取决于他们想要事情如何。每个人都会说我们从一开始就目光短浅，而且收场的时候又没有耐心，始终都不够谨慎。如果断交无法避免，那么也是可以谅解的，不要勃然大怒，而要慢慢疏远。这就很好地运用了优雅后退的格言。

257．Never let matters come to a rupture

Never let matters come to a rupture, for our reputation always comes injured out of the encounter. Everyone may be of importance as an enemy if not as a friend. Few can do us good, almost any can do us harm. In Jove's bosom itself even his eagle never nestles securely from the day he has quarrelled with a beetle. Hidden foes use the paw of the declared enemy to stir up the fire, and meanwhile they lie in ambush for such an occasion. Friends provoked become the bitterest of enemies. They cover their own failings with the faults of others. Everyone speaks as things seem to him, and things seem as he wishes them to appear. All blame us at the beginning for want of foresight, at the end for lack of patience, at all times for imprudence. If, however, a breach is inevitable, let it be rather excused as a slackening of friendship than by an outburst of wrath: here is a good application of the saying about a good retreat.