Chapter 36: Excellence with Faults is Superior

Now, then, in the case of those who are by nature great at speeches and writings—in which greatness is never apart from use and benefit—it is fitting for us to put our theory together here: l) that though such men (those great by nature) are far from being free of mistakes, still all of them are above what is mortal; and 2) that though other things prove their users to be human beings, sublimity lifts these men almost to the greatness of mind of divinities; and 3) that though what is without a slip is not censured, what is great is actually wondered at. 2. What must one say in addition?­ that each of these men of ten redeems his trespasses by one sublimity and correctness, and-most important-that if you selected the failings of Horner, Demosthenes, Plato, and as many of the others who are indeed greatest, and concentrated them all together in the same place, they would be found to be the least part-rather, not even an infinitesimal part-of the things done correctly everywhere by those heroes. Because of this all the ages and all of human life, which is not seized by the mindlessness of grudging envy, brings and awards the victory prize to them, and even now protects it from being removed, and is likely to keep them thus

while water onward flows and while great trees are a- blooming.

3. Though of course in reply to the one who wrote that the Colossus, with its mistakes, is not better than the “Spear-bearer” by Polycleitus, it may be said (in addition to many other things) that though what is wondered at in technique is the greatest precision, in the workings of nature it is greatness, and by nature the human being is characterized by rational thought; and while in statues likeness to a human being is sought, in speeches and writings, as I said, what transcends the human is sought. 4. Still (this advice, you see, turns us back to the beginning of our collection of notes) though correctness without any slip is more a matter of technique, preeminence (even though uneven) is a matter of natural greatness, so that technique must everywhere provide support for nature: you see, perfection might come from their mutual support.

So many things were necessary to decide critically on these speculations. But let each delight in what pleases him.