431

The opinions of one's opponents.  To assess the natural quality of even the cleverest heads  to see whether they are naturally subtle or feeble  one should take note of how they interpret and reproduce the opinions of their opponents: for how it does this betrays the natural measure of every intellect.  The perfect sage without knowing it elevates his opponent into the ideal and purifies his contradictory opinion of every blemish and adventitiousness: only when his opponent has by this means become a god with shining weapons does the sage fight against him.