Then said she: “Have we not agreed that the good are happy, and the evil wretched?”

“Yes,” said I.

“Now, if,” said she, “to one in affliction there be given along with his misery some good thing, is he not happier than one whose misery is misery pure and simple without admixture of any good?”

“It would seem so.”

“But if to one thus wretched, one destitute of all good, some further evil be added besides those which make him wretched, is he not to be judged far more unhappy than he whose ill fortune is alleviated by some share of good?”

“It could scarcely be otherwise.”