ABSTRACT
When men are promoted and elevated to high rank, much time and trouble has to be spent in the process, and when, as sometimes happens, they make a mistake or omission, if they are publicly reprimanded they suffer loss of honour and no amount of goodwill or favour will restore them to their positions. It is better that when one commits a fault, it should be overlooked at the time; later on he should be summoned privately and told, ‘You did such-and-such, but because we do not wish to bring low’ one whom we ourselves raised up, nor cast down one whom we promoted, we have pardoned you’; thereafter he should take more care and not make such a mistake again; otherwise he would fall from his position within the retinue, and that would be entirely his own doing.
