It is a common saying that many pecks of salt must be eaten before the duties of friendship can be discharged.
Marcus Tullius CiceroTrue law is right reason in agreement with nature;...it summons to duty by its commands, and averts from wrongdoing by its prohibitions... It is a sin to try to alter this law, nor is it allowable to attempt to repeal any part of it, and it is impossible to abolish it entirely.
Marcus Tullius Cicero