A long time past, in a small Greek town, there was a young man. His father had died when he was little and the other boys teased him, and said he wasn’t brave. He wanted to be brave, he wanted to be a hero, so he went to the most learned woman of the village to discover the nature of courage.

Boy:  Wise woman, I have come to ask of you a question.

Wise woman: You may ask, but you already know the answer.

Boy: I am afraid I do not. So I ask you, what is courage, and how may I find it?

Wise woman: Find it? Can it be found? Is it hiding? Where could such a thing hide? Mayhap in the den of the lion? Does it hide on the battlefield? If it hides, then it is not yours. May you, in fairness, take it?

Boy: So if it cannot be found, how does one come into possession of such a thing? You must be born with it! And if you are born with it, then may not all men have it? Perhaps it is different for all men.   Wise woman, does it make sense that such a valuable quality is given to all men, great and poor, equally?

Wise woman: What makes a man great or poor? Does not courage make the man? Does it take more courage to be great? Or more courage to take the lot given to you and make the best of it? Would that not make the poor man more courageous?

Boy: To say one is more courageous then the other, I must know what is courage. If the poor man is more courageous, then courage must be the ability to handle the bad things in life and still be able to smile and sing to your children. It must be knowing that your situation is bad, but not cowering in the corner, but to keep going. That must be courage.

Wise woman: If that is courage, then are not most humans courageous? If it is a virtue, how can it be so common?

Boy: Then there are different types of courage. Maybe it takes a different kind of courage to face a lion, or to run into battle or even to keep on living when you have problems.

Wise woman: So you say there are different types of courage and all men have it. What do these different types have in common? For they must share something to be called by the same name.

Boy:  Well… they must all be something that is found deep within, and allows the holder to complete any task necessary. It must be something that fades over time if not used. That is what courage must be. Wise woman, do you believe me to be correct?

Wise woman: You are as correct as any, for the answer is different for everyman. Take with you what you believe, and live in accordance with your views.