Mercy is a defect

In contrast, in the pagan world, and especially among the philosophers, mercy was regarded as a character defect and pity as a pathological emotion: because mercy involves providing unearned help or relief, it is contrary to justice.— The Triumph of Christianity, page 112

<idle musing>
Doesn't sound much different than some of the rhetoric we're hearing today, does it? How the mighty have fallen...
</idle musing>