The Prince once wrote that a ruler should avoid personally handling unpleasant matters whenever possible, and leave them to his ministers.
When Tullus put Horatius on trial, he sent two judges to handle it, and the Roman citizens opposed their verdict. When he later presided over the trial himself, he followed public opinion and declared Horatius innocent.
What a great warrior—he killed his own sister, an unarmed woman, simply because she wept for her fiancé. He even demanded that no Roman woman be allowed to cry.
That was why Medea sang in the opera: "Among all creatures endowed with reason and nature, women are the most unfortunate. As girls, we innocently dream of meeting a husband who pleases us, and after marriage, of spending a lifetime with the man we love. We always value love more than life itself, never caring about the disasters and hardships about to descend upon us."
Women could actually be like men, place less importance on emotions, and be more practical. Without a sufficient material foundation, they should not start a family and build a career. That would be better for the children.
Lily chose the wealthy James Potter. Severus inevitably assumed that she despised poverty and loved wealth, then got mixed up with the Death Eaters, seeking a shortcut to rapidly accumulate wealth and status.
Yet he still loved her in his heart. When he learned that the prophecy concerned Lily, he tried every possible way to make amends. No matter what Albus asked him to do, he was willing.
From one perspective, Tallien was the same. Though he had also seen that the Jacobins were doomed and that there was an opportunity to exploit, Teresa's note undoubtedly gave him that final push. Once he had taken the hardest first step, everything proceeded smoothly.