The Weight of Glory. Marcus Aurelius 4.12

A Roman emperor must avoid acting like an idiot, in the sense of the word that Unamuno invokes. He cannot be a private citizen, who can afford to make decisions more capriciously insofar as his agency represents a much smaller threat to the common good. At some moment, an agent like the emperor has so much power that the best decision he can make will be to do nothing (lest his action miscarry, and prove more harmful to society than any benefit he might offer it). Finding that moment and negotiating it well requires the ability to cooperate with others, whose intentions will always matter (to Marcus, if not to everyone). If Marcus does not trust your intentions, then he will not change his policy in light of your repentance, which might be nothing more than a clever ruse. The truly repentant must show good faith (bona fides) by surrendering or avoiding material advantages that attend their contrition. Following the letter of the law here is never going to be sufficient.

Δύο ταύτας ἑτοιμότητας ἔχειν ἀεὶ δεῖ· τὴν μὲν πρὸς τὸ πρᾶξαι μόνον ὅπερ ἂν ὁ τῆς βασιλικῆς καὶ νομοθετικῆς λόγος ὑποβάλλῃ ἐπ᾽ ὠφελείᾳ ἀνθρώπων· τὴν δὲ πρὸς τὸ μεταθέσθαι, ἐὰν ἄρα τις παρῇ διορθῶν καὶ μετάγων ἀπό τινος οἰήσεως. τὴν μέντοι μεταγωγὴν ἀεὶ ἀπό τινος πιθανότητος, ὡς δικαίου ἢ κοινωφελοῦς, γίνεσθαι καὶ τὰ προηγμένα τοιαῦτα μόνον εἶναι δεῖ, οὐχ ὅτι ἡδὺ ἢ ἔνδοξον ἐφάνη.

There are two faculties you must always have ready. First, that of doing only what the character of a king and lawmaker will support, to aid humanity. Second, that of changing your mind, whenever another repents and retreats from his erstwhile intention. That being said, the repentance that evokes your response must always show some indication that it proceeds purely from a conviction of justice or the common good, rather than willful caprice or conceit.