The Holy Scripture
Chapter II
And what wonder? if the lusts of the soul, after participation with what is beautiful, are frustrated,
καὶ τί θαυμαστόν εἰ αἱ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιθυμίαι πρὸς τὴν τοῦ κάλλους μετουσίαν ἀκυροῦνται
on this ground, therefore, the temperate Joseph is praised in that by reasoning, he subdued, on reflection, the indulgence of sense.
ταύτῃ γοῦν ὁ σώφρων Ιωσηφ ἐπαινεῖται ὅτι διανοίᾳ περιεκράτησεν τῆς ἡδυπαθείας
For, although young, and ripe for sexual intercourse, he abrogated by reasoning the stimulus of his passions.
νέος γὰρ ὢν καὶ ἀκμάζων πρὸς συνουσιασμὸν ἠκύρωσε τῷ λογισμῷ τὸν τῶν παθῶν οἶστρον
And it is not merely the stimulus of sensual indulgence, but that of every desire, that reasoning is able to master.
καὶ οὐ μόνον δὲ τὴν τῆς ἡδυπαθείας οἰστρηλασίαν ὁ λογισμὸς ἐπικρατεῖν φαίνεται ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσης ἐπιθυμίας
For instance, the law says, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor anything that belongs to thy neighbour.
λέγει γοῦν ὁ νόμος οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ πλησίον σου οὐδὲ ὅσα τῷ πλησίον σού ἐστιν
Now, then, since it is the law which has forbidden us to desire, I shall much the more easily persuade you, that reasoning is able to govern our lusts, just as it does the affections which are impediments to justice.
καίτοι ὅτε μὴ ἐπιθυμεῖν εἴρηκεν ἡμᾶς ὁ νόμος πολὺ πλέον πείσαιμ᾿ ἂν ὑμᾶς ὅτι τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν κρατεῖν δύναται ὁ λογισμός ὥσπερ καὶ τῶν κωλυτικῶν τῆς δικαιοσύνης παθῶν
Since in what way is a solitary eater, and a glutton, and a drunkard reclaimed, unless it be clear that reasoning is lord of the passions?
ἐπεὶ τίνα τις τρόπον μονοφάγος ὢν τὸ ἦθος καὶ γαστρίμαργος ἢ καὶ μέθυσος μεταπαιδεύεται εἰ μὴ δῆλον ὅτι κύριός ἐστιν τῶν παθῶν ὁ λογισμός
A man, therefore, who regulates his course by the law, even if he be a lover of money, straightway puts force upon his own disposition; lending to the needy without interest, and cancelling the debt of the incoming sabbath.
αὐτίκα γοῦν τῷ νόμῳ πολιτευόμενος κἂν φιλάργυρός τις ᾖ βιάζεται τὸν αὑτοῦ τρόπον τοῖς δεομένοις δανείζων χωρὶς τόκων καὶ τὸ δάνειον τῶν ἑβδομάδων ἐνστασῶν χρεοκοπούμενος
And should a man be parsimonious, he is ruled by the law acting through reasoning; so that he does not glean his harvest crops, nor vintage: and in reference to other points we may perceive that it is reasoning that conquers his passions.
κἂν φειδωλός τις ᾖ ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου κρατεῖται διὰ τὸν λογισμὸν μήτε ἐπικαρπολογούμενος τοὺς ἀμητοὺς μήτε ἐπιρρωγολογούμενος τοὺς ἀμπελῶνας καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἑτέρων δὲ ἔστιν ἐπιγνῶναι τοῦτο ὅτι τῶν παθῶν ἐστιν ὁ λογισμὸς κρατῶν
For the law conquers even affection toward parents, not surrendering virtue on their account.
ὁ γὰρ νόμος καὶ τῆς πρὸς γονεῖς εὐνοίας κρατεῖ μὴ καταπροδιδοὺς τὴν ἀρετὴν δι᾿ αὐτοὺς
And it prevails over marriage love, condemning it when transgressing law.
καὶ τῆς πρὸς γαμετὴν φιλίας ἐπικρατεῖ διὰ τὴν παρανομίαν αὐτὴν ἀπελέγχων
And it lords it over the love of parents toward their children, for they punish them for vice; and it domineers over the intimacy of friends, reproving them when wicked.
καὶ τῆς τέκνων φιλίας κυριεύει διὰ κακίαν αὐτὰ κολάζων
And think it not a strange assertion that reasoning can in behalf of the law conquer even enmity.
καὶ τῆς φίλων συνηθείας δεσπόζει διὰ πονηρίαν αὐτοὺς ἐξελέγχων
It alloweth not to cut down the cultivated herbage of an enemy, but preserveth it from the destroyers, and collecteth their fallen ruins.
καὶ μὴ νομίσητε παράδοξον εἶναι ὅπου καὶ ἔχθρας ἐπικρατεῖν ὁ λογισμὸς δύναται διὰ τὸν νόμον μήτε δενδροτομῶν τὰ ἥμερα τῶν πολεμίων φυτά τὰ δὲ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τοῖς ἀπολέσασι διασῴζων καὶ τὰ πεπτωκότα συνεγείρων
And reasoning appears to be master of the more violent passions, as love of empire and empty boasting, and arrogance, and loud boasting, and slander.
καὶ τῶν βιαιοτέρων δὲ παθῶν κρατεῖν ὁ λογισμὸς φαίνεται φιλαρχίας καὶ κενοδοξίας καὶ ἀλαζονείας καὶ μεγαλαυχίας καὶ βασκανίας
For the temperate understanding repels all these malignant passions, as it does wrath: for it masters even this.
πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ κακοήθη πάθη ὁ σώφρων νοῦς ἀπωθεῖται ὥσπερ καὶ τὸν θυμόν καὶ γὰρ τούτου δεσπόζει
Thus Moses, when angered against Dathan and Abiram, did nothing to them in wrath, but regulated his anger by reasoning.
θυμούμενός γέ τοι Μωυσῆς κατὰ Δαθαν καὶ Αβιρων οὐ θυμῷ τι κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐποίησεν ἀλλὰ λογισμῷ τὸν θυμὸν διῄτησεν
For the temperate mind is able, as I said, to be superior to the passions, and to transfer some, and destroy others.
δυνατὸς γὰρ ὁ σώφρων νοῦς ὡς ἔφην κατὰ τῶν παθῶν ἀριστεῦσαι καὶ τὰ μὲν αὐτῶν μεταθεῖναι τὰ δὲ καὶ ἀκυρῶσαι
For why, else, does our most wise father Jacob blame Simeon and Levi for having irrationally slain the whole race of the Shechemites, saying, Cursed be their anger.
ἐπεὶ διὰ τί ὁ πάνσοφος ἡμῶν πατὴρ Ιακωβ τοὺς περὶ Συμεων καὶ Λευιν αἰτιᾶται μὴ λογισμῷ τοὺς Σικιμίτας ἐθνηδὸν ἀποσφάξαντας λέγων ἐπικατάρατος ὁ θυμὸς αὐτῶν
For if reasoning did not possess the power of subduing angry affections, he would not have spoken thus.
εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἐδύνατο τοῦ θυμοῦ ὁ λογισμὸς κρατεῖν οὐκ ἂν εἶπεν οὕτως
For at the time when God created man, He implanted within him his passions and moral nature.
ὁπηνίκα γὰρ ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον κατεσκεύασεν τὰ πάθη αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἤθη περιεφύτευσεν
And at that time He enthroned above all the holy leader mind, through the medium of the senses.
ἡνίκα δὲ ἐπὶ πάντων τὸν ἱερὸν ἡγεμόνα νοῦν διὰ τῶν αἰσθητηρίων ἐνεθρόνισεν
And He gave a law to this [mind], by living according to which it will maintain a temperate, and just, and good, and manly reign.
καὶ τούτῳ νόμον ἔδωκεν καθ᾿ ὃν πολιτευόμενος βασιλεύσει βασιλείαν σώφρονά τε καὶ δικαίαν καὶ ἀγαθὴν καὶ ἀνδρείαν
How, then, a man may say, if reasoning be master of the passions, has it no control over forgetfulness and ignorance?
πῶς οὖν εἴποι τις ἄν εἰ τῶν παθῶν δεσπότης ἐστὶν ὁ λογισμός λήθης καὶ ἀγνοίας οὐ κρατεῖ