Book 2, Chapter 21

“Yet the expression is not foolish. The mind is divided into two parts, one sharing in reason, the other without it. When we are told to command ourselves, then, we are being told to make reason restrain recklessness. In almost everyone’s mind there is by nature something soft, abject, lowly, somehow nerveless and limp. If there were nothing else, nothing would be more repulsive than a human being. But reason stands ready, mistress and queen of all. Through its own exertion and further progress it becomes perfect virtue. A man must see to it that reason commands the part of his mind whose duty is to obey. ‘How?’ you will ask.

48 “As a master commands a slave, a general a soldier, or a father a son. If that part of the mind I called soft behaves disgracefully, if it gives itself up like a woman to lamentation and tears, let it be bound and held fast under the watch of friends and relatives. We often see shame break people whom no reasoning could overcome. Such people, then, must be treated like slaves, almost with chains and confinement. Those who are firmer, though still not fully strong, must be called back by a warning, like good soldiers, to uphold their dignity. In The Washing, that wisest man of Greece does not lament excessively when wounded—or rather, he laments with restraint. ‘Step carefully,’ he says,

“‘Go with a steady effort,“‘So that no jolt may seize me“‘With greater pain.’

49 “Pacuvius does this better than Sophocles, in whose play Ulysses laments his wound most tearfully. Yet even when he groans so gently, the very people carrying the wounded man, mindful of the dignity of his character, do not hesitate to say:

“‘You too, Ulysses, though we see“‘You badly struck, are almost too soft“‘In spirit, you who have been used“‘To spend your life in arms […]’

“The discerning poet understands that the habit of bearing pain is a teacher not to be despised.

50 “And Ulysses, in great pain, is not without restraint:

“‘Hold me, hold me fast! The wound bears down;“‘Uncover me! Ah, poor me: I am in torment.’

“He begins to falter, then stops at once:

“‘Cover me, go away now, now!“‘Let me be! Your touching and shaking“‘Make the savage pain worse.’

“Do you see how he has fallen silent, not because his bodily pain was soothed, but because his mind’s pain was rebuked? And so, at the end of The Washing, even as he is dying, he rebukes others as well:

“‘We should complain of hostile fortune, not lament it;“‘That is a man’s duty: weeping is assigned to woman’s nature.’”

“Still, the expression isn’t foolish. The mind is divided into two parts. One shares in reason, the other doesn’t. So when we’re told to command ourselves, we’re being told to have reason restrain our rash impulses. Almost everyone’s mind naturally has something soft, low, weak, and in a way spineless and sluggish in it. If that were all there was, nothing would be uglier than a human being. But reason is there too, the mistress and queen of everything. When it strives by its own strength and advances far enough, it becomes complete virtue. A man’s job is to make sure it commands the part of the mind that should obey. ‘How?’ you’ll ask.

48 “Like a master commanding a slave, a general a soldier, or a parent a son. If that part of the mind I’ve called soft behaves disgracefully and gives itself up to womanish weeping and tears, let friends and relatives bind and restrain it by watching over it. We often see shame break down people whom no reasoning could overcome. So we should treat these people almost like slaves, with chains and confinement. Those who are firmer, but still not fully strong, must be reminded of their duty, like good soldiers called back to preserve their dignity. In The Washing, that wisest man in Greece doesn’t lament too much when he’s wounded—or rather, he does so in moderation. ‘Step by step,’ he says, “‘Go, with slow and steady effort, “‘So that jolting doesn’t bring on worse “‘Pain.’

49 “Pacuvius does this better than Sophocles: in Sophocles, Ulysses laments his wound very pitifully. Yet even as he groans a little here, the very people carrying the wounded man keep his standing in mind and don’t hesitate to say: “‘You too, Ulysses, though we see “‘You’ve been badly struck, are almost too “‘Soft in spirit, you who’ve been used “‘To spending your life in arms […]’ “The sensible poet understands that the habit of bearing pain is a teacher we shouldn’t disregard.

50 “And even in great pain, Ulysses isn’t unrestrained: “‘Hold me up, hold me! The sore is crushing me. “‘Uncover me! Oh, poor me, I’m in agony.’ “He begins to slip, then stops at once: “‘Cover me, leave me now, now! “‘Let me go! Your touching and shaking “‘Are making this savage pain worse.’ “Do you see? He’s fallen silent, not because his bodily pain has been soothed, but because his mental pain has been disciplined. So at the end of The Washing he even rebukes others, and does it as he’s dying: “‘It’s right to complain of bad fortune, not to weep over it. “‘That’s a man’s duty; tears belong to a woman’s nature.’”