Chapter 5 Volume 1 Chapter 5

Exhortation to self-control: Whoever lacks self-control is doing no good, or fit, either to himself or to others, v. 1-4.Without self-control one cannot learn or do anything with proper effect, v. 5.Socrates not only teaches self-control, but leads by example, v. 6. Besides, if self-control is an honorable and valuable virtue of man, let us look back at things like the following, and see whether Socrates leads man in the way of self-control: "My friends, when we are at war, and we must choose a man by whose efforts we shall preserve ourselves and overcome the enemy, shall we choose a man whom we know to be invulnerable to gluttony, drink, lust, Weary or tempted by sleep? How can we think such a man will serve us or overcome our enemies? Or when we die, wanting to entrust our sons to the care of others, and our unmarried daughters Do we think that a man who has no self-control is worthy of our trust to do these things when we entrust someone to look after us, or to keep our property? We put our flocks, our grain stores, or our care Shall we entrust our farming duties to an intemperate servant? Would we accept such a servant to be our steward or purchaser, even if it were given to us for nothing? Since we would not have a slave who cannot control himself, Wouldn't it be more important, then, that we be careful not to be such a person? For an irresistible person does not benefit himself at the expense of others, just as an insatiable person robs others to fill his own pocket, It is harmful to others and even more harmful to oneself. Indeed, the greatest harm is not only destroying one's own family, but also destroying one's own body and soul. That is, in society, if one knows that a person is more greedy than drinking and eating with friends Talking, who prefers to look at whores and prostitutes more than to make friends, who would like to associate with such people? Is it not the duty of everyone to regard self-control as the basis of all virtues, and first establish a kind of self-control in their hearts? Does virtue come? Is there any man who cannot control himself who can learn any good thing, or put it into practice adequately? Is there any man who is a slave to the flesh who is not in an equally bad condition both in body and soul? I As far as Hera is concerned, it seems to me that a free man should pray to the gods that he will never meet such a slave, and a man who has been a slave to the flesh should ask the gods to give him a good master. ; for only in this way can such persons be saved."

The above is what Socrates said, but his actual actions show that he is a man of self-control better than his words.For he conquered not only the lusts of the body, but also all things related to money.He thought that a man who took money from anyone was setting himself up a master and putting himself in the most vile position of slavery.