injustice, not only whilst
they were seen of men, but even in the solitary place, since they must
believe that no part of their conduct could escape the eye of Heaven.

V

I suppose it may be taken as admitted that self-control is a noble
acquirement for a man. (1) If so, let us turn and consider whether by
language like the following he was likely to lead his listeners onwards
(2) to the attainment of this virtue. "Sirs," he would say, "if a war
came upon us and we wished to choose a man who would best help us to
save ourselves and to subdue our enemy, I suppose we should scarcely
select one whom we knew to be a slave to his belly, to wine, or lust,
and prone to succumb to toil or sleep. Could we expect such an one to
save us or to master our foes? Or if one of us were nearing the end of
his days, and he wished to discover some one to whom he might entrust
his sons for education, his maiden daughters for protection, and his
property in general for preservation, would he deem a libertine worthy
of such offices? Why, no one would dream of entrusting his flocks and
herds, his storehouses and barns, or the superintendence of his works to
the tender mercies of an intemperate slave. If a butler or an errand boy
with such a character were offered to us we would not take him as a free
gift. And if he would not accept an intemperate slave, what pains should
the master himself take to avoid that imputation. (3) For with the
incontinent man it is not as with the self-seeker and the covetous.
These may at any rate be held to enrich themselves in depriving others.
But the intemperate man cannot claim in like fashion to be a blessing
to himself if a curse to his neighbours; nay, the mischief which he
may cause to others is nothing by comparison with that which redounds
against himself, since it is the height of mischief to ruin--I do not
say one's own house and property--but one's own body and one's own soul.
Or to take an example from social intercourse, no one cares for a guest
who evidently takes more pleasure in the wine and the viands than in the
friends beside him--who stints his comrades of the affection due to them
to dote upon a mistress. Does it not come to this, that every honest man
is bound to look upon self-restraint as the very corner-stone of virtue:
(4) which he should seek to lay down as the basis and foundation of his
soul? Without self-restraint who can lay any good lesson to heart or
practise it when learnt i