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Single Idea 523
[filed under theme 22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 3. Pleasure / f. Dangers of pleasure
]
Full Idea
The brave man is not only he who overcomes the enemy, but he who is stronger than pleasures. Some men are masters of cities, but are enslaved by women.
Gist of Idea
It is as brave to master pleasure as to overcome the enemy
Source
Democritus (attrib) (reports [c.250 BCE], B214), quoted by John Stobaeus - Anthology 3.07.25
Book Ref
'Ancilla to the Pre-Socratic Philosophers', ed/tr. Freeman,Kathleen [Harvard 1957], p.111
A Reaction
I'm not sure if 'bravery' is the relevant virtue here.Sounds like self-control or temperance. I suspect that mastering a city is quite pleasurable, if that's your thing.
The
24 ideas
from Democritus (attrib)
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497
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Be virtuous from duty, not from fear
[Democritus (attr)]
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498
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It is a great thing, when one is in adversity, to think of duty
[Democritus (attr)]
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499
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Repentance of shameful deeds is salvation
[Democritus (attr)]
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500
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The wrongdoer is more unfortunate than the person wronged
[Democritus (attr)]
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501
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Reason is a more powerful persuader than gold
[Democritus (attr)]
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502
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Good breeding in men means having a good character
[Democritus (attr)]
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503
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Virtue doesn't just avoid evil, but also doesn't desire it
[Democritus (attr)]
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505
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Good and true are the same for everyone, but pleasures differ
[Democritus (attr)]
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506
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Immoderate desire is the mark of a child, not an adult
[Democritus (attr)]
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507
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Virtuous love consists of decorous desire for the beautiful
[Democritus (attr)]
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508
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Only accept beneficial pleasures
[Democritus (attr)]
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511
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It is better to have one intelligent friend than many unintelligent
[Democritus (attr)]
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514
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Beauty is merely animal without intelligence
[Democritus (attr)]
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518
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A bad life is just a drawn-out death
[Democritus (attr)]
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519
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One must avoid even speaking of evil deeds
[Democritus (attr)]
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520
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The great pleasures come from the contemplation of noble works
[Democritus (attr)]
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521
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We should only choose pleasures which are concerned with the beautiful
[Democritus (attr)]
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522
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Moderation brings more pleasures, and so increases pleasure
[Democritus (attr)]
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523
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It is as brave to master pleasure as to overcome the enemy
[Democritus (attr)]
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1539
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The endless desire for money is a crueller slavery than poverty
[Democritus (attr)]
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524
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Virtue comes more from practice than from nature
[Democritus (attr)]
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525
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Behave well when alone, and feel shame in you own eyes
[Democritus (attr)]
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1541
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It is better to be poor in a democracy than be rich without freedom
[Democritus (attr)]
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526
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Small appetite makes poverty equal to wealth
[Democritus (attr)]
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