1
And why is it amazing that the desires of the mind for the enjoyment of beauty are rendered powerless?
2
It is for this reason, certainly, that the temperate Joseph is praised, because by mental effort he overcame sexual desire.
3
For when he was young and in his prime for intercourse, by his reason he nullified the frenzy of the passions.
4
Not only is reason proved to rule over the frenzied urge of sexual desire, but also over every desire.
5
Thus the law says, "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife...or anything that is your neighbor's."
6
In fact, since the law has told us not to covet, I could prove to you all the more that reason is able to control desires. Just so it is with the emotions that hinder one from justice.
7
Otherwise how could it be that someone who is habitually a solitary gormandizer, a glutton, or even a drunkard can learn a better way, unless reason is clearly lord of the emotions?
8
Thus, as soon as a man adopts a way of life in accordance with the law, even though he is a lover of money, he is forced to act contrary to his natural ways and to lend without interest to the needy and to cancel the debt when the seventh year arrives.
9
If one is greedy, he is ruled by the law through his reason so that he neither gleans his harvest nor gathers the last grapes from the vineyard. In all other matters we can recognize that reason rules the emotions.
10
For the law prevails even over affection for parents, so that virtue is not abandoned for their sakes.