Short Works · Chapter
CXI explained
A concise aphorism contrasting the wise man's resistance to pleasure with the foolish man's enslavement to it.
What happens
A concise aphorism contrasting the wise man's resistance to pleasure with the foolish man's enslavement to it.
Themes in this chapter
Moderation and Simplicity
The chapter directly advocates for resisting pleasures, a core tenet of moderation, and warns against the slavery of being controlled by them.
Practical Ethics and Self-Discipline
The distinction between the wise and foolish man hinges on the practical exercise of self-discipline in the face of pleasure.
Key passages
“It is the part of a wise man to resist pleasures, but of a foolish man to be a slave to them.”
Wisdom is shown by mastering one's desires, while folly is shown by being mastered by them.
A direct, binary statement on the ethical stance towards pleasure, defining character through one's relationship to desire.