Strona 184 z 1391

Now the thirsty soul may feel two distinct impulses; the animal

one saying 'Drink;' the rational one, which says 'Do not drink.'

The two impulses are contradictory; and therefore we may assume

that they spring from distinct principles in the soul. But is

passion a third principle, or akin to desire? There is a story of

a certain Leontius which throws some light on this question. He

was coming up from the Piraeus outside the north wall, and he

passed a spot where there were dead bodies lying by the

executioner. He felt a longing desire to see them and also an

abhorrence of them; at first he turned away and shut his eyes,

then, suddenly tearing them open, he said,-'Take your fill, ye

wretches, of the fair sight.' Now is there not here a third

principle which is often found to come to the assistance of

reason against desire, but never of desire against reason?