Ancient Wisdom Atlas

Motif

Tyrant as slave of inner desires

tyrant_as_slave_of_inner_desires

A motif of the Pride, Hubris, and Downfall family, within the sub-family Desire, Pleasure, and Excess. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.

1 occurrences

1 traditions


greek

  • The Republic BOOK VI. / BOOK VII. / BOOK VIII. / BOOK IX.; lines 22317-22464 confidence: high

    The tyrannical man becomes more miserable as a public tyrant, being master of others while not master of himself, like a diseased or paralytic man forced to fight with others.

    The tyrant is described as outwardly ruling others while inwardly enslaved, fearful, unsatisfied, and unable to govern himself.

    read in the book