Desire never does anything else but pursue and flee; and whenever Desire pursues what it should, and as far as it should, a man keeps within the limits of his perfection. This Desire, however, must be ridden by Reason . . . Reason, like a good horseman, directs Desire with bridle and spur. It uses the bridle when desire is pursuing (and this bridle is called Temperance, which prescribes the limits up to which pursuit may be carried); it uses the spur when Desire flees, in order to turn it back to the spot from which it wishes to flee (and this spur is called Courage or Magnanimity, the virtue which points out the spot where we ought to take out stand and to fight).
Dante: Convivio.
Comments