Moderation And Prudence In The Odyssey

Held as high up as justice and mercy, for Cyrus is the virtues of moderation and prudence. Moderation is the ability to control the passions and desires of one; and, prudence is the use of reason to direct and discipline oneself. Moderation and prudence go hand in hand as to be moderate one must have prudence. However, prudence and moderation was something that Cyrus had to learn on his own, learning that the ways of the Persians and the Medes reached each extreme, which he realized neither was good. Persia prides themselves of continence or having no desires thus no acting on any form of pleasure, and the Medes overindulgence in things of pleasure. To the advantage of Cyrus, he was able to live both lives: a life of no pleasure for self and …show more content…
This lesson is concluded by the father of Cyrus, the King of Persia, before Cyrus goes out on his military campaign against the Assyrian nation. As Cyrus and his father head towards the Median boarder, Cyrus inquires advice from his father about how to have and maintain loyal subjects. The answer given by his father is to simply be the most prudent of all the peoples in the nation. In order to learn how to be appear prudent Cyrus inquires this to his father, who gives the response, “to seeming prudent about such things as you wish then becoming prudent about them” (Xenophon 53). Hence, according to the father of Cyrus, the best way in which to appear prudent is to actually be prudent. Cyrus takes these words to heart and is can be seen incorporating a moderate lifestyle both for himself, his troops, and eventual his …show more content…
Looking at the examples of Presidents Clinton and Reagan, it is fair to say that the qualities in which Cyrus used to rule were qualities that one man failed and consequently made a mockery of himself, his position, and his people of his nation; while, the other man took those qualities and excelled America into peace and prosperity. Cyrus may have been an emperor of vast land; yet, he delegated his duties to others so that he could focus on the major issues of state and the minor ones could be handled at their grassroots. Similar, the United States has functioned best when problems were solved at the grassroots, or state level, and only saw the light of federal government when it could not be solved in that manner. Cyrus has the military discipline as well as an extensive and profound understanding of tactics, training, and the ability to run an enormous, successful military, as the commander-in-chief must know to be successful in foreign as well as domestic intelligence. Cyrus also has the compassion, words, forethought, and lovable along with honorable personality that makes him appealing to the people he rules, making the people he rules more likely to listen to him; henceforth, giving him the perfect personality to be the leader of the people of the free world. In both these roles Cyrus too knows when and how to play the fear card, ensuring that he