{"product_id":"apollo-and-the-task-of-michael-s-pratt-9798267391535","title":"Apollo and the Task of Stewardship: Sophrosyne","description":"Sophrosyne literally means the reining in of our practical wisdom: controlling our baser desires and impulses in pursuit of a higher goal through the acquisition and training of self-knowledge, self-mastery, having soundness of mind. For centuries, Sophrosyne itself was a central aim in Greek philosophy and life. Over time, its centrality dissipated, or rather, various aspects of the task of Sophrosyne were approached and translated under different names: moderation, prudence, self-mastery, temperance, modesty, minding one's own business. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eApollo's instruction to Solon of Athens was: \u003ci\u003eKeep the Mid-Seat and Be Thy Vessel's Guide\u003c\/i\u003e. The mid-seat, a mid-point, a middle from where the helmsman or steward may observe all sides, and as above, so below. Man in relation to the Gods, to his growing statehood or polis, to his fellow man. And man in relation to his own life, his own time, his own circumstances. A new inner and outer awareness erecting promise of new social order. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA new task to accomplish: Cultivate Sophrosyne. Learn to be a charioteer, or a steward of your own ship and guide it to its given destination. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eContents\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e1. Introduction to Sophrosyne\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e2. Apollo's Gift to the Seven Sages--\u003c\/b\u003eCultivate Sophrosyne \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e3. The Helmsman in Homeric Hymn 7 to Dionysus--\u003c\/b\u003eTake Courage, You Radiant Man, Reached by a Force from Afar \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e4. Sophrosyne in Homer's Iliad--\u003c\/b\u003eI Will Go Before Thee and Make Smooth All the Way for the Chariots \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e5. The Awakening of Achilles--\u003c\/b\u003eWhoever Obeys the Gods, to Him do They Gladly Give Ear \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e6. Democritus: Fragments--\u003c\/b\u003eImpose a Law onto Your Soul \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e7. Socrates--\u003c\/b\u003eEvery Human Being Needs Sophrosyne, But Especially...Us! \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e8. Aristotle--\u003c\/b\u003eHabits Make All the Difference \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e9. Plutarch\u003c\/b\u003e--Lest He Let Fall From His Hands the Crimson Thongs \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e10. Bernard of Clairvaux--\u003c\/b\u003eLet Us Make Use of Our Four-Horse Chariot \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e11. Thomas Aquinas--\u003c\/b\u003eRight Reason With Respect to What is Doable \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e12. Maintenance of Our Chariot--\u003c\/b\u003eTo Become Truly Virtuous is Hard Work \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e(includes: \u003cb\u003eBeware the Second Attack)\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e13. Benjamin Franklin's Sophrosyne--\u003c\/b\u003eA Task of More Difficulty Than I Had Imagined \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e14. Plotinus and the Limits of Sophrosyne--\u003c\/b\u003eLeave the Temple Images Behind \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eAppendix--The Delphic Maxims--\u003c\/b\u003eChoose the Divine \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eFurther Reading and Bibliography\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Michael S. Pratt\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798267391535\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/27\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 172\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.52lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.40d","brand":"Michael S. Pratt","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48089439568127,"sku":"9798267391535","price":15.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_814430b3-075f-4b25-b9f0-9342c4981f0c.jpg?v=1769110264","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/apollo-and-the-task-of-michael-s-pratt-9798267391535","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}