Virtues and Vices

In this sentinel work St. John of Damascus outlines the dual nature of humanity, consisting of both soul and body, which leads to corresponding spiritual and bodily senses and virtues. He identifies four primary spiritual virtues—courage, prudence, temperance, and justice—and elaborates on various spiritual and bodily passions that can lead to vice. The text emphasizes the detrimental effects of passions such as forgetfulness, sloth, and ignorance, as well as bodily indulgences like gluttony and lust. Ultimately, it underscores the necessity of self-control, humility, and the pursuit of divine knowledge to overcome these passions.