the intimacy that has joined it makes it difficult to abandon it and get out of it for the affliction of intimacy is not less than the affliction of love. indeed if someone said that it is more emphatic and more eloquent than it he would not be mistaken. when the duration of love is short and the encounter with the beloved is rare it is more likely that intimacy will not mix with it and help it. what is obligatory in the rule of reason from this point also is to take the initiative in preventing the soul and restraining it from love before it falls into it and weaning it from it if it falls before it has become firmly established in it. it is said that plato the wise argued with this argument against a student of his who was afflicted with the love of a slave girl and thus lost his position in platos school council. so he ordered that he be sought and brought. when he appeared before him he said tell me soandso do you doubt that he…
انضم إليه الإلف عسر النزوع عنه والخروج منه، فإن بلية الإلف ليست بدون بلية العشق، بل لو قال قائل إنه أوكد وأبلغ منه لم يكن مخطئا، ومتى قصرت مدة العشق وقل فيه لقاء المحبوب كان أحرى أن لا يخالطه ويعاونه الإلف. والواجب في حكم العقل من هذا الباب أيضا المبادرة في منع النفس وزمها عن العشق قبل وقوعها فيه، وفطمها منه إذا وقعت قبل استحكامه فيها. وهذه الحجة يقال إن فلاطن الحكيم احتج بها على تلميذ له بلى بحب جارية فأخل بمركزه من مجلس مدارس فلاطن. فأمر أن يطلب ويؤتى به، فلما مثل بين يديه قال أخبرني يا فلان هل تشك في انه