3.3: Lust, Wrath, and Greed

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See 389d-392c. Rounding out their discussion of gods and heroes in poetry, Socrates takes up three ways in which the virtue of temperance (sophrosune) is sometimes handled correctly by the poets, but all too often is ignored. He praises Homer for the way he describes Diomedes restraining the wrath of one of his subordinates, and Odysseus holding back his own wrath. But he criticizes Homer for describing Achilles giving in to a long, bloody rage that transgresses the bounds of decency and piety. This sort of thing should not be in stories for young people being raised to value self-control. Nor should Achilles be described as caring so much about material prizes and ransom money. Nor should Zeus be described as losing track of his plans, overcome with sexual desire. Never should gods or heroes be presented in such a way that it appears possible for them to be dominated by irrational desires. As for how ordinary human beings should be characterized in poetry, the topic gets put off until after Glaucon’s challenge has been met. They return to it in Book X.

When people complain nowadays about children being exposed to too much sex and violence, is the problem the physical acts of sex and violence, or the vices of lust and wrath?
Should parents be as concerned about exposing children to wealth as they are about exposing them to sex and violence?
The vices lust, wrath, and greed tend to make for highly entertaining stories. Why is this? Can temperance be similarly entertaining, or is there something essentially boring about this virtue?