[68] “And the name of the second river is Geon; this encircles all the land of Ethiopia.” This river figuratively represents courage; for the word Geon is ‘breast’ or ‘butting’; and each of these indicates courage; for it has its abode about men’s breasts, where the heart also is, and it is fully equipped for self-defence; for it is the knowledge of things that we ought to endure and not to endure, and of things that fall under neither head. And it encompasses and beleaguers Ethiopia, whose name being interpreted is ‘lowness’; and cowardice is a low thing, while courage is a foe to lowness and cowardice.
[69] “And the third river is Tigris; this is that whose course is over against the Assyrians.” Self-mastery is the third virtue, and takes its stand against pleasure, which thinks that it can direct the course of human weakness; for expressed in the Greek tongue “Assyrians” is ‘directing.’ He further compares desire, with which self-mastery is occupied, to a tiger, the animal least capable of being tamed.