It is the foundation of courage, which includes in Plato moral courage, the courage of enduring pain, and of surmounting intellectual difficulties, as well as of meeting dangers in war.

Though irrational, it inclines to side with the rational: it cannot be aroused by punishment when justly inflicted: it sometimes takes the form of an enthusiasm which sustains a man in the performance of great actions.

It is the 'lion heart' with which the reason makes a treaty.

On the other hand it is negative rather than positive; it is indignant at wrong or falsehood, but does not, like Love in the Symposium and Phaedrus, aspire to the vision of Truth or Good.

It is the peremptory military spirit which prevails in the government of honour.
It differs from anger (Greek), this latter term having no accessory notion of righteous indignation.