In moderating, not satisfying desires, lies peace.

“In moderating, not satisfying desires, lies peace.” Thus declared Ben Hecht, and though his voice belonged to the modern age, his wisdom reaches back to the ancients. For this truth has been whispered since time immemorial: man’s heart, restless and burning with countless desires, can never be fully satisfied by their fulfillment. The more he drinks, the thirstier he becomes; the more he feeds, the hungrier he grows. Only by moderating the flame—by restraining the endless hunger—can the soul find true peace.

The ancients spoke with one accord on this matter. The Stoics, from Epictetus to Marcus Aurelius, taught that freedom lies not in multiplying possessions but in mastering the self. The Buddha too, centuries earlier, spoke of the endless cycle of craving that binds men to suffering, and how liberation is found not in indulgence but in discipline. To satisfy desires endlessly is like pouring water into a bottomless vessel; it is labor without end, leaving only exhaustion. But to moderate, to live with enough, is to build a foundation of stillness and contentment.

Consider the tale of Alexander the Great. He conquered nations, stretched his empire from Greece to India, and yet, at the height of power, he wept because there were no more worlds to conquer. His desires knew no moderation, and thus, despite his glory, he tasted no peace. By contrast, the philosopher Diogenes, who lived in a barrel with almost nothing, found peace greater than kings. When Alexander asked him what he could do for him, Diogenes replied only: “Stand out of my sunlight.” Here lies the eternal contrast: satisfaction does not lie in abundance, but in moderation.

Hecht’s words are not the scorn of pleasure, but the recognition of its limits. Peace is not found by silencing every desire, but by mastering them so that they serve life rather than enslave it. A man who eats to live finds strength; a man who lives to eat finds misery. A woman who cherishes love finds joy; a woman who demands love to fill every emptiness finds despair. To moderate is to choose the middle path, where life’s blessings are enjoyed without becoming tyrants over the heart.

History itself proves this principle. The fall of Rome was not brought about by external enemies alone, but by decadence within. The Romans, once disciplined and restrained, fell into indulgence of wealth, pleasure, and excess. Their desires consumed them, and the empire, though mighty in arms, crumbled from within. This is the lesson that Hecht speaks to: a people, like a person, cannot build peace on unchecked appetite.

The lesson for us is clear: if you wish for peace, look not to the endless satisfaction of every want, but to the discipline of moderation. Ask yourself not, “How may I gain more?” but “How may I be content with what is enough?” To practice moderation is to strengthen the will, to purify the mind, and to let the soul rest. Without it, one is a slave to cravings; with it, one is a master of self.

Practical wisdom follows: live simply, set limits for yourself, and learn gratitude. Enjoy the gifts of food, wealth, and companionship, but do not let them rule you. Restrain indulgence, so that joy remains fresh and unsoured. Seek stillness in moderation, for in that balance, peace will bloom.

So let Hecht’s words echo like an ancient maxim: “In moderating, not satisfying desires, lies peace.” Remember this, O children of tomorrow: you will not find peace in endless consumption, nor happiness in unbridled appetite. You will find it in moderation, in discipline, in the wisdom of enough. For the one who moderates his desires holds the keys not only to peace, but to freedom.