65. V
ON SELF-LOVE AND LOVE OF THE WORLD
Self-love is wishing well to oneself alone and not to others except on one's own account, not even to the church, one's country, any human community or fellow citizen. It also includes doing good to them solely for the sake of one's own reputation, honours and glory. If such a person does not see these ends in the good he does for others, he says in his heart 'What does it matter? Why am I doing this? What's in it for me?' and so he stops doing it. This shows plainly that a person in a state of self-love does not love the church, his country, his community or his fellow citizen, nor any good, but himself alone.