A beautiful song or dance, athletic contests, entertainment that normally captivates you — you can easily dismiss these things. Break down that lovely voice into individual sounds. Ask yourself about each sound: is this particular note what conquers me? You will feel foolish. Do the same with dancing — examine each movement separately. Do it with wrestling too. In general, whenever something besides virtue and virtuous actions strongly affects you, immediately break it down this way. By dividing it into parts, you will learn to dismiss the whole thing. Apply this method to your entire life.
A pleasant song or dance; the Pancratiast's exercise, sports that thou art wont to be much taken with, thou shalt easily contemn; if the harmonious voice thou shalt divide into so many particular sounds whereof it doth consist, and of every one in particular shall ask thyself; whether this or that sound is it, that doth so conquer thee. For thou wilt be ashamed of it. And so for shame, if accordingly thou shalt consider it, every particular motion and posture by itself: and so for the wrestler's exercise too. Generally then, whatsoever it be, besides virtue, and those things that proceed from virtue that thou art subject to be much affected with, remember presently thus to divide it, and by this kind of division, in each particular to attain unto the contempt of the whole. This thou must transfer and apply to thy whole life also.