Continence of a Scipio
Preserved but no longer current.
It is said that a beautiful princess fell into the hands of Scipio Afncanus, and he refused to see her, *'lest he should be tempted to forget his principles." Similar stories, whether fable or not, are told of many historical characters, including Cyrus and Alexander.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Continence of a Scipio” mean?
It is said that a beautiful princess fell into the hands of Scipio Afncanus, and he refused to see her, *'lest he should be tempted to forget his principles." Similar stories, whether fable or not, are told of many historical characters, including Cyrus and Alexander.
Is “Continence of a Scipio” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.