The Threefold Soul

Forþi ic cwæþ þæt sio sawul wære þryfeald, forþamþe u-witan secgaþ
þæt hio hæbbe þrio gecynd. An þara gecynda is þæt heo biþ wilnigende,
oþer þæt hio biþ irsiende, þridde þæt hio biþ gesceadwis. Twa
þara gecynda habbaþ netenu swa same swa men; oþer þara is wilnung,
oþer is irsung. Ac se man ana hæfþ gesceadwisnesse, nalles na oþrum
gesceaft; forþi he hæfþ oferþungen ealle þa eorþlican gesceafta mid
geþeahte and mid andgite. Forþam seo gesceadwisnes sceal wealdan
ægþer ge þære wilnunga ge þæs yrres, forþamþe hio is synderlic cræft
þære saule.

Therefore I say that the soul is threefold, for wise men say
that it hath three kinds. One of those kinds is that it is desiring,
the other that it is irascible, and the third that it is rational.
Two of those kinds have animals as well as men; one of these is desire,
the other is anger. But man alone hath reason, not any other
creature; therefore he hath mastery over all earthly creatures with
thought and understanding. Thus the reason must govern
both desires and anger, for it is a peculiar craft
of the soul.