As with the Maxim that tells us to “Intend to get married” this one is one that would seem to not be important to some people. If you don’t get married you might not think it important to ‘master’ the celebration of marriage. However, as with all of the Maxims, this applies to much more than one aspect of our lives. In ancient times, you were expected to be the master of yourself at all times and modern attitudes towards celebratory inebriation are different than they were then.

If we master ourselves at times of celebration, we should then be able to master ourselves at other times as well. Self-mastery is at the heart of this Maxim and should be something we strive for during those times as well as at others. Self-control does not have to be so strict that it leaves us formal at all times, however, it does need to be there for us as habit or when we do require it we will not have it. Self-control is vital to another one of the Maxims as well – the one that tells us “Know yourself” for if we do not know ourselves it is impossible to master ourselves. And if we cannot master ourselves, we cannot be master of our own lives.