According to these verses, reputation, independence, and autonomy are interconnected. This teaching stems from the fear of ending up having to serve someone else’s will as a slave. This extreme was very accessible given the socioeconomic conditions of the time. However, the author not only refers to this situation; he also warns the wise person of the future to avoid falling into economic dependence or relinquishing his role as head of the household. Doing so was also considered contrary to the reputation of a true patriarch or “paterfamilias,” as he was called during the Roman Empire.