Final answer:
The biblical proverb in question likens a person lacking self-control to an unprotected city, a theme that resonates with various texts about the symbolism of walls in both societal and individual contexts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question 'Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.' refers to a biblical proverb that emphasizes the importance of self-control by comparing a person without it to a defenseless city. This concept aligns with various texts and ideas that explore the consequences and perceptions of broken walls or boundaries, both metaphorically and literally, in societies and individuals. For instance, Robert Frost's 'Mending Wall' contemplates the significance of boundaries between neighbors, while the 'Broken Windows Theory' connects the state of urban environments with crime rates.
Moral fortitude and the maintenance of order are recurring themes in classical literature, such as the words from 'Antigone' that illustrate how upholding laws and respecting gods contribute to a city's greatness. Similarly, these excerpts can reflect how individuals or societies lacking in principled structure, represented by physical walls or moral laws, may succumb to chaos or vulnerability.
Literary and theoretical discussions on walls often touch upon how they symbolize law, order, and protection, and how their absence reflects a loss of control or civilization, as seen in the philosophical consideration of an immoral city in contrast to a virtuous one.