Frustration setting in....

I seem to have reached a complete standstill in any progress for FF1... I'm trying to get through the Temple of Chaos past, while leveling, but I always encounter parties of 4 dragons that always seem to overwhelm my party. After getting game over twice in a row, I tend to shut the PS1 down, because I don't think my PS1 controller can take the aftermath of a 3rd time in a row.