Bekker (Berlin, 1831) · Solomon (1915)
Solomon (1915)
Chapter 1 (1249a26–31)
1249a
Ἐπαινετὰ μέν ἐστι τὰ καλά, ψεκτὰ δὲ τὰ αἰσχρά. καὶ
τῶν μὲν καλῶν ἡγοῦνται αἱ ἀρεταί, τῶν δ' αἰσχρῶν αἱ
κακίαι. ἐπαινετὰ δ' ἐστὶ καὶ τὰ αἴτια τῶν ἀρετῶν καὶ τὰ
παρεπόμενα ταῖς ἀρεταῖς καὶ τὰ γινόμενα ἀπ' αὐτῶν καὶ
30 τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν, ψεκτὰ δὲ τὰ ἐναντία. τριμεροῦς δὲ τῆς
ψυχῆς λαμβανομένης κατὰ Πλάτωνα, τοῦ μὲν λογιστικοῦ
THE noble is the object of praise, the base of blame: at the head of what is noble stand the virtues, at the head of what is base the vices; the virtues, then, are objects of praise, but so also are the causes of the virtues and their accompaniments and results, including the acts they give rise to: the opposites are objects of blame.
If in agreement with Plato we take the soul to have three parts, then prudence is the virtue of the rational, gentleness and bravery of the passionate, temperance and continence of the appetitive; and of the soul as a whole, justice, liberality, and magnanimity. Folly is the vice of the rational, irascibility 30and cowardice of the passionate, intemperance and incontinence of the appetitive; and of the soul as a whole, injustice, illiberality, and small-mindedness.
If in agreement with Plato we take the soul to have three parts, then prudence is the virtue of the rational, gentleness and bravery of the passionate, temperance and continence of the appetitive; and of the soul as a whole, justice, liberality, and magnanimity. Folly is the vice of the rational, irascibility 30and cowardice of the passionate, intemperance and incontinence of the appetitive; and of the soul as a whole, injustice, illiberality, and small-mindedness.
Chapter 2 (1249b26–1250a4)
1249b
ἀρετή ἐστιν ἡ φρόνησις, τοῦ δὲ θυμοειδοῦς ἥ τε πραότης καὶ
ἡ ἀνδρεία, τοῦ δὲ ἐπιθυμητικοῦ ἥ τε σωφροσύνη καὶ ἡ
ἐγκράτεια, ὅλης δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς ἥ τε δικαιοσύνη καὶ ἡ
ἐλευθεριότης καὶ ἡ μεγαλοψυχία. κακία δ' ἐστὶ τοῦ μὲν
30 λογιστικοῦ ἡ ἀφροσύνη, τοῦ δὲ θυμοειδοῦς ἥ τε ὀργιλότης
καὶ ἡ δειλία, τοῦ δὲ ἐπιθυμητικοῦ ἥ τε ἀκολασία καὶ ἡ
Prudence is a virtue of the rational part capable of procuring all that tends to happiness. Gentleness is a virtue of the passionate part, through which men become difficult to stir to anger. Bravery is a virtue of the passionate part, through which men are difficult to scare by apprehension of death. Temperance is a virtue of the appetitive part, by which men cease to desire bad sensual pleasures. Continence is a 30virtue of the appetitive part, by which men check by thinking the appetite that rushes to bad pleasures.
1250a
1 ἀκράτεια, ὅλης δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς ἥ τε ἀδικία καὶ ἀνελευθεριότης
καὶ μικροψυχία.
Ἔστι δὲ φρόνησις μὲν ἀρετὴ τοῦ λογιστικοῦ, παρασκευαστικὴ
τῶν πρὸς εὐδαιμονίαν συντεινόντων. πραότης δ'
1Justice is a virtue of the soul that distributes to each according to his desert. Liberality is a virtue of the soul ready to spend on noble objects. Magnanimity is a virtue of the soul, by which men are 5able to bear good and bad fortune, honour and dishonour.
Chapter 3 (1250a5–32)
5 ἐστὶν ἀρετὴ τοῦ θυμοειδοῦς, καθ' ἣν ὑπὸ ὀργῆς γίνονται δυςκίνητοι.
ἀνδρεία δ' ἐστὶν ἀρετὴ τοῦ θυμοειδοῦς, καθ' ἣν
δυσέκπληκτοί εἰσιν ὑπὸ φόβων τῶν περὶ θάνατον. σωφροσύνη
δ' ἐστὶν ἀρετὴ τοῦ ἐπιθυμητικοῦ, καθ' ἣν ἀνόρεκτοι γίνονται
περὶ τὰς ἀπολαύσεις τῶν φαύλων ἡδονῶν. ἐγκράτεια
10 δ' ἐστὶν ἀρετὴ τοῦ ἐπιθυμητικοῦ, καθ' ἣν κατέχουσι τῷ
λογισμῷ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ὁρμῶσαν ἐπὶ τὰς φαύλας ἡδονάς.
δικαιοσύνη δ' ἐστὶν ἀρετὴ ψυχῆς διανεμητικὴ τοῦ κατ' ἀξίαν.
ἐλευθεριότης δ' ἐστὶν ἀρετὴ ψυχῆς εὐδάπανος εἰς τὰ καλά.
μεγαλοψυχία δ' ἐστὶν ἀρετὴ ψυχῆς, καθ' ἣν δύναται φέρειν
15 εὐτυχίαν καὶ ἀτυχίαν καὶ τιμὴν καὶ ἀτιμίαν.
Ἀφροσύνη δ' ἐστὶ κακία τοῦ λογιστικοῦ, αἰτία τοῦ ζῆν
κακῶς. ὀργιλότης δ' ἐστὶ κακία τοῦ θυμοειδοῦς, καθ' ἣν
εὐκίνητοι γίνονται πρὸς ὀργήν. δειλία δ' ἐστὶ κακία τοῦ
θυμοειδοῦς, καθ' ἣν ἐκπλήττονται ὑπὸ φόβων, καὶ μάλιστα
20 τῶν περὶ θάνατον. ἀκολασία δ' ἐστὶ κακία τοῦ ἐπιθυμητικοῦ,
καθ' ἣν αἱροῦνται τὰς φαύλας ἡδονάς. [περὶ μὲν τῆς ἀκρατείας
οὐδέν· οὕτω δὲ σὺ δύνασαι ὁρίζειν.] ἀκράτεια δ' ἐστὶ
κακία τοῦ ἐπιθυμητικοῦ, καθ' ἣν παρασύρουσι τῇ ἀλογίᾳ τὴν
ἐπιθυμίαν ὠθοῦσαν ἐπὶ τὰς τῶν φαύλων ἡδονῶν ἀπολαύσεις.
25 ἀδικία δ' ἐστὶ κακία ψυχῆς, καθ' ἣν πλεονεκτικοὶ
γίνονται παρὰ τὴν ἀξίαν. ἀνελευθερία δ' ἐστὶ κακία ψυχῆς,
καθ' ἣν ὀρέγονται τοῦ πανταχόθεν κέρδους. μικροψυχία
δ' ἐστὶ κακία ψυχῆς, καθ' ἣν ἀδύνατοί εἰσι φέρειν εὐτυχίαν
καὶ ἀτυχίαν καὶ τιμὴν καὶ ἀτιμίαν.
30 Τῆς δὲ φρονήσεώς ἐστι τὸ βουλεύσασθαι, τὸ κρῖναι τὰ
ἀγαθὰ καὶ τὰ κακὰ καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν τῷ βίῳ αἱρετὰ καὶ
φευκτά, τὸ χρῆσθαι πᾶσι καλῶς τοῖς ὑπάρχουσιν ἀγαθοῖς,
Folly is a vice of the rational part, causing evil living. Irascibility is a vice of the passionate part, through which men are easily stirred to anger. Cowardice is a vice of the passionate part, through 10which men are scared by apprehensions, especially such as relate to death. Intemperance is a vice of the appetitive part, by which men become desirous of bad sensual pleasures. Incontinence is a vice of the appetitive part, through which one chooses bad 15pleasures, though thinking opposes this. Injustice is a vice of the soul, through which men become covetous of more than they deserve. Illiberality is a vice of the soul, through which men aim at gain from every source. Little-mindedness is a vice of the soul, 20which makes men unable to bear alike good and bad fortune, alike honour and dishonour.
Chapter 4 (1250a33–1250b5)
τὸ ὁμιλῆσαι ὀρθῶς, τὸ συνιδεῖν τοὺς καιρούς, τὸ ἀγχίνως
χρήσασθαι καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ, τὸ τὴν ἐμπειρίαν ἔχειν
35 τῶν χρησίμων πάντων. ἡ μνήμη δὲ καὶ ἐμπειρία καὶ
ἀγχίνοια ἤτοι ἀπὸ τῆς φρονήσεως ἑκάστη αὐτῶν ἐστίν, ἢ
παρέπεται τῇ φρονήσει· ἢ τὰ μὲν αὐτῶν οἷον συναίτια τῆς
φρονήσεώς ἐστι, καθάπερ ἐμπειρία καὶ ἡ μνήμη, τὰ δὲ οἷον
μέρη αὐτῆς, οἷον εὐβουλία καὶ ἀγχίνοια. πραότητος
40 δ' ἐστὶ τὸ δύνασθαι φέρειν μετρίως ἐγκλήματα καὶ ὀλιγωρίας,
καὶ τὸ μὴ ταχέως ὁρμᾶν ἐπὶ τὰς τιμωρίας, καὶ τὸ
μὴ εὐκίνητον εἶναι πρὸς τὰς ὀργάς, ἄπικρον δὲ τῷ ἤθει
καὶ ἀφιλόνεικον, ἔχοντα τὸ ἠρεμαῖον ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ καὶ
στάσιμον. ἀνδρείας δ' ἐστὶ τὸ δυσέκπληκτον ὑπὸ φόβων
45 τῶν περὶ θάνατον, καὶ τὸ εὐθαρσῆ ἐν τοῖς δεινοῖς, καὶ τὸ
To prudence belongs right decision, right judgement as to what is good and bad and all in life that is to be chosen and avoided, noble use of all the goods that belong 25to us, correctness in social intercourse, the grasping of the right moment, the sagacious use of word and deed, the possession of experience of all that is useful. Memory, experience, tact, good judgement, sagacity—each of these either arises from prudence 30or accompanies it. Or possibly some of them are, as it were, subsidiary causes of prudence (such as experience and memory), while others are, as it were, parts of it, e.g. good judgement and sagacity.
To gentleness belongs the power to bear with moderation 35accusations and slights, not to rush hastily to vengeance, not to be easily stirred to anger, to be without bitterness or contentiousness in one's character, to have in one's soul quietude and steadfastness.
To bravery belongs slowness to be scared by 40apprehensions of death, to be of good courage in dangers and bold in facing risks, and to choose a noble death rather than preservation in some base way, and to be the cause of victory. Also it belongs to bravery to labour, to endure, and to choose to play the man.
To gentleness belongs the power to bear with moderation 35accusations and slights, not to rush hastily to vengeance, not to be easily stirred to anger, to be without bitterness or contentiousness in one's character, to have in one's soul quietude and steadfastness.
To bravery belongs slowness to be scared by 40apprehensions of death, to be of good courage in dangers and bold in facing risks, and to choose a noble death rather than preservation in some base way, and to be the cause of victory. Also it belongs to bravery to labour, to endure, and to choose to play the man.
1250b
1 εὔτολμον πρὸς τοὺς κινδύνους, καὶ τὸ μᾶλλον αἱρεῖσθαι τεθνάναι
καλῶς ἢ αἰσχρῶς σωθῆναι, καὶ τὸ νίκης αἴτιον
εἶναι. ἔτι δὲ ἀνδρείας ἐστὶ καὶ τὸ πονεῖν καὶ καρτερεῖν καὶ
αἱρεῖσθαι ἀνδραγαθίζεσθαι. παρέπεται δὲ τῇ ἀνδρείᾳ καὶ
5 ἡ εὐτολμία καὶ ἡ εὐψυχία καὶ τὸ θάρσος καὶ τὸ θράσος,
1And there accompanies it readiness to dare, high spirits, and confidence; and further, fondness for toil and endurance.
To temperance belongs absence of admiration for the enjoyment of bodily pleasures, absence of desire for all base sensual enjoyment, fear of just ill-repute, an ordered course of 5life, alike in small things and in great. And temperance is accompanied by discipline, orderliness, shame, caution.
To temperance belongs absence of admiration for the enjoyment of bodily pleasures, absence of desire for all base sensual enjoyment, fear of just ill-repute, an ordered course of 5life, alike in small things and in great. And temperance is accompanied by discipline, orderliness, shame, caution.
Chapter 5 (1250b6–18)
ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἡ φιλοπονία καὶ ἡ καρτερία. σωφροσύνης
δ' ἐστὶ τὸ μὴ θαυμάζειν τὰς ἀπολαύσεις τῶν σωματικῶν
ἡδονῶν, καὶ τὸ εἶναι πάσης ἀπολαύσεως αἰσχρᾶς ἡδονῆς
ἀνόρεκτον, καὶ τὸ φοβεῖσθαι καὶ τὴν δικαίαν ἄδειαν, καὶ
10 τὸ τετάσθαι περὶ τὸν βίον ὁμοίως ἔν τε μικροῖς καὶ μεγάλοις.
παρέπεται δὲ τῇ σωφροσύνῃ εὐταξία, κοσμιότης,
αἰδώς, εὐλάβεια. ἐγκρατείας δ' ἐστὶ τὸ δύνασθαι κατασχεῖν
τῷ λογισμῷ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ὁρμῶσαν ἐπὶ φαύλας
ἀπολαύσεις καὶ ἡδονάς, καὶ τὸ καρτερεῖν, καὶ τὸ ὑπομονητικὸν
15 εἶναι τῆς κατὰ φύσιν ἐνδείας καὶ λύπης. δικαιοσύνης
δ' ἐστὶ τὸ διανεμητικὸν εἶναι τοῦ κατ' ἀξίαν, καὶ
σώζειν τὰ πάτρια ἔθη καὶ τὰ νόμιμα, καὶ τὸ σώζειν τοὺς
γεγραμμένους νόμους, καὶ τὸ ἀληθεύειν ἐν τῷ διαφέροντι,
To continence belongs the power to restrain by reason the appetite when rushing to base enjoyment of pleasures, endurance, steadfastness under natural want and pain.
To justice belongs the capacity to distribute to each his deserts, to preserve ancestral 10customs and laws and also the written law, to be truthful in matters of importance, to observe one's agreements. First among acts of justice come those towards the gods, then those to deified spirits, then those towards one's country and parents, then those towards the departed: amongst these comes piety, which is either a part of justice or an accompaniment of it. Also 15justice is accompanied by purity, truth, trust, and hatred of wickedness.
To liberality it belongs to be profuse of money on praiseworthy objects, to be extravagant in spending on a proper purpose, to be helpful and kind in disputed matters, and not to take from improper sources. The liberal man is also clean in his dress and house, ready to provide himself with what is not 20strictly necessary but beautiful and enjoyable without profit, inclined to keep all animals that have anything peculiar or marvellous about them. Liberality is accompanied by a suppleness and ductility of disposition, by kindness, by pitifulness, by love for friends, for foreign intimates, for what is noble.
It belongs to magnanimity to bear nobly and bravely alike good 25and bad fortune, honour and dishonour; not to admire luxury or attention or power or victory in contests, but to have a sort of depth and greatness of soul. The magnanimous is one who neither values living highly nor is fond of life, but is in disposition simple and noble, one who can be injured and is not prompt to avenge himself. The accompaniments of magnanimity are 30simpleness, nobleness, and truth.
To justice belongs the capacity to distribute to each his deserts, to preserve ancestral 10customs and laws and also the written law, to be truthful in matters of importance, to observe one's agreements. First among acts of justice come those towards the gods, then those to deified spirits, then those towards one's country and parents, then those towards the departed: amongst these comes piety, which is either a part of justice or an accompaniment of it. Also 15justice is accompanied by purity, truth, trust, and hatred of wickedness.
To liberality it belongs to be profuse of money on praiseworthy objects, to be extravagant in spending on a proper purpose, to be helpful and kind in disputed matters, and not to take from improper sources. The liberal man is also clean in his dress and house, ready to provide himself with what is not 20strictly necessary but beautiful and enjoyable without profit, inclined to keep all animals that have anything peculiar or marvellous about them. Liberality is accompanied by a suppleness and ductility of disposition, by kindness, by pitifulness, by love for friends, for foreign intimates, for what is noble.
It belongs to magnanimity to bear nobly and bravely alike good 25and bad fortune, honour and dishonour; not to admire luxury or attention or power or victory in contests, but to have a sort of depth and greatness of soul. The magnanimous is one who neither values living highly nor is fond of life, but is in disposition simple and noble, one who can be injured and is not prompt to avenge himself. The accompaniments of magnanimity are 30simpleness, nobleness, and truth.
Chapter 6 (1250b19–1251a18)
καὶ τὸ διαφυλάττειν τὰς ὁμολογίας. ἔστι δὲ πρώτη τῶν
20 δικαιοσυνῶν πρὸς τοὺς θεούς, εἶτα πρὸς δαίμονας, εἶτα πρὸς
πατρίδα καὶ γονεῖς, εἶτα πρὸς τοὺς κατοιχομένους· ἐν οἷς
ἐστὶν ἡ εὐσέβεια, ἤτοι μέρος οὖσα δικαιοσύνης ἢ παρακολουθοῦσα.
ἀκολουθεῖ δὲ τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ὁσιότης καὶ ἀλήθεια
καὶ ἡ πίστις καὶ ἡ μισοπονηρία. ἐλευθεριότητος δ' ἐστὶ
25 τὸ προετικὸν εἶναι χρημάτων εἰς τὰ ἐπαινετά, καὶ δαψιλῆ
ἐπὶ τῷ εἰς τὰ δέοντα ἀναλωθῆναι, καὶ τὸ βοηθητικὸν
εἶναι ἐν τῷ διαφόρῳ, καὶ τὸ μὴ λαβεῖν ὅθεν μὴ δεῖ.
ἔστι δὲ ὁ ἐλευθέριος καὶ περὶ ἐσθῆτα καθαρὸς καὶ περὶ
οἴκησιν, καὶ κατασκευαστικὸς τῶν περιττῶν καὶ καλῶν καὶ
30 διαγωγὴν ἐχόντων ἡδεῖαν ἄνευ τοῦ λυσιτελοῦντος, καὶ θρεπτικὸς
τῶν ζῴων τῶν ἴδιον ἐχόντων τι ἢ θαυμαστόν. ἀκολουθεῖ
δὲ τῇ ἐλευθεριότητι τοῦ ἤθους ὑγρότης καὶ εὐαγωγία
καὶ φιλανθρωπία καὶ τὸ εἶναι ἐλεητικὸν καὶ φιλόφιλον
καὶ φιλόξενον καὶ φιλόκαλον. μεγαλοψυχίας δ' ἐστὶ
35 τὸ καλῶς ἐνεγκεῖν καὶ εὐτυχίαν καὶ ἀτυχίαν καὶ τιμὴν
καὶ ἀτιμίαν, καὶ τὸ θαυμάζειν μήτε τρυφὴν μήτε θεραπείαν
μήτε ἐξουσίαν μήτε τὰς νίκας τὰς ἐναγωνίους, ἔχειν
δέ τι βάθος τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ μέγεθος. ἔστι δὲ μεγαλόψυχος
οὔθ' ὁ τὸ ζῆν περὶ πολλοῦ ποιούμενος οὔθ' ὁ φιλόζωος.
40 ἁπλοῦς δὲ τῷ ἤθει καὶ γενναῖος, ἀδικεῖσθαι δυνάμενος, καὶ
οὐ τιμωρητικός. ἀκολουθεῖ δὲ τῇ μεγαλοψυχίᾳ ἁπλότης
καὶ ἀλήθεια.
Ἀφροσύνης δ' ἐστὶ τὸ κρίνειν κακῶς τὰ πράγματα,
τὸ βουλεύσασθαι κακῶς, τὸ ὁμιλῆσαι κακῶς, τὸ χρήσασθαι
45 κακῶς τοῖς παροῦσιν ἀγαθοῖς, τὸ ψευδῶς δοξάζειν
To folly it belongs to judge things badly, to decide badly, to be bad in social intercourse, to use badly present goods, to think erroneously about what is good and noble as regards life. Folly is accompanied by ignorance, inexperience, incontinence, tactlessness, shortness of memory.
Of irascibility there are three species—promptness to 35anger, peevishness, sullenness. It is the mark of the angry man to be unable to bear small slights or defeats, to be ready to punish, prompt at revenge, easily moved to anger by any chance word or deed. The accompaniments of irascibility are a disposition easily excited, ready changes of feeling, attention to small matters, vexation at small things, and all these rapid and 40on slight occasion.
To cowardice it belongs to be easily moved by unimportant apprehensions, especially if relating to death or maiming of the body, and to suppose preservation in any manner to be better than a noble death. Its accompaniments are softness, unmanliness, despair, love of life. Beneath it, however, is a sort of caution of disposition and slowness to quarrel.
Of irascibility there are three species—promptness to 35anger, peevishness, sullenness. It is the mark of the angry man to be unable to bear small slights or defeats, to be ready to punish, prompt at revenge, easily moved to anger by any chance word or deed. The accompaniments of irascibility are a disposition easily excited, ready changes of feeling, attention to small matters, vexation at small things, and all these rapid and 40on slight occasion.
To cowardice it belongs to be easily moved by unimportant apprehensions, especially if relating to death or maiming of the body, and to suppose preservation in any manner to be better than a noble death. Its accompaniments are softness, unmanliness, despair, love of life. Beneath it, however, is a sort of caution of disposition and slowness to quarrel.
1251a
1 περὶ τῶν εἰς τὸν βίον καλῶν καὶ ἀγαθῶν. παρακολουθεῖ
δὲ τῇ ἀφροσύνῃ ἀπειρία, ἀμαθία, ἀκρασία, ἐπαριστερότης,
ἀμνημοσύνη. ὀργιλότητος δ' ἐστὶν εἴδη τρία, ἀκροχολία
πικρία βαρυθυμία. ἔστι δὲ τοῦ ὀργίλου μὴ δύνασθαι φέρειν
5 μήτε τὰς μικρὰς ὀλιγωρήσεις μήτε ἐλαττώσεις, εἶναι δὲ
κολαστικὸν καὶ τιμωρητικὸν καὶ εὐκίνητον πρὸς ὀργὴν καὶ
ὑπὸ ἔργου καὶ ὑπὸ λόγου τοῦ τυχόντος. ἀκολουθεῖ δὲ τῇ ὀργιλότητι
τὸ παροξυντικὸν τοῦ ἤθους καὶ εὐμετάβολον, καὶ ἡ
πικρολογία, καὶ τὸ ἐπὶ μικροῖς λυπεῖσθαι, καὶ τὸ ταῦτα
10 πάσχειν ταχέως καὶ παρὰ βραχὺν καιρόν. δειλίας δ'
ἐστὶ τὸ ὑπὸ τῶν τυχόντων φόβων εὐκίνητον εἶναι, καὶ μάλιστα
τῶν περὶ θάνατον καὶ τὰς σωματικὰς πηρώσεις, καὶ
τὸ ὑπολαμβάνειν κρεῖττον εἶναι ὁπωσοῦν σωθῆναι ἢ τελευτῆσαι
καλῶς. ἀκολουθεῖ δὲ τῇ δειλίᾳ μαλακία, ἀνανδρία,
15 ἀπονία, φιλοψυχία. ὕπεστι δέ τις εὐλάβεια καὶ τὸ ἀφιλόνεικον
τοῦ ἤθους. ἀκολασίας δ' ἐστὶ τὸ αἱρεῖσθαι τὰς
ἀπολαύσεις τῶν ἡδονῶν τῶν βλαβερῶν καὶ αἰσχρῶν, καὶ
τὸ ὑπολαμβάνειν εὐδαιμονεῖν μάλιστα τοὺς ἐν ταῖς τοιαύταις
1To intemperance it belongs to choose the enjoyments of hurtful and base pleasures, to suppose that those living in such pleasures are in the highest sense happy, to love laughter, jeering, wit, and levity 5in word and deed. Its accompaniments are disarrangement, shamelessness, disorder, luxury, ease, negligence, contempt, dissipation.
To incontinence it belongs to choose the enjoyment of pleasures though reason forbids, to partake of them none the less though 10believing it to be better not to partake of them, and while thinking one ought to do what is noble and profitable still to abstain from these for the sake of pleasures. The accompaniments of incontinence are effeminacy, negligence, and generally the same 15as those of intemperance.
To incontinence it belongs to choose the enjoyment of pleasures though reason forbids, to partake of them none the less though 10believing it to be better not to partake of them, and while thinking one ought to do what is noble and profitable still to abstain from these for the sake of pleasures. The accompaniments of incontinence are effeminacy, negligence, and generally the same 15as those of intemperance.
Chapter 7 (1251a19–1251b25)
ἡδοναῖς ὄντας, καὶ τὸ φιλογέλοιον εἶναι καὶ τὸ φιλοσκώπτην
20 καὶ φιλευτράπελον, καὶ τὸ ῥᾳδιουργὸν εἶναι ἐν
τοῖς λόγοις καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις. ἀκολουθεῖ δὲ τῇ ἀκολασίᾳ
ἀταξία, ἀναίδεια, ἀκοσμία, τρυφή, ῥᾳθυμία, ἀμέλεια, ὀλιγωρία,
ἔκλυσις. ἀκρασίας δ' ἐστὶ τὸ κωλύοντος τοῦ λογισμοῦ
τὰς ἀπολαύσεις τῶν ἡδονῶν αἱρεῖσθαι, καὶ τὸ ὑπολαμβάνοντα
25 κρεῖττον εἶναι μὴ μετασχεῖν μὲν αὐτῶν, μετέχειν
δὲ μηδὲν ἧττον, καὶ τὸ οἴεσθαι μὲν δεῖν πράττειν
καὶ τὰ καλὰ καὶ τὰ συμφέροντα, ἀφίστασθαι δὲ αὐτῶν
διὰ τὰς ἡδονάς. ἀκολουθεῖ δὲ τῇ ἀκρασίᾳ μαλακία καὶ
μεταμέλεια καὶ τὰ πλεῖστα ταὐτὰ ἃ καὶ τῇ ἀκολασίᾳ.
30 ἀδικίας δ' ἐστὶν εἴδη τρία, ἀσέβεια πλεονεξία ὕβρις.
ἀσέβεια μὲν ἡ περὶ θεοὺς πλημμέλεια καὶ περὶ δαίμονας ἢ
καὶ περὶ τοὺς κατοιχομένους, καὶ περὶ γονεῖς καὶ περὶ πατρίδα·
πλεονεξία δὲ περὶ τὰ συμβόλαια, παρὰ τὴν ἀξίαν
αἱρουμένη τὸ διάφορον· ὕβρις δέ, καθ' ἣν τὰς ἡδονὰς αὑτοῖς
35 παρασκευάζουσιν, εἰς ὄνειδος ἀγαγόντες ἑτέρους, ὅθεν Εὔηνος
περὶ αὐτῆς λέγει "ἥτις κερδαίνουσ' οὐδὲν ὅμως ἀδικεῖ." ἔστι
δὲ τῆς ἀδικίας τὸ παραβαίνειν τὰ πάτρια ἔθη καὶ τὰ νόμιμα,
καὶ τὸ ἀπειθεῖν τοῖς νόμοις καὶ τοῖς ἄρχουσι, τὸ
Of injustice there are three species—impiety, greed, outrage. Impiety is wrong-doing towards gods, deified spirits, the departed, one's parents, and one's country. Greed is wrong-doing in regard to agreements, claiming a share 20of the object in dispute beyond one's deserts. Outrage occurs when in providing pleasure for oneself one brings shame on others, whence Evenus says of it, 'That which while gaining nothing still wrongs another'. It belongs to injustice to violate ancestral 25customs and laws, to disobey enactments and rulers, to lie, to commit perjury, to violate agreements and pledges. The accompaniments of injustice are quibbling, charlatanry, unamiability, pretence, malignity, unscrupulousness.
Of illiberality there are 30three species, pursuit of disgraceful gain, parsimony, stinginess: pursuit of disgraceful gain, in so far as such men seek gain from all sources and think more of the profit than of the shame; parsimony, in so far as they are unready to spend money on a 35suitable purpose; stinginess, in so far as, while spending, they spend in small sums and badly, and are more hurt than profited from not spending in season.
Of illiberality there are 30three species, pursuit of disgraceful gain, parsimony, stinginess: pursuit of disgraceful gain, in so far as such men seek gain from all sources and think more of the profit than of the shame; parsimony, in so far as they are unready to spend money on a 35suitable purpose; stinginess, in so far as, while spending, they spend in small sums and badly, and are more hurt than profited from not spending in season.
1251b
1 ψεύδεσθαι, τὸ ἐπιορκεῖν, τὸ παραβαίνειν τὰς ὁμολογίας
καὶ τὰς πίστεις. ἀκολουθεῖ δὲ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ συκοφαντία, ἀλαζονεία,
φιλανθρωπία προσποίητος, κακοήθεια, πανουργία.
ἀνελευθερίας δ' ἐστὶν εἴδη τρία, αἰσχροκερδία φειδωλία
5 κιμβεία. αἰσχροκερδία μέν, καθ' ἣν κερδαίνειν ζητοῦσι
πανταχόθεν, καὶ τὸ κέρδος τῆς αἰσχύνης περὶ πλείονος
ποιοῦνται· φειδωλία δ' ἐστὶ καθ' ἣν ἀδάπανοι γίνονται τῶν
χρημάτων εἰς τὸ δέον· κιμβεία δ' ἐστὶ καθ' ἣν δαπανῶσι
μέν, κατὰ μικρὸν δὲ καὶ κακῶς, καὶ πλέον βλάπτονται
10 τῷ μὴ κατὰ καιρὸν ποιεῖσθαι τὸ διάφορον. ἔστι δὲ τῆς
ἀνελευθερίας τὸ περὶ πλείστου ποιεῖσθαι χρήματα, καὶ τὸ
μηδὲν ὄνειδος ἡγεῖσθαι τῶν ποιούντων τὸ κέρδος, βίος θητικὸς
καὶ δουλοπρεπὴς καὶ ῥυπαρός, φιλοτιμίας καὶ ἐλευθερίας
ἀλλότριος. ἀκολουθεῖ δὲ τῇ ἀνελευθεριότητι μικρολογία,
15 βαρυθυμία καὶ μικροψυχία, ταπεινότης, ἀμετρία,
ἀγένεις, μισανθρωπία. μικροψυχίας δ' ἐστὶ τὸ μήτε
τιμὴν μήτε ἀτιμίαν μήτε εὐτυχίαν μήτε ἀτυχίαν δύνασθαι
φέρειν, ἀλλὰ τιμώμενον μὲν χαυνοῦσθαι, μικρὰ δὲ
εὐτυχήσαντα ὑπεξαίρεσθαι, ἀτιμίαν δὲ μηδὲ τὴν ἐλαχίστην
20 ἐνεγκεῖν δύνασθαι, ἀπότευγμα δ' ἄτην καὶ ἀτυχίαν
κρίνειν μεγάλην, ὀδύρεσθαι δ' ἐπὶ πᾶσι καὶ δυσφορεῖν.
ἔτι δὲ τοιοῦτός ἐστιν ὁ μικρόψυχος οἷος πάντα τὰ ὀλιγωρήματα
καλεῖν ὕβριν καὶ ἀτιμίαν, καὶ τὰ δι' ἄγνοιαν ἢ
λήθην γιγνόμενα. ἀκολουθεῖ δὲ τῇ μικροψυχίᾳ μικρολογία,
25 μεμψιμοιρία, δυσελπιστία, ταπεινότης.
1It belongs to illiberality to value money above everything, and to think no reproach can ever attach to what yields a profit. The life of the illiberal is servile, suited to a slave, and sordid, remote from 5ambition and liberality. The accompaniments of illiberality are attention to small matters, sullenness, small-mindedness, self-humiliation, lack of measure, ignobility, misanthropy.
It belongs to small-mindedness to be able to bear neither honour nor dishonour, 10neither good nor ill fortune, but to grow braggart when honoured, to be elated at small prosperities, to be unable to bear even the smallest deprivation of honour, to regard any ill-success whatever as a great misfortune, to bewail oneself and to be impatient 15over everything. Further, the small-minded man is such as to call every slight an outrage and a dishonour, even such as are inflicted through ignorance or forgetfulness. The accompaniments of small-mindedness are attention to small things, grumbling, 20hopelessness, self-humiliation.
It belongs to small-mindedness to be able to bear neither honour nor dishonour, 10neither good nor ill fortune, but to grow braggart when honoured, to be elated at small prosperities, to be unable to bear even the smallest deprivation of honour, to regard any ill-success whatever as a great misfortune, to bewail oneself and to be impatient 15over everything. Further, the small-minded man is such as to call every slight an outrage and a dishonour, even such as are inflicted through ignorance or forgetfulness. The accompaniments of small-mindedness are attention to small things, grumbling, 20hopelessness, self-humiliation.
Chapter 8 (1251b26–37)
Καθόλου δὲ τῆς μὲν ἀρετῆς ἐστὶ τὸ ποιεῖν σπουδαίαν
τὴν διάθεσιν περὶ τὴν ψυχήν, ἠρεμαίαις καὶ τεταγμέναις
κινήσεσι χρωμένην, συμφωνοῦσαν κατὰ πάντα τὰ μέρη·
διὸ καὶ δοκεῖ παράδειγμα πολιτείας ἀγαθῆς εἶναι ψυχῆς
30 σπουδαία διάθεσις. ἔστι δὲ ἀρετῆς καὶ τὸ εὐεργετεῖν τοὺς
ἀξίους, καὶ τὸ φιλεῖν τοὺς ἀγαθούς, καὶ τὸ μήτε κολαστικὸν
εἶναι μήτε τιμωρητικόν, ἀλλὰ ἵλεων καὶ εὐμενικὸν καὶ
συγγνωμονικόν. ἀκολουθεῖ δὲ τῇ ἀρετῇ χρηστότης, ἐπιείκεια,
εὐγνωμοσύνη, ἐλπὶς ἀγαθή. ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα οἷον
35 φίλοικον εἶναι καὶ φιλόφιλον, φιλέταιρον, φιλόξενον, φιλάνθρωπον
καὶ φιλόκαλον· ἃ δὴ πάντα τῶν ἐπαινουμένων
ἐστίν. τῆς δὲ κακίας ἐστὶ τὰ ἐναντία.
In general it belongs to virtue to make the condition of the soul good, using quiet and ordered motions and in agreement with itself throughout all its parts: whence the condition of a good soul seems a pattern of a good political 25constitution. It belongs also to virtue to do good to the worthy, to love the good and to hate the bad; not to be prompt either to chastise or seek vengeance, but to be placable, kindly, and forgiving. Its accompaniments are worth, equity, indulgence, good hope, 30good memory, and further all such qualities as love of home, love of friends, love of comrades, love of one's foreign intimates, love of men, love of the noble: all these qualities are among the laudable. The marks of vice are the opposites, and its accompaniments 35the opposites; and all these marks and accompaniments of vice belong to the class of the blameable.