- Source
- Aristotle. Aristotelis Ars Rhetorica. Ross, William David, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press,1959 (printing).
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0086.tlg038.humanitext-grc2:2.17.1-2.17.6
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
The discourse addresses the characters associated with power (similar to wealth but more ambitious, responsible, and dignified) and those with good fortune (arrogant but pious).
ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ περὶ δυνάμεως σχεδὸν τὰ πλεῖστα φανερά ἐστιν ἤθη. τὰ μὲν γὰρ τὰ αὐτὰ ἔχει δύναμις τῷ πλούτῳ τὰ δὲ1 βελτίω·
Likewise, the characters that accompany power are also for the most part nearly obvious. For power has some of the same characteristics as wealth, and some that are better.
φιλοτιμότεροι γὰρ καὶ ἀνδρωδέστεροί εἰσιν τὰ ἤθη οἱ δυνάμενοι τῶν πλουσίων διὰ τὸ ἐφίεσθαι ἔργων ὅσα ἐξουσία αὐτοῖς πράττειν διὰ τὴν δύναμιν, καὶ σπουδαστικώτεροι διὰ τὸ ἐν ἐπιμελείᾳ εἶναι, ἀναγκαζόμενοι σκοπεῖν τὰ περὶ τὴν δύναμιν, καὶ σεμνότεροι ἢ βαρύτεροι·2 ποιεῖ γὰρ σεμνοτέρους τὸ ἀξίωμα, διὸ μετριάζουσιν, ἔστι δὲ ἡ σεμνότης μαλακὴ καὶ εὐσχήμων βαρύτης· κἂν ἀδικῶσιν, οὐ μικραδικηταί εἰσιν ἀλλὰ μεγαλάδικοι.
For those in power are more ambitious and more manly in character than the rich, because they aim at such deeds as they have the license to perform through their power, and more diligent, because of being in a state of attentiveness, since they are compelled to look after things concerning their power, and more dignified rather than burdensome; for their dignity makes them more majestic, wherefore they moderate themselves; and dignity is a softened and graceful heaviness. And if they do commit injustice, they are not petty wrongdoers but great wrongdoers.
ἡ δʼ εὐτυχία κατὰ μόριά τε τῶν εἰρημένων ἔχει τὰ ἤθη (εἰς γὰρ ταῦτα συντείνουσιν αἱ μέγισται δοκοῦσαι εἶναι εὐτυχίαι), καὶ ἔτι εἰς εὐτεκνίαν καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὸ σῶμα ἀγαθὰ παρασκευάζει ἡ εὐτυχία πλεονεκτεῖν.
On the other hand, good fortune possesses its characters in parts of those already mentioned (for the greatest of what are thought to be good fortunes tend toward these), and furthermore, good fortune prepares people to excel in having good children and in the goods of the body.
ὑπερηφανώτεροι μὲν οὖν καὶ ἀλογιστότεροι διὰ τὴν εὐτυχίαν εἰσίν, ἓν δὲ ἀκολουθεῖ βέλτιστον ἦθος τῇ εὐτυχίᾳ, ὅτι φιλόθεοί εἰσι καὶ ἔχουσιν πρὸς τὸ θεῖόν πως,3 πιστεύοντες διὰ τὰ γιγνόμενα ἀπὸ τῆς τύχης. περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν καθʼ ἡλικίαν καὶ τύχην ἠθῶν εἴρηται· τὰ γὰρ ἐναντία τῶν εἰρημένων ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων φανερά ἐστιν, οἷον πένητος καὶ ἀτυχοῦς ἦθος καὶ ἀδυνάτου.
Thus, they are more arrogant and more unreasonable because of their good fortune, but one most excellent character follows good fortune: that they are lovers of God and are somehow disposed toward the divine, believing in it because of the things that happen by fortune. So, the characters according to age and fortune have been discussed. For the opposites of those mentioned are clear from their opposites, such as the character of the poor, the unfortunate, and the powerless.
- 1391a20τὰ μὲν ... τὰ δὲ
Adverbial uses of the accusative (accusatives of respect), meaning "in some respects... in other respects...". They indicate that the subject "power" (δύναμις) shares some traits with wealth, while possessing other superior traits.
- 1391a25σεμνότεροι ἢ βαρύτεροι
The conjunction ἢ connects two comparative adjectives, expressing a preference or selective comparison: "dignified rather than heavy/burdensome (to others)."
- 1391b1ἔχουσιν πρὸς τὸ θεῖόν πως
The verb ἔχω combined with the prepositional phrase πρὸς... and the indefinite adverb πως ('somehow') acts intransitively, meaning "they are somehow disposed toward the divine," implying a certain attitude or relation.