§4καθόλου μὲν εἰπεῖν, ὃ κατὰ τῶν τεχνῶν καὶ τῶν ἐπιστημῶν λέγειν εἰώθαμεν, ταὐτὸ καὶ κατὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς φατέον ἐστίν, ὡς εἰς τὴν παντελῆ δικαιοπραγίαν τρία δεῖ συνδραμεῖν, φύσιν καὶ λόγον καὶ ἔθος.
To speak generally, the very same thing that we are accustomed to say in the case of the arts and sciences must also be said in the case of virtue: namely, that for the attainment of perfect right action, three things must concur—nature, reason, and habit.
καλῶ δὲ λόγον μὲν τὴν μάθησιν, ἔθος δὲ τὴν ἄσκησιν.
And I call reason learning, and habit training.
εἰσὶ δʼ αἱ μὲν ἀρχαὶ τῆς φύσεως, αἱ δὲ προκοπαὶ τῆς μαθήσεως, αἱ δὲ χρήσεις τῆς μελέτης, αἱ δʼ ἀκρότητες πάντων.
And the beginnings belong to nature, the progresses to learning, the uses to practice, and the summits to all of them.
καθʼ ὃ δʼ ἂν λειφθῇ τούτων, κατὰ τοῦτʼ ἀνάγκη χωλὴν γίγνεσθαι τὴν ἀρετήν.
And in whichever of these there is a deficiency, in that respect virtue must of necessity become lame.
ἡ μὲν γὰρ φύσις ἄνευ μαθήσεως τυφλόν, ἡ δὲ μάθησις δίχα φύσεως ἐλλιπές, ἡ δʼ ἄσκησις χωρὶς ἀμφοῖν ἀτελές.
For nature without learning is blind, and learning apart from nature is incomplete, and training without both is ineffective.
ὥσπερ δʼ ἐπὶ τῆς γεωργίας πρῶτον μὲν ἀγαθὴν ὑπάρξαι δεῖ τὴν γῆν, εἶτα δὲ τὸν φυτουργὸν ἐπιστήμονα, εἶτα τὰ σπέρματα σπουδαῖα, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον γῇ μὲν ἔοικεν ἡ φύσις, γεωργῷ δʼ ὁ παιδεύων, σπέρματι δʼ αἱ τῶν λόγων ὑποθῆκαι καὶ τὰ παραγγέλματα.
And just as in agriculture there must first be good soil, then a knowledgeable husbandman, and then excellent seeds; in the same way, nature resembles the soil, the educator the husbandman, and the precepts and instructions of reason resemble the seed.
ταῦτα πάντα διατεινάμενος ἂν εἴποιμʼ ὅτι συνῆλθε καὶ συνέπνευσεν εἰς τὰς τῶν παρʼ ἅπασιν ᾀδομένων ψυχάς, Πυθαγόρου καὶ Σωκράτους καὶ Πλάτωνος καί τῶν ὅσοι δόξης ἀειμνήστου τετυχήκασιν.
I would confidently assert that all these things came together and harmonized in the souls of those who are celebrated by everyone—Pythagoras, Socrates, and Plato, and all who have obtained ever-memorable glory.
εὔδαιμον μέν οὖν καὶ θεοφιλές εἴ τῳ ταῦτα πάντα θεῶν τις ἀπέδωκεν.
Happy, therefore, and beloved of God is he to whom some one of the gods has granted all these things.
εἰ δέ τις οἴεται τοὺς οὐκ εὖ πεφυκότας μαθήσεως καὶ μελέτης τυχόντας ὀρθῆς πρὸς ἀρετὴν οὐκ ἂν τὴν τῆς φύσεως ἐλάττωσιν εἰς τοὐνδεχόμενον ἀναδραμεῖν, ἴστω πολλοῦ, μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦ παντὸς διαμαρτάνων.
But if anyone thinks that those who are not well endowed by nature, if they obtain correct learning and practice, cannot, in relation to virtue, make up for the deficiency of their nature as far as possible, let him know that he is missing the mark by much, or rather, entirely.
φύσεως μὲν γὰρ ἀρετὴν διαφθείρει ῥᾳθυμία, φαυλότητα δʼ ἐπανορθοῖ διδαχή· καὶ τὰ μὲν ῥᾴδια τοὺς ἀμελοῦντας φεύγει, τὰ δὲ χαλεπὰ ταῖς ἐπιμελείαις ἁλίσκεται.
For sluggishness destroys the excellence of nature, while instruction corrects its badness; and easy things escape those who are negligent, while difficult things are captured by diligence.
καταμάθοις δʼ ἂν ὡς ἀνύσιμον πρᾶγμα καὶ τελεσιουργὸν ἐπιμέλεια καὶ πόνος ἐστίν, ἐπὶ πολλὰ τῶν γιγνομένων ἐπιβλέψας.
And you might learn how effective and perfecting a thing diligence and labor are, by looking at many of the things that happen.
σταγόνες μὲν γὰρ ὕδατος πέτρας κοιλαίνουσι, σίδηρος δὲ καὶ χαλκὸς ταῖς ἐπαφαῖς τῶν χειρῶν ἐκτρίβονται, οἱ δʼ ἁρμάτειοι τροχοὶ πόνῳ καμφθέντες οὐδʼ ἂν εἴ τι γένοιτο τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς δύναιντʼ ἀναλαβεῖν εὐθυωρίαν· τάς γε μὴν καμπύλας τῶν ὑποκριτῶν βακτηρίας ἀπευθύνειν ἀμήχανον, ἀλλὰ τὸ παρὰ φύσιν τῷ πόνῳ τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν ἐγένετο κρεῖττον.
For drops of water hollow out stones, and iron and bronze are worn away by the touch of hands, and chariot wheels, having been bent by labor, could not, no matter what should happen, recover their original straightness; and on the other hand, it is impossible to straighten the bent staffs of actors; but that which is contrary to nature became, through labor, stronger than that which is according to nature.
καὶ μόνα ἆρα ταῦτα τὴν τῆς ἐπιμελείας ἰσχὺν διαδείκνυσιν;
And do these things alone demonstrate the strength of diligence?
οὔκ, ἀλλὰ καὶ μυρίʼ ἐπὶ μυρίοις.
No, but indeed countless others besides.
ἀγαθὴ γῆ πέφυκεν· ἀλλʼ ἀμεληθεῖσα χερσεύεται, καὶ ὅσῳ τῇ φύσει βελτίων ἐστί, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον ἐξαργηθεῖσα διʼ ἀμέλειαν ἐξαπόλλυται.
A soil is fertile by nature; but if neglected, it becomes barren, and the better it is by nature, the more it is ruined through neglect by being left uncultivated.
ἀλλʼ ἔστιτις ἀπόκροτος καὶ τραχυτέρα τοῦ δέοντος· ἀλλὰ γεωργηθεῖσα παραυτίκα γενναίους καρποὺς ἐξήνεγκε.
But there is some soil that is stony and rougher than it should be; yet when cultivated, it immediately bears noble crops.
ποῖα δὲ δένδρα οὐκ ὀλιγωρηθέντα μὲν στρεβλὰ φύεται καὶ ἄκαρπα καθίσταται, τυχόντα δʼ ὀρθῆς παιδαγωγίας ἔγκαρπα γίγνεται καὶ τελεσφόρα;
And what trees, if neglected, do not grow crooked and become barren, but if they obtain proper care, become fruitful and productive?
ποία δὲ σώματος ἰσχὺς οὐκ ἐξαμβλοῦται καὶ καταφθίνει διʼ ἀμέλειαν καὶ τρυφὴν καὶ καχεξίαν;
And what bodily strength is not blunted and does not waste away through neglect, luxury, and bad habit of body?
τίς δʼ ἀσθενὴς φύσις οὐ τοῖς γυμνασαμένοις καὶ καταθλήσασι πλεῖστον εἰς ἰσχὺν ἐπέδωκε;
And what weak nature has not, for those who exercise and train hard, advanced enormously in strength?
τίνες δʼ ἵπποι καλῶς πωλοδαμνηθέντες δʼ ἀδάμαστοι μείναντες οὐ σκληραύχενες καὶ οὐκ εὐπειθεῖς ἐγένοντο τοῖς ἀναβάταις; θυμοειδεῖς ἀπέβησαν;
And what horses, if well broken-in, [do not become obedient? But] remaining untamed, do they not become stiff-necked and disobedient to their riders, and turn out wild-spirited?
καὶ τί δεῖ τἄλλα θαυμάζειν, ὅπου γε τῶν θηρίων τῶν ἀγριωτάτων ὁρῶμεν πολλὰ καὶ τιθασευόμενα καὶ χειροήθη γιγνόμενα τοῖς πόνοις;
And why is there any need to wonder at other things, when indeed we see many of the wildest beasts being tamed and made gentle by effort?
εὖ δὲ καὶ ὁ Θετταλὸς ἐρωτηθείς τίνες εἰσὶν οἱ ἠπιώτατοι Θετταλῶν, ἔφη
οἱ παυόμενοι πολεμεῖν
καὶ τί δεῖ τὰ πολλὰ λέγειν;
And well did the Thessalian, when asked who were the gentlest of the Thessalians, say: 'Those who cease to make war.' And why is there need to speak at length?
καὶ γὰρ τὸ ἦθος ἔθος ἐστὶ πολυχρόνιον, καὶ τὰς ἠθικὰς ἀρετὰς ἐθικὰς ἄν τις λέγῃ, οὐκ ἄν τι πλημμελεῖν δόξειεν.
For character (ethos) is long-continued habit (ethos), and if one were to call ethical virtues 'habitual' virtues, he would not seem to make any mistake.
ἑνὶ δὲ περὶ τούτων ἔτι παραδείγματι χρησάμενος ἀπαλλάξομαι τοῦ ἔτι περὶ αὐτῶν μηκύνειν.
But using one more example concerning these things, I shall rid myself of lengthening the discourse further about them.
Λυκοῦργος γὰρ ὁ τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων νομοθέτης δύο σκύλακας τῶν αὐτῶν γονέων λαβὼν οὐδὲν ὁμοίως ἀλλήλοις ἤγαγεν, ἀλλὰ τὸν μὲν λίχνον ἀπέφηνε καὶ σινάμωρον, τὸν δʼ ἐξιχνεύειν καὶ θηρᾶν δυνατόν.
For Lycurgus, the lawgiver of the Lacedaemonians, took two puppies of the same parents and brought them up in no way like each other, but made one greedy and mischievous, and the other capable of tracking and hunting.
εἶτά ποτε τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων εἰς ταὐτὸ συνειλεγμένων,
μεγάλη τοι ῥοπὴ πρὸς ἀρετῆς κύησίν ἐστιν ἄνδρες
ἔφησε
Λακεδαιμόνιοι καὶ ἔθη καὶ παιδεῖαι καὶ διδασκαλίαι καὶ βίων ἀγωγαί, καὶ ἐγὼ ταῦθʼ ὑμῖν αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα ποιήσω φανερά
εἶτα προσαγαγὼν τοὺς δύο σκύλακας διαφῆκε, καταθεὶς εἰς μέσον λοπάδα καὶ λαγωὸν κατευθὺ τῶν σκυλάκων.
Then once, when the Lacedaemonians were gathered together in the same place, 'A great influence indeed toward the generation of virtue, O Lacedaemonian men,' he said, 'are habits, educations, instructions, and modes of life; and I will make this very clear to you right now.' Then, having brought forward the two puppies, he let them loose, having placed in the middle a dish and a hare right in front of the puppies.
καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐπὶ τὸν λαγωὸν ᾖξεν, ὁ δʼ ἐπὶ τὴν λοπάδα ὥρμησε.
And one rushed toward the hare, while the other dashed toward the dish.
τῶν δὲ Λακεδαιμονίων οὐδέπω συμβαλεῖν ἐχόντων τί ποτʼ αὐτῷ τοῦτο δύναται καὶ τί βουλόμενος τοὺς σκύλακας ἐπεδείκνυεν,
οὗτοι γονέων
ἔφη
τῶν αὐτῶν ἀμφότεροι, διαφόρου δὲ τυχόντες ἀγωγῆς ὁ μὲν λίχνος ὁ δὲ θηρευτὴς ἀποβέβηκε
καὶ περὶ μὲν ἐθῶν καὶ βίων ἀρκείτω ταῦτα.
And since the Lacedaemonians were not yet able to comprehend what this meant for him, and with what intention he was showing the puppies, 'These,' he said, 'are both of the same parents, but having received a different upbringing, one turned out greedy and the other a hunter.' And concerning habits and ways of life, let these things suffice.