§4.2#2διὸ πένης μὲν οὐκ ἂν εἴη μεγαλοπρεπής· οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ἀφʼ ὧν πολλὰ δαπανήσει πρεπόντως·
Therefore, a poor person cannot be magnificent; for he does not possess the resources from which to spend large sums suitably.
ὁ δʼ ἐπιχειρῶν ἠλίθιος· παρὰ τὴν ἀξίαν γὰρ καὶ τὸ δέον, κατʼ ἀρετὴν δὲ τὸ ὀρθῶς.
And he who attempts it is foolish; for it is contrary to what is fitting and what is right, whereas action in accordance with virtue must be done correctly.
πρέπει δὲ οἷς τοιαῦτα προϋπάρχει διʼ αὐτῶν ἢ τῶν προγόνων ἢ ὧν αὐτοῖς μέτεστιν, καὶ τοῖς εὐγενέσι καὶ τοῖς ἐνδόξοις καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα· πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα μέγεθος ἔχει καὶ ἀξίωμα.
But magnificence is suitable for those who have such resources ready to hand, whether through themselves, their ancestors, or those with whom they are connected, as well as for the well-born, the illustrious, and the like; for all these possess greatness and dignity.
μάλιστα μὲν οὖν τοιοῦτος ὁ μεγαλοπρεπής, καὶ ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις δαπανήμασιν ἡ μεγαλοπρέπεια, ὥσπερ εἴρηται· μέγιστα γὰρ καὶ ἐντιμότατα·
Thus, the magnificent person is preeminently of this kind, and magnificence consists, as has been said, in such expenditures; for these are the greatest and most prized.
τῶν δὲ ἰδίων ὅσα εἰσάπαξ γίνεται, οἷον γάμος καὶ εἴ τι τοιοῦτον, καὶ εἰ περί τι ἡ πᾶσα πόλις σπουδάζει ἢ οἱ ἐν ἀξιώματι, καὶ περὶ ξένων δὲ ὑποδοχὰς καὶ ἀποστολάς, καὶ δωρεὰς καὶ ἀντιδωρεάς·
Of private expenditures, on the other hand, magnificence is found in those that occur only once, such as a wedding and the like, and in matters about which the whole city or those of high standing are serious, as well as in the reception and send-off of foreign guests, and in gifts and counter-gifts.
οὐ γὰρ εἰς ἑαυτὸν δαπανηρὸς ὁ μεγαλοπρεπὴς ἀλλʼ εἰς τὰ κοινά, τὰ δὲ δῶρα τοῖς ἀναθήμασιν ἔχει τι ὅμοιον.
For the magnificent person does not spend on himself but on public causes, and gifts have a certain similarity to votive offerings.
μεγαλοπρεποῦς δὲ καὶ οἶκον κατασκευάσασθαι πρεπόντως τῷ πλούτῳ (κόσμος γάρ τις καὶ οὗτος), καὶ περὶ ταῦτα μᾶλλον δαπανᾶν ὅσα πολυχρόνια τῶν ἔργων (κάλλιστα γὰρ ταῦτα), καὶ ἐν ἑκάστοις τὸ πρέπον·
It is also characteristic of a magnificent person to build his house in a manner suitable to his wealth (for this too is a kind of ornament), and to spend preferably on those works that are long-lasting (for these are the finest), and to observe what is suitable in each case.
οὐ γὰρ ταὐτὰ ἁρμόζει θεοῖς καὶ ἀνθρώποις, οὐδʼ ἐν ἱερῷ καὶ τάφῳ.
For the same things do not suit gods and humans, nor a temple and a tomb.
καὶ ἐπεὶ τῶν δαπανημάτων ἕκαστον μέγα ἐν τῷ γένει, καὶ μεγαλοπρεπέστατον ἁπλῶς μὲν τὸ ἐν μεγάλῳ μέγα, ἐνταῦθα δὲ τὸ ἐν τούτοις μέγα, καὶ διαφέρει τὸ ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ μέγα τοῦ ἐν τῷ δαπανήματι· σφαῖρα μὲν γὰρ ἡ καλλίστη ἢ λήκυθος μεγαλοπρέπειαν ἔχει παιδικοῦ δώρου, ἡ δὲ τούτου τιμὴ μικρὸν καὶ ἀνελεύθερον·
And since each of these expenditures is great in its class, and what is most magnificent absolutely is greatness on a grand scale, but in a given case it is greatness in these particular circumstances, and greatness in the work differs from greatness in the expenditure; for the most beautiful ball or oil-flask has the magnificence of a child's gift, but its price is small and minor.
διὰ τοῦτό ἐστι τοῦ μεγαλοπρεποῦς, ἐν ᾧ ἂν ποιῇ γένει, μεγαλοπρεπῶς ποιεῖν (τὸ γὰρ τοιοῦτον οὐκ εὐυπέρβλητον) καὶ ἔχον κατʼ ἀξίαν τοῦ δαπανήματος.
For this reason, it is characteristic of the magnificent person, in whatever class he acts, to do it magnificently (for such a work is not easily surpassed) and in a way that is worthy of the expenditure.
τοιοῦτος μὲν οὖν ὁ μεγαλοπρεπής·
Such, then, is the magnificent person.
ὁ δʼ ὑπερβάλλων καὶ βάναυσος τῷ παρὰ τὸ δέον ἀναλίσκειν ὑπερβάλλει, ὥσπερ εἴρηται.
But the one who exceeds, the vulgar person, exceeds, as has been said, by spending contrary to what is right.
ἐν γὰρ τοῖς μικροῖς τῶν δαπανημάτων πολλὰ ἀναλίσκει καὶ λαμπρύνεται παρὰ μέλος, οἷον ἐρανιστὰς γαμικῶς ἑστιῶν, καὶ κωμῳδοῖς χορηγῶν ἐν τῇ παρόδῳ πορφύραν εἰσφέρων, ὥσπερ οἱ Μεγαροῖ.
For in small matters of expenditure, he spends much and makes a show out of tune, such as hosting club-members as if it were a wedding-feast, or, when providing a chorus for comedy, introducing purple robes at their entry, as they do in Megara.
καὶ πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα ποιήσει οὐ τοῦ καλοῦ ἕνεκα, ἀλλὰ τὸν πλοῦτον ἐπιδεικνύμενος, καὶ διὰ ταῦτα οἰόμενος θαυμάζεσθαι, καὶ οὗ μὲν δεῖ πολλὰ ἀναλῶσαι, ὀλίγα δαπανῶν, οὗ δʼ ὀλίγα, πολλά.
And he will do all such things not for the sake of the noble, but to display his wealth, thinking that he is admired because of these things; and where he ought to spend much, he spends little, and where little, much.
ὁ δὲ μικροπρεπὴς περὶ πάντα ἐλλείψει, καὶ τὰ μέγιστα ἀναλώσας ἐν μικρῷ τὸ καλὸν ἀπολεῖ, καὶ ὅ τι ἂν ποιῇ μέλλων καὶ σκοπῶν πῶς ἂν ἐλάχιστον ἀναλώσαι, καὶ ταῦτʼ ὀδυρόμενος, καὶ πάντʼ οἰόμενος μείζω ποιεῖν ἢ δεῖ.
But the mean person will fall short in everything, and after spending the greatest sums, he will ruin the beauty for a trifle; and whatever he does, he will hesitate and consider how he can spend the least, and lament even this, thinking that he is doing everything on a larger scale than he ought.
εἰσὶ μὲν οὖν αἱ ἕξεις αὗται κακίαι, οὐ μὴν ὀνείδη γʼ ἐπιφέρουσι διὰ τὸ μήτε βλαβεραὶ τῷ πέλας εἶναι μήτε λίαν ἀσχήμονες.
These states, then, are indeed vices, yet they do not bring disgrace, because they are neither harmful to one's neighbors nor excessively unseemly.