§1.26.1μεγαλοπρέπεια δʼ ἐστὶν μεσότης σαλακωνείας καὶ μικροπρεπείας.
Magnificence is a mean between vulgar ostentation and pettiness.
ἔστιν δʼ ἡ μεγαλοπρέπεια περὶ δαπάνας ἂς τῷ πρέποντι γίνεσθαι προσήκει.
Magnificence is concerned with expenses which it is fitting should be made in a proper manner.
ὅστις μὲν οὖν δανανᾷ οὗ μὴ δεῖ, σαλάκων, οἷον εἴ τις ἑστιᾷ ἐρανιστὰς ὡς ἂν γάμους τις ἑστιῶν, ὁ τοιοῦτος σαλάκων (ὁ γὰρ σαλάκων τοιοῦτός ἐστιν, ὁ ἐν ᾧ μὴ δεῖ καιρῷ ἐνδεικνύμενος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ εὐπορίαν)·
Therefore, whoever spends where he ought not is vulgar, as, for instance, if someone entertains members of a club-dinner as if he were entertaining a wedding-feast; such a person is vulgar (for the vulgar person is of this kind, one who displays his own wealth at a time when he ought not).
§1.26.2ὁ δὲ μικροπρεπὴς ὁ ἐναντίος τούτῳ, ὃς οὗ δεῖ μὴ μεγαλείως δαπανήσει, ἢ τοῦτο μὴ ποιῶν, οἷον εἰς γάμους ἢ χορηγίαν δαπανῶν, μὴ ἀξίως ἀλλʼ ἐνδεῶς, ὁ τοιοῦτος μικροπρεπής.
On the other hand, the petty man is the opposite of this, who will not spend magnificently where he ought, or by not doing this—for example, when spending on a wedding or a chorus—does so not worthily but deficiently; such a person is petty.
§1.26.3ἡ δὲ μεγαλοπτρέπεια καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὀνόματος φανερά ἐστιν οὖσα τοιαύτη οἵαν λέγομεν· ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῷ πρέποντι τὸ μέγα δαπανᾷ, ὀρθῶς τῇ μεγαλοπρεπείᾳ τοὔνομα κεῖται.
And magnificence is clear from its very name as being of the kind we describe; for since he spends what is great at the fitting time, the name "magnificence" is correctly applied to it.
ἡ μεγαλοπρέπεια ἄρα ἂν εἴη, ἐπειδή ἐστιν ἐπαινετή, μεσότης τις ἐλλείψεως καὶ ὑπερβολῆς τῆς περὶ δαπάνας τὰς προσηκούσας, ἐν οἷς δεῖ εἰσὶ δέ, ὡς οἴονται, καὶ πλείους μεγαλοπρέπειαι, οἷόν φασι μεγαλοπρεπῶς τʼ ἐβάδισε, καὶ ἄλλαι δὴ τοιαῦται μεγαλοπρέπειαι μεταφοραῖς λέγονται, οὐ κυρίως· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἐν τούτοις μεγαλοπρέπεια, ἀλλʼ ἐν οἷς εἰρήκαμεν. .
Magnificence, then, since it is praiseworthy, would be a certain mean between deficiency and excess regarding fitting expenses in the circumstances where they are required. But there are also, as they think, more kinds of magnificence; as they say, for instance, "he walked magnificently," and indeed other such magnificence is spoken of metaphorically, not in the proper sense; for magnificence is not in these things, but in those we have mentioned.