Humanitext Reader

Aristotle · Great Ethics §2.4.1-2.4.3

Peculiarity of Self-Control and Three Bad States

Passage 47 of 71 · Greek

Summary

Introducing a new inquiry into self-control and lack of self-control, pointing out that self-control differs from other virtues by involving a conflict between reason and passion, and listing three bad states of the soul: vice, lack of self-control, and brutality.

§2.4.1ταῦτα μὲν μέχρι τούτου·
These things, then, up to this point.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν ἑτέραν ἀρχὴν ποιησαμένοις λέγειν ὑπὲρ ἐγκρατείας καὶ ἀκρασίας.
After this, it is necessary for us, having made another beginning, to speak about self-control and lack of self-control.
ὥσπερ δὲ [καὶ] ἡ ἀρετὴ καὶ ἡ κακία αὗταί εἰσιν ἄτοποι, ὡσαύτως ἀναγκαῖον καὶ τοὺς περὶ τούτων λόγους λεχθησομένους ἀτόπους γίνεσθαι·
And just as these states, though called virtue and vice, are peculiar, in the same way it is necessary that the arguments to be spoken about them also become peculiar.
§2.4.2οὐ γὰρ ὁμοία ἡ ἀρετὴ αὕτη ἐστὶν ταῖς ἄλλαις.
For this virtue is not like the others.
ἐν μὲν γὰρ ταῖς ἄλλαις ἐπὶ ταὐτὰ καὶ ὁ λόγος καὶ τὰ πάθη ὁρμῶσιν καὶ οὐκ ἐναντιοῦνται ἀλλήλοις, ἐπὶ δὲ ταύτης ἐναντιοῦνται ἀλλήλοις ὅ τε λόγος καὶ τὰ πάθη.
For in the others both reason and passions urge towards the same things and do not oppose each other, but in this one both reason and passions oppose each other.
§2.4.3— ἔστι δὲ τρία τὰ ἐν τῇ ψυχ γινόμενα, καθʼ ἃ φαῦλοι λεγόμεθα, κακία ἀκρασία θηριότης.
And there are three things that come to be in the soul, according to which we are called bad: vice, lack of self-control, and brutality.
ὑπὲρ μὲν οὖν κακίας καὶ ἀρετῆς τί ἐστι καὶ ἐν τίσιν, εἴρηται ἡμῖν ἐν τοῖς ἐπάνω· νῦν δὲ ὑπὲρ ἀκρασίας καὶ θηριότητος λεκτέον ἂν εἴη.
Now, concerning what vice and virtue are, and in what things they consist, has been stated by us in the preceding parts; but now we must speak about lack of self-control and brutality.

Notes

  1. §2.4.1ἡ ἀρετὴ καὶ ἡ κακία αὗται — 'These virtues and vices (αὗται)' refers to 'self-control (ἐγκράτεια) and lack of self-control (ἀκρασία)' introduced just before. Although they are categorized under virtue and vice, they are called 'peculiar (ἄτοποι)' because, unlike ordinary virtues and vices, they involve conflict between reason and passion.
  2. §2.4.2ἡ ἀρετὴ αὕτη — 'This virtue (ἡ ἀρετὴ αὕτη)' refers to 'self-control (ἐγκράτεια)'. In this context, self-control is a state where reason triumphs over passion, and is distinguished from ordinary 'virtue' where reason and passion are in harmony.
  3. §2.4.3τὰ ἐν τῇ ψυχ — The incomplete reading 'ψυχ' in the Greek text is treated as a scribal error or omission for the dative form 'ψυχῇ' (in the soul) and is thus translated as 'things that come to be in the soul (τὰ ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ γινόμενα)'.

Cite this passage

Aristotle, Great Ethics §2.4.1-2.4.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0086.tlg022.humanitext-grc1:2.4.1-2.4.3

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