Humanitext Reader

Aristotle · Economics §1.4.1-1.4.3

Moral Conduct Between Husband and Wife and Her Upbringing

Passage 4 of 15 · Greek

Summary

The author discusses the moral rules governing husband and wife, stating that a husband must not commit infidelity, must train his wife to be self-sufficient in his presence or absence, and must avoid false pretenses in both character and physical adornment.

§1.4.1πρῶτον μὲν οὖν νόμοι πρὸς γυναῖκα, καὶ τὸ μὴ ἀδικεῖν· οὕτως γὰρ ἂν οὐδʼ αὐτὸς ἀδικοῖτο.
First, then, there are rules towards a wife, and especially not to wrong her; for in this way a man himself would not be wronged either.
τοῦθʼ ὑφηγεῖται δὲ καὶ ὁ κοινὸς νόμος, καθάπερ οἱ Πυθαγόρειοι λέγουσιν, ὥσπερ ἱκέτιν καὶ ἀφʼ ἑστίας ἠγμένην ὡς ἥκιστα δεῖν ἀδικεῖν· ἀδικία δὲ ἀνδρὸς αἱ θύραζε συνουσίαι γιγνόμεναι.
And this is what the common law also guides us in, as the Pythagoreans say, that it is least of all proper to wrong her, as she is a suppliant and led from her hearth; and the wrong-doing of a husband consists in associations that occur outside the home.
§1.4.2περὶ δὲ ὁμιλίας μήθʼ ὥστε δεῖσθαι μηθὲν μήθʼ ὡς ἀπόντος ἀδυνατεῖν ἡσυχάζειν, ἀλλʼ οὕτως ἐθίζειν ὥστε ἱκανῶς ἔχειν παρόντος καὶ μὴ παρόντος.
Regarding intercourse, one should accustom her neither to lack anything nor to be unable to remain quiet when he is absent, but to accustom her in such a way that she is self-sufficient whether he is present or absent.
εὖ δʼ ἔχει καὶ τὸ τοῦ Ἡσιόδου. " παρθενικὴν δὲ γαμεῖν, ἵνα ἤθεα κεδνὰ διδάξῃς.
And Hesiod's saying is also good: "And marry a virgin, so that you may teach her cherished habits.
" αἱ γὰρ ἀνομοιότητες τῶν ἠθῶν ἥκιστα φιλικόν.
"For dissimilarities of character are least of all friendly.
§1.4.3περὶ δὲ κοσμήσεως, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ τὰ ἤθη δεῖ ἀλαζονευομένους ἀλλήλοις πλησιάζειν, οὕτως οὐδὲ τὰ σώματα.
And regarding adornment, just as they must not approach each other with false pretenses in their characters, so must they not do so in their bodies either.
ἡ δὲ διὰ τῆς κοσμήσεως οὐδὲν διαφέρουσά ἐστι τῆς τῶν τραγῳδῶν ἐν τῇ σκευῇ πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὁμιλία.
For the association through adornment is no different from the intercourse of tragic actors with one another in their stage costumes.

Notes

  1. §1.4.1πρῶτον μὲν οὖν νόμοι πρὸς γυναῖκα — The main verb (such as εἰσίν) is omitted. πρὸς γυναῖκα indicates the relationship "towards a wife." The subsequent καὶ τὸ μὴ ἀδικεῖν is an articular infinitive phrase acting in apposition to or explaining the content of the "laws (νόμοι)."
  2. §1.4.1ὥσπερ ἱκέτιν καὶ ἀφʼ ἑστίας ἠγμένην ὡς ἥκιστα δεῖν ἀδικεῖν — This is an accusative and infinitive construction (δεῖν + accusative), where ἱκέτιν and ἠγμένην are accusative complements modifying the omitted female object (the wife). The phrase ἀφʼ ἑστίας ἠγμένην refers to a bride led from her paternal hearth to her husband's home, emphasizing her status as someone to be protected, much like a suppliant (ἱκέτιν).
  3. §1.4.2ἀλλʼ οὕτως ἐθίζειν — The infinitive ἐθίζειν is used as an infinitive of command (jussive infinitive). The subject is the husband, who is instructed "to accustom" his wife. The preceding negative clauses (μήθʼ ὥστε... μήθʼ ὡς...) are subordinate to this or depend on an implied verb of obligation.
  4. §1.4.3ἡ δὲ διὰ τῆς κοσμήσεως — The noun ὁμιλία (association/intercourse) is omitted after the feminine singular article ἡ. It is easily supplied from the preceding context and the subsequent comparative phrase τῆς τῶν τραγῳδῶν... ὁμιλία.

Cite this passage

Aristotle, Economics §1.4.1-1.4.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0086.tlg029.humanitext-grc2:1.4.1-1.4.3

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