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Aristotle · Aristotelean Divisions §A.60_col2-A.1_col2

Divisions of Music, Nobility, Beauty, and the Soul

Passage 4 of 19 · Greek

Summary

This chunk presents the definitions and subdivisions of several key philosophical concepts—'music', 'nobility', 'beauty', and 'the soul'—according to the academic classification traditions, detailing their respective activities and concrete examples.

§A.60_col2## ἡ μουσική.
## Music.
διαιρεῖται ἡ μουσικὴ εἰς τρία· ἔστι γὰρ αὐτῆς ἓν μὲν αὐτοῦ τοῦ στόματος ἔργον, ἓν δὲ χειρῶν καὶ στόματος, ἓν δὲ μόνον 〈τῶν χειρῶν.
Music is divided into three: for one of it is the work of the mouth itself, one of the hands and the mouth, and one of the hands alone.
τὸ μὲν οὖν〉 αὐτοῦ τοῦ στόματος ἔργον οἷον αἵ τε ᾠδαὶ καὶ οἱ τερετισμοὶ καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα, τῶν δὲ χειρῶν καὶ τοῦ στόματος ἥ τε χοραυλητικὴ καὶ [αὐλητικὴ] τὰ ὅμοια, τῶν δὲ χειρῶν ἡ κιθαριστικὴ καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα.
The work of the mouth itself is, for example, singing and warbling (humming) and such things; and that of the hands and the mouth is flute-accompaniment to a chorus and the like; and that of the hands is lyre-playing and such things.
§A.10_col1## ἡ εὐγλενεια.
## Nobility.
διαιρεῖται δὲ ἡ εὐγένεια εἰς εἴδη τέτταρα.
Nobility is divided into four kinds.
ἓν μέν, ἐὰν ὦσιν οἱ πρόγονοι καλοὶ κἀγαθοῖ καὶ δίκαιοι, τοὺς ἐκ τούτων γεγεννημένους εὐγενεῖς φασιν εἶναι· ἄλλο δέ, ἐὰν ὦσιν οἱ πρόγονοι δεδυναστευκότες καὶ ἄρχοντες γεγενημένοι, τοὺς ἐκ τούτων εὐγενεῖς φασιν εἶναι. ἄλλο δέ, ἐὰν ὦσιν οἱ πρόγονοι ὀνομαστοί, οἷον ἀπὸ στρατηγίας, ἀπὸ στεφανιτῶν ἀγώνων· καὶ γὰρ τοὺς ἐκ τούτων γεγεννημένους εὐγενεῖς προσαγορεύομεν. | ἄλλο εἶδος, ἐὰν αὐτός τις ᾖ γεννάδας τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ μεγαλόψυχος, καὶ τοῦτον εὐγενῆ φασὶν εἶναι·
One, if the ancestors are good, noble, and just, they say that those born from them are noble; and another, if the ancestors were rulers and leaders, they say that those born from them are noble; and another, if the ancestors are famous, for example from generalship or from crown-bearing contests, for we also address those born from them as noble. | Another kind is if someone is noble in soul and magnanimous, they say that this person too is noble; and this indeed is the best kind of nobility.
καὶ τῆς γε εὐγενείας αὕτη κρατίστη. τῆς ἄρα εὐγενείας τὸ μὲν ἀπὸ προγόνων ἐπιεικῶν, τὸ δὲ δυναστῶν, τὸ δὲ ἐνδόξων, τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτοῦ καλοκἀγαθίας.
Therefore, of nobility, some is from noble ancestors, some from rulers, some from famous people, and some from one's own goodness.
§A.10_col2## ἡ εὐγλενεια.
## Nobility.
διαιρεῖται ἡ εὐγένεια εἰς τρία· ἔστι γὰρ αὐτῆς ἓν μὲν ἀπὸ ἐνδόξων καὶ ὀνομαστῶν γονέων γεγονέναι, οἷον ἀπὸ βασιλέων καὶ ἀρχόντων [γεγονέναι] ἢ ἄλλην τινὰ δόξαν ἐχόντων· τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ σπουδαίων καὶ δικαίων, οἷον ἀπὸ Ξενοφῶντος καὶ Νείλου καὶ τῶν τοιούτων· τὸ δὲ ἀπ’ αὐτῆς τῆς τοῦ ἔχοντος ἀρετῆς, οἷον ἐὰν ᾖ γενναῖος καὶ μεγαλοπρεπὴς καὶ δίκαιος καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ τοιαῦτα.
Nobility is divided into three: for one of it is to be born of famous and renowned parents, such as to be born of kings and rulers or of those who have some other fame; another is to be born of excellent and just people, such as from Xenophon, Neilos, and such; and another is from the virtue of the possessor himself, such as if he is noble, magnificent, just, and other such things.
τῆς εὐγενείας 〈ἄρα〉 ἓν μέν ἐστι τὸ ἀπὸ ἐνδόξων καὶ ὀνομαστῶν προγόνων γεγονέναι, ἓν δὲ τὸ ἀπὸ σπουδαίων καὶ δικαίων, ἓν δὲ τὸ ἀπ’ αὐτῆς τῆς τοῦ ἔχοντος ἀρετῆς.
Therefore, of nobility, one is to be born of famous and renowned ancestors, one is from excellent and just people, and one is from the virtue of the possessor himself.
§A.11_col1## τὸ κάλλος.
## Beauty.
τὸ κάλλος διαιρεῖται εἰς τρία· ἓν μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ἐπαινετόν, οἷον ἡ διὰ τῆς ὄψεως εὐμορφία· ἄλλο δὲ χρηστικόν, οἷον ὄργανον καὶ οἰκία καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα πρὸς χρῆσίν ἐστι καλά· τὰ δὲ πρὸς νόμους καὶ ἐπιτηδεύματα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα πρὸς ὠφέλειάν ἐστι καλά.
Beauty is divided into three: for one of it is praiseworthy, such as beauty through sight; another is useful, such as an instrument, a house, and such things are beautiful for use; and those concerning laws, practices, and such things are beautiful for benefit.
τοῦ ἄρα κάλλους τὸ μέν ἐστι πρὸς ἔπαινον, τὸ δὲ πρὸς χρῆσιν, τὸ δὲ πρὸς ὠφέλειαν.
Therefore, of beauty, some is for praise, some for use, and some for benefit.
§A.62_col2## τὸ κάλλος.
## Beauty.
διαιρεῖται τὸ κάλλος εἰς τρία· ἓν μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ἐπαινετόν, οἷον ἡ διὰ τῆς ὄψεως εὐμορφία· ἄλλο δὲ χρηστικόν, οἷον ὄργανον καὶ οἰκία καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα πρὸς χρῆσίν εἰσι καλά· τὰ δὲ πρὸς ὠφέλειαν, οἷον νόμος καλὸς καὶ ἐπιτηδεύματα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα πρὸς ὠφέλειάν εἰσι καλά.
Beauty is divided into three: for one of it is praiseworthy, such as beauty through sight; another is useful, such as an instrument, a house, and such things are beautiful for use; and some for benefit, such as a beautiful law, practices, and such things are beautiful for benefit.
§A.12_col1## ἡ ψυχή.
## Soul.
ἡ ψυχὴ διαιρεῖται εἰς τρία· τὸ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῆς ἐστι λογιστικόν, τὸ δὲ ἐπιθυμητικόν, τὸ δὲ θυμικόν.
The soul is divided into three: for some of it is the rational part, some the appetitive, and some the spirited.
τούτων δὲ τὸ μὲν λογιστικόν ἐστιν αἴτιον τοῦ βουλεύεσθαί τε καὶ λογίζεσθαι καὶ διανοεῖσθαι καὶ τῶν τοιούτων πάντῶν· τὸ δὲ ἐπιθυμητικὸν μέρος τῆς ψυχῆς ἐστιν αἴτιον τοῦ ἐπιθυμεῖν φαγεῖν καὶ τοῦ πλησιάσαι καὶ τῶν τοιούτων πάντων. τὸ δὲ θυμικὸν μέρος αἴτιόν ἐστι τοῦ θαρρεῖν καὶ ἥδεσθαι καὶ λυπεῖσθαι καὶ ὀργίζεσθαι.
Of these, the rational part is the cause of deliberating, reasoning, thinking, and all such things; and the appetitive part of the soul is the cause of desiring to eat, of sexual union, and all such things; and the spirited part is the cause of being bold, of feeling pleasure, of feeling pain, and of being angry.
τῆς ἄρα ψυχῆς ἐστι τὸ μὲν λογιστικόν, τὸ δὲ ἐπιθυμητικόν, τὸ δὲ θυμικόν.
Therefore, of the soul, some is rational, some appetitive, and some spirited.
§A.1_col2## ἡ ψυχή.
## Soul.
διαιρεῖται ἡ ψυχὴ εἰς τρία· ἔστι γὰρ αὐτῆς ἓν μὲν λογιστικόν, ἓν δὲ θυμικόν, ἓν δὲ ἐπιθυμητικόν.
The soul is divided into three: for of it, one is rational, one spirited, and one appetitive.
ἔστι δὲ τὸ μὲν λογιστικόν, ᾧ λογιζόμεθα· τὸ δὲ ἐπιθυμητικόν, ᾧ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας ἀναλαμβάνομεν· τὸ δὲ θυμικόν, ᾧ θυμούμεθα καὶ ὀργιζόμεθα καὶ θαρσοῦμεν καὶ ἀμυνόμεθα καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ τοιαῦτα.
And the rational is that by which we reason; the appetitive is that by which we assume desires; and the spirited is that by which we are spirited, angry, bold, defend ourselves, and other such things.
τῆς ψυχῆς ἄρα τὸ μέν ἐστι λογιστικόν, τὸ δὲ θυμικόν, τὸ δὲ ἐπιθυμητικόν.
Therefore, of the soul, some is rational, some spirited, and some appetitive.

Notes

  1. A.60_col2αὐτοῦ τοῦ στόματος ἔργον — The demonstrative pronoun αὐτοῦ is used as an intensive modifier directly agreeing with the genitive noun, meaning 'of the mouth itself', emphasizing the pure vocal activity in contrast to the joint activity of the hands and the mouth.
  2. A.10_col1τοὺς ἐκ τούτων γεγεννημένους εὐγενεῖς φασιν εἶναι — An accusative-with-infinitve (A.C.I.) construction introduced by the active third-person plural φασίν (they say). The subject of the infinitive εἶναι is the accusative participle phrase τοὺς γεγεννημένους, and εὐγενεῖς functions as its predicate accusative.
  3. A.10_col1γεννάδας τὴν ψυχὴν — τὴν ψυχὴν is an accusative of respect (or specification), qualifying the adjective/noun γεννάδας to specify the domain of nobility: 'noble in respect to the soul' or 'noble in soul'.
  4. A.11_col1πρὸς χρῆσίν ἐστι καλά — The preposition πρός combined with the accusative χρῆσιν denotes purpose, suitability, or viewpoint: 'beautiful for the purpose of use' or 'beautiful in respect to use'.
  5. A.12_col1τοῦ βουλεύεσθαί τε καὶ λογίζεσθαι — A coordination of articular infinitives in the genitive neuter singular, functioning as genitive complements depending on the noun αἴτιον ('cause of deliberating and reasoning').
  6. A.1_col2ᾧ λογιζόμεθα — The relative pronoun ᾧ (dative neuter singular, with the preceding substantivized adjective λογιστικόν as antecedent) functions as a dative of means or instrument, meaning 'by means of which we reason'.

Cite this passage

Aristotle, Aristotelean Divisions §A.60_col2-A.1_col2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0086.tlg048.humanitext-grc1:A.60_col2-A.1_col2

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