Humanitext Reader

Aristotle · Aristotelean Divisions §B.3-B.13

Divisions of Vice, Evils, and Motion

Passage 12 of 19 · Greek

Summary

The classifications of ethical concepts such as vice, bad things, ignorance, and low birth, as well as physical and linguistic concepts like motion and stasis, are presented.

§B.3## ἡ κακία.
## Vice.
διαιρεῖται ἡ κακία εἰς τέσσαρα.
Vice is divided into four.
ἔστι γὰρ αὐτῆς ἓν μὲν ἀφροσύνη, ἓν δὲ ἀδικία, ἓν δὲ δειλία, ἓν δὲ ἀκολασία.
For of it, one is folly, one injustice, one cowardice, and one licentiousness.
ἔστι δὲ ἡ μὲν ἀφροσύνη ἐν τῷ λογιστικῷ, ἡ δὲ ἀδικία ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις τοῖς μέρεσι γίνεται, ἡ δὲ δειλία ἐν τῷ θυμικῷ, ἡ δὲ ἀκολασία ἐν τῷ ἐπιθυμητικῷ.
Folly is in the rational part, injustice occurs in all these parts, cowardice is in the spirited part, and licentiousness is in the appetitive part.
τῆς κακίας ἄρα ἓν μέν ἐστιν ἀφροσύνη, ἓν δὲ ἀδικία, ἓν δὲ δειλία, ἓν δὲ ἀκολασία.
Therefore, of vice, one is folly, one injustice, one cowardice, and one licentiousness.
§B.6## τὰ κακὰ.
## Bad things.
διαιρεῖται τὰ κακὰ εἰς τρία.
Bad things are divided into three.
ἔστι γὰρ αὐτῶν τὰ μὲν ἐν ψυχῇ, τὰ δὲ ἐν σώματι, τὰ δὲ ἐκτός.
For of them, some are in the soul, some in the body, and some outside.
ἔστι δὲ τὰ μὲν ἐν ψυχῇ, οἷον ἀφροσύνη ἀδικία δειλία ἀκολασία καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ τοιαῦτα, τὰ δὲ ἐν σώματι, οἷον νόσος ἀσθένεια αἶσχος ἔχθρα καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ τοιαῦτα, τὰ δὲ ἐκτός, οἷον πενία ἐχθροὶ ἀδοξία πόλεως καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ τοιαῦτα.
Those in the soul are, for example, folly, injustice, cowardice, licentiousness, and suchlike; those in the body are, for example, disease, weakness, ugliness, hostility, and suchlike; and those outside are, for example, poverty, enemies, ill repute of one's city, and suchlike.
τῶν κακῶν ἄρα τὰ μέν ἐστιν ἐν ψυχῇ, τὰ δὲ ἐν σώματι, τὰ δὲ ἐκτός.
Therefore, of bad things, some are in the soul, some in the body, and some outside.
§B.9## ἡ ἄγνοια.
## Ignorance.
διαιρεῖται ἡ ἄγνοια εἰς τρία.
Ignorance is divided into three.
ἔστι γὰρ αὐτῆς ἓν μὲν περὶ τὸ θεωρητικόν, ἓν δὲ περὶ τὸ πρακτικόν, ἓν δὲ περὶ τὸ ποιητικόν.
For of it, one is concerning the theoretical, one concerning the practical, and one concerning the productive.
ἔστι δὲ ἡ περὶ τὸ θεωρητικὸν ἡ ἐν ταῖς θεωρίαις ἄγνοια, ἡ δὲ περὶ τὸ ποιητικὸν ἡ ἐν ταῖς ποιήσεσιν, ἡ δὲ περὶ τὸ πρακτικὸν ἡ ἐν ταῖς πράξεσιν.
That concerning the theoretical is ignorance in theories, that concerning the productive is in productions, and that concerning the practical is in actions.
τῆς ἀγνοίας ἄρα ἓν μέν ἐστι περὶ τὸ θεωρητικόν, ἓν δὲ περὶ τὸ ποιητικόν, ἓν δὲ περὶ τὸ πρακτικόν.
Therefore, of ignorance, one is concerning the theoretical, one concerning the productive, and one concerning the practical.
§B.11## ἡ δυσγένεια.
## Low birth.
διαιρεῖται ἡ δυσγένεια εἰς τρία.
Low birth is divided into three.
ἔστι γὰρ αὐτῆς ἓν μὲν εὐἀπὸ ἀδόξων καὶ φαύλων γεγονέναι γονέων, ἓν δὲ ἀπὸ ἀδίκων καὶ πονηρῶν, ἓν δὲ ἀπ’ αὐτῆς τῆς τοῦ ἔχοντος κακίας.
For of it, one is being born of inglorious and mean parents, one from unjust and wicked ones, and one from the vice of the possessor themselves.
ἔστι δὲ τὸ μὲν ἀπὸ ἀδόξων καὶ φαύλων γεγονέναι προγόνων, οἷον ἐὰν ὦσιν οἱ πρόγονοι ἀγεννεῖς κατὰ φύσιν ἢ ἄλλως ἀνώνυμοι.
Being born of inglorious and mean ancestors is, for example, if the ancestors are ignoble by nature or otherwise obscure.
τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ ἀδίκων καὶ μοχθηρῶν, οἷον ἐὰν ὦσι προδόται ἢ ἄλλην τινὰ ἀδικίαν καὶ μοχθηρίαν ἔχωσιν.
That from unjust and wicked ones is, for example, if they are traitors or have some other injustice and wickedness.
τὸ δὲ ἀπ’ αὐτῆς τῆς τοῦ ἔχοντος κακίας, οἷον ἐὰν ᾖ αὐτὸς ἄδικος ἢ κακοπράγμων ἢ ἄλλην τινὰ κακὴν δόξαν κατ’ αὐτοῦ ἔχωσιν.
That from the vice of the possessor themselves is, for example, if they themselves are unjust or evildoers, or if they have some other bad reputation against them.
τῆς δυσγενείας ἄρα ἐστὶν ἓν μὲν τὸ ἀπὸ ἀδόξων καὶ φαύλων προγόνων γεγονέναι, ἓν δὲ τὸ ἀπὸ ἀδίκων καὶ μοχθηρῶν, ἓν δὲ τὸ ἀπ’ αὐτῆς τῆς τοῦ ἔχοντος κακίας καὶ μοχθηρίας.
Therefore, of low birth, one is being born of inglorious and mean ancestors, one from unjust and wicked ones, and one from the vice and wickedness of the possessor themselves.
§B.12## ἡ κίνησις.
## Motion.
διαιρεῖται ἡ κίνησις εἰς τρία.
Motion is divided into three.
ἔστι γὰρ αὐτῆς ἓν μὲν κατὰ τόπον, ἓν δὲ κατὰ ἀλλοίωσιν, ἓν δὲ αὐτὴ καθ’ ἑαυτὴν ἡ κίνησις.
For of it, one is according to place, one according to alteration, and one is motion itself by itself.
ἔστι δὲ ἡ μὲν κατὰ τόπον τὸ ἐξαλλάσσειν τόπον ἐκ τόπου, οἷον οἱ τρέχοντες καὶ πηδῶντες καὶ πλέοντες καὶ αἱ ἄλλαι αἱ τοιαῦται κινήσεις.
Motion according to place is changing place from place to place, such as those who run, jump, sail, and other such motions.
ἡ δὲ κατὰ ἀλλοίωσιν, οἷον 〈οἱ〉 αὐξανόμενοι καὶ γηράσκοντες καὶ φθίνοντες καὶ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα.
Motion according to alteration is, for example, those who grow, grow old, decay, and suchlike.
ἡ δὲ αὐτὴ καθ’ ἑαυτήν, οἷον οἱ τροχοὶ καὶ οἱ ἔμβικες καὶ ὁ κόσμος καὶ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα.
Motion itself by itself is, for example, wheels, tops, the cosmos, and suchlike.
τῆς κινήσεως ἄρα τὸ μέν ἐστι κατὰ τόπον, τὸ δὲ κατὰ ἀλλοίωσιν, τὸ δὲ αὐτὴ καθ’ ἑαυτήν.
Therefore, of motion, some is according to place, some according to alteration, and some itself by itself.
§B.13## ἡ στάσις.
## Stasis.
διαιρεῖται ἡ στάσις εἰς τρία.
Stasis is divided into three.
ἔστι γὰρ αὐτῆς ἓν μὲν μονή, ἓν δὲ διχόνοια, ἓν δὲ βαρέων καὶ κούφων θεωρία.
For of it, one is rest, one discord, and one the inspection of heavy and light things.
ἔστι δὲ ἡ μὲν μονὴ αὐτὴ ἐν ἑαυτῇ στάσις, οἷον οἱ νεκροὶ καὶ οἱ λίθοι πεπόνθασι, καὶ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα.
Rest is stasis itself in itself, such as what the dead and stones have experienced, and other such things.
ἡ δὲ διχόνοια τῶν πολιτῶν ἢ ἐχθρῶν ἢ ἄλλων τινῶν ζῴων κατ’ ἔχθραν ἢ μάχην.
Discord is that of citizens or enemies or certain other animals, according to hostility or battle.
ἡ δὲ βαρέων καὶ κούφων θεωρία, οἷον διὰ στάσεως τοῦ βαρέος καὶ 〈τοῦ〉 κούφου δοκιμασία.
The inspection of heavy and light things is, for example, the testing of the heavy and the light by means of weighing.

Notes

  1. B.3ἀδικία ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις τοῖς μέρεσι γίνεται — Injustice (ἀδικία) is said to occur (γίνεται) in all three parts of the soul (rational, spirited, appetitive). Unlike the other vices which are localized in a single part, injustice is defined as a disruption affecting all parts, reflecting the Platonic theory of justice and injustice in the *Republic*.
  2. B.11εὐἀπὸ — The reading `εὐἀπὸ` in the manuscripts is likely a corruption of `ἓν μὲν τὸ ἀπὸ` (or simply `ἓν μὲν ἀπὸ`). Since the following explanatory sentence begins with `τὸ μὲν ἀπὸ...`, an original phrasing containing the article `τό` was almost certainly intended here.
  3. B.12ἔμβικες — Cited as an example of axial motion (rotation in place). The manuscript reading `ἔμβικες` is likely a corruption of `βέμβικες` (spinning tops, singular βέμβιξ) or influenced by `ἄμβυκες` (alembics). Given its juxtaposition with wheels and the cosmos, it is best understood as referring to spinning tops.
  4. B.13ἡ στάσις — This section classifies the homonymous meanings of the word `στάσις`. It presents a division showing that three seemingly unrelated concepts—"rest" (μονή), "discord/faction" (διχόνοια), and the "weighing of heavy and light things" (βαρέων καὶ κούφων θεωρία)—are all designated by the single word `στάσις` (which can mean standing, faction, or weighing-scale).

Cite this passage

Aristotle, Aristotelean Divisions §B.3-B.13. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0086.tlg048.humanitext-grc1:B.3-B.13

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