Suda On Line menu Search

Home
Search results for alpha,118 in Adler number:
Greek display:    

Headword: *)agaqo/n
Adler number: alpha,118
Translated headword: good
Vetting Status: high
Translation:
In general [it is] something beneficial, but in particular what is either identical with or not different from benefit; hence, both virtue itself and what participates in it are called "good" in three ways: as the good (i) from which [being benefited] results, [and (ii) according to which being benefited results,] as [virtuous] action and virtue,[1] and (iii) by whom [being benefited results], as the virtuous person who participates in virtue. Or [they define it [2]] in this fashion: the good is the perfection in accordance with nature of a rational being qua rational. And virtue is a thing of this sort, so that virtuous action as well as virtuous people participate [in the good]. Joy, cheerfulness and the like are byproducts [of virtue]. Furthermore, of goods, some are in the soul, others external, and others neither in the soul nor external. The ones in the soul are virtues and actions in accordance with them. The external ones are a virtuous fatherland, a virtuous friend, and their happiness. Those which are neither external nor in the soul are someone's being for himself virtuous and happy. Furthermore, of goods, some are final, others instrumental, and others both final and instrumental. Thus a friend and the benefits added by him are instrumental goods. But confidence, prudence, freedom, enjoyment, cheerfulness, freedom from distress, and every action in accordance with virtue are final. [Virtues] are instrumental and final: they are instrumental goods insofar as they produce happiness, and final [goods] insofar as they complete it in such a way as to become parts of it; for example a friend and freedom and enjoyment.[3] Furthermore, of the goods in the soul, some are conditions, others dispositions, and others neither conditions nor dispositions. Virtues are dispositions, pursuits conditions, and activities neither conditions nor dispositions. In general good children and a good old age are minor goods,[4] but knowledge is a simple good. And virtues are always present, but joy and taking a stroll for example not always. Every good is profitable, advantageous, binding, useful, serviceable, fine, beneficial, just, and choiceworthy.
The good is that which is aimed at by all things.[5]
Thus the good is that on which all things depend but which itself depends on nothing.[6]
Greek Original:
*)agaqo/n: koinw=s me\n to/ ti o)/felos, i)di/ws de\ h)/toi tau)to\n h)\ ou)x e(/teron w)felei/as: o(/qen au)th/n te th\n a)reth\n kai\ to\ mete/xon au)th=s a)gaqo\n trixw=s le/gesqai. oi(=on to\ a)gaqo\n, a)f' ou(= sumbai/nei, w(s th\n pra=cin kai\ th\n a)reth/n. u(f' ou(= de\, w(s to\n spoudai=on to\n mete/xonta th=s a)reth=s. h)\ ou(/tws: to\ a)gaqo\n, to\ te/leion kata\ fu/sin logikou=, h)\ w(s logikou=. toiou=to d' ei)=nai th\n a)reth\n w(s mete/xonta ta/s te pra/ceis ta\s kat' a)reth\n, kai\ to\ spoudai/ous ei)=nai. e)pigennh/mata de\ th/n te xara\n kai\ th\n eu)frosu/nhn kai\ ta\ paraplh/sia. e)/ti tw=n a)gaqw=n ta\ me\n ei)=nai peri\ yuxh/n, ta\ de\ e)kto/s, ta\ de\ ou)/te peri\ yuxh\n ou)/te e)kto/s. ta\ me\n peri\ yuxh\n a)reta\s kai\ ta\s kata\ tau/tas pra/ceis: ta\ de\ e)kto\s to/ te spoudai/an e)/xein patri/da kai\ spoudai=on fi/lon kai\ th\n tou/twn eu)daimoni/an. ta\ de\ ou)k e)kto\s ou)/te peri\ yuxh\n to\ au)to\n e(autw=| ei)=nai spoudai=on kai\ eu)dai/mona. e)/ti tw=n a)gaqw=n ta\ me\n ei)=nai telika/, ta\ de\ poihtika/, ta\ de\ telika\ kai\ poihtika/. to\n me\n ou)=n fi/lon kai\ ta\s u(p' au)tou= prosginome/nas w)felei/as poihtika\ ei)=nai a)gaqa/: qa/rsos de\ kai\ fro/nhma kai\ e)leuqeri/an kai\ te/ryin kai\ eu)frosu/nhn kai\ a)lupi/an kai\ pa=san th\n kat' a)reth\n pra=cin telika/. poihtika\ de\ kai\ telika\, kaqo\ me\n poiou=si th\n eu)daimoni/an, poihtika/ e)stin a)gaqa/: kaqo\ de\ sumplhrou=sin au)th\n, w(/ste me/rh au)th=s gene/sqai, telika/: oi(=on fi/los kai\ e)leuqeri/a kai\ te/ryis. e)/ti tw=n peri\ yuxh\n a)gaqw=n ta\ me/n ei)sin e(/ceis, ta\ de\ diaqe/seis, ta\ de\ ou)/te e(/ceis ou)/te diaqe/seis. diaqe/seis me\n ai( a)retai/, e(/ceis de\ ta\ e)pithdeu/mata, ou)/te de\ e(/ceis ou)/te diaqe/seis ai( e)ne/rgeiai. koinw=s tw=n a)gaqw=n mikra\ me/n e)stin eu)tekni/a kai\ eu)ghri/a. a(plou=n de/ e)stin a)gaqo\n e)pisth/mh. kai\ a)ei\ me\n paro/nta ai( a)retai/, ou)k a)ei\ de\ oi(=on xara\, peripa/thsis. pa=n de\ a)gaqo\n lusitele\s ei)=nai kai\ sumfe/ron kai\ de/on kai\ xrh/simon kai\ eu)/xrhston kai\ kalo\n kai\ w)fe/limon kai\ di/kaion kai\ ai(reto/n. a)gaqo\n de/ e)sti to\ pa=sin e)feto/n. a)gaqo\n ou)=n e)stin, ei)s o(\ pa/nta a)nh/rthtai, au)to\ de\ ei)s mhde/n.
Notes:
See also alpha 119, likewise a neuter singular.
This entry mostly reproduces Diogenes Laertius 7.94-98 (who supposedly is quoting an extract of Stoic ethics). The Suda text contains important omissions as well as different readings (the D.L. readings are, for the most part, much better).
[1] D.L. gives th\n pra=cin th\n kat' a)reth/n, "the action according to virtue" or simply "the virtuous action", as a gloss on a second sense in which virtue and what participates in it are called "good": that according to which being benefited results.
[2] D.L. has o(ri/zontai, "they define", which makes clear that a new definition is being given here.
[3] This puzzling list of examples does not occur in D.L.
[4] The text given by Suda is misleading; D.L. gives a)gaqw=n mikta/, "mixed goods", instead of a)gaqw=n mikra/, "little goods".
[5] cf. Aristotle, Topica 1094a2-3, with Alexander of Aphrodisias's commentary 93.8.
[6] Plotinus, Enneads 1.7.1, 21-22 (identified by Henry [below] 157 n.2, as noted in Adler's addenda).
References:
J. Annas, The Morality of Happiness (Oxford: Oxford University Press) 1993
Henry, P. "Suidas, Le Larousse et le Littré de l'antiquité grecque." Les Études classiques (1937): 155-62
Keywords: children; daily life; definition; dialects, grammar, and etymology; ethics; philosophy
Translated by: Marcelo Boeri on 26 May 2000@18:40:04.
Vetted by:
William Hutton (Cosmetics, modified translation, added keyword, sets status) on 6 June 2001@00:38:37.
William Hutton (Added betacoding) on 6 June 2001@00:44:50.
David Whitehead (added notes; cosmetics) on 16 January 2003@05:49:31.
David Hitchcock (Modified translation, added notes) on 24 December 2004@06:46:10.
David Hitchcock on 24 December 2004@06:51:54.
David Whitehead (another keyword) on 12 October 2005@08:00:23.
David Whitehead (another keyword) on 16 November 2005@07:50:17.
Jennifer Benedict (cosmetics) on 26 March 2008@00:37:50.
Catharine Roth (added note 6; cosmetics) on 22 May 2008@15:01:13.
David Whitehead (tweaks) on 22 December 2011@06:23:36.
David Whitehead (expanded n.6) on 17 January 2014@05:26:23.
Catharine Roth (cosmeticule) on 17 July 2023@01:20:41.
Catharine Roth (tweaked translation) on 17 July 2023@23:11:03.

Find      

Test Database Real Database

(Try these tips for more productive searches.)

No. of records found: 1    Page 1

End of search