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Nicomachean Ethics

Nicomachean Ethics

by Aristotle

Read by Geoffrey Edwards · LibriVox

Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle is one of the foundational works of Western philosophy, exploring the nature of happiness, virtue, character, and the good life. Rather than treating ethics as a set of abstract rules, Aristotle examines how… Read more

All chapters (119)

Jump to a chapter; the recording moves with you.

  1. 1. Chapter I
  2. 2. Chapter II
  3. 3. But to return from this digression.
  4. 4. Chapter IV
  5. 5. Chapter V
  6. 6. Chapter VI
  7. 7. Chapter VII
  8. 8. Chapter VIII
  9. 9. Chapter IX
  10. 10. Chapter X
  11. 11. Chapter XI
  12. 12. Chapter I
  13. 13. Chapter II
  14. 14. Chapter III
  15. 15. Chapter IV
  16. 16. Chapter V
  17. 17. Chapter VI
  18. 18. Chapter VII
  19. 19. Chapter VIII
  20. 20. Chapter IX
  21. 21. Chapter I
  22. 22. Chapter II
  23. 23. Chapter III
  24. 24. Chapter IV
  25. 25. Chapter V
  26. 26. Chapter VI
  27. 27. Chapter VII
  28. 28. Chapter VIII
  29. 29. Chapter IX
  30. 30. Chapter X
  31. 31. Chapter XI
  32. 32. Chapter XII
  33. 33. Chapter XIII
  34. 34. Chapter XIV
  35. 35. Chapter I
  36. 36. Chapter II
  37. 37. Chapter III
  38. 38. Chapter IV
  39. 39. Chapter V
  40. 40. Chapter VI
  41. 41. Chapter VII
  42. 42. Chapter VIII
  43. 43. Chapter IX
  44. 44. Chapter X
  45. 45. Chapter XI
  46. 46. Chapter I
  47. 47. Chapter II
  48. 48. Chapter III
  49. 49. Chapter IV
  50. 50. Chapter V
  51. 51. Chapter VI
  52. 52. Chapter VII
  53. 53. Chapter VIII
  54. 54. Chapter IX
  55. 55. Chapter X
  56. 56. Chapter XI
  57. 57. Chapter XII
  58. 58. Chapter XIII
  59. 59. Chapter XIV
  60. 60. Chapter XV
  61. 61. Chapter XVI
  62. 62. Chapter XVII
  63. 63. Chapter I
  64. 64. Chapter II
  65. 65. Chapter III
  66. 66. Chapter IV
  67. 67. Chapter V
  68. 68. Chapter VI
  69. 69. Chapter VII
  70. 70. Chapter VIII
  71. 71. Chapter IX
  72. 72. Chapter X
  73. 73. Chapter XI
  74. 74. Chapter XII
  75. 75. Appendix
  76. 76. Chapter I
  77. 77. Chapter II
  78. 78. Chapter III
  79. 79. Chapter IV
  80. 80. Chapter V
  81. 81. Chapter VI
  82. 82. Chapter VII
  83. 83. Chapter VIII
  84. 84. Chapter IX
  85. 85. Chapter I
  86. 86. Chapter II
  87. 87. Chapter III
  88. 88. Chapter IV
  89. 89. Chapter V
  90. 90. Chapter VI
  91. 91. Chapter VII
  92. 92. Chapter VIII
  93. 93. Chapter IX
  94. 94. Chapter X
  95. 95. Chapter XI
  96. 96. Chapter XII
  97. 97. Chapter XIII
  98. 98. Chapter XIV
  99. 99. Chapter I
  100. 100. Chapter II
  101. 101. Chapter III
  102. 102. Chapter IV
  103. 103. Chapter V
  104. 104. Chapter VI
  105. 105. Chapter VII
  106. 106. Chapter VIII
  107. 107. Chapter IX
  108. 108. Chapter X
  109. 109. Chapter XI
  110. 110. Chapter XII
  111. 111. Chapter I
  112. 112. Chapter II
  113. 113. Chapter III
  114. 114. Chapter IV
  115. 115. Chapter V
  116. 116. Chapter VI
  117. 117. Chapter VII
  118. 118. Chapter VIII
  119. 119. Notes
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Transcript 40. Chapter VI

The recording is in 1. Chapter I. Open that chapter

Read by Geoffrey Edwards · LibriVox

Well, the virtue of Great-mindedness has for its object great Honour, as we have said: and there seems to be a virtue having Honour also for its object (as we stated in the former book), which may seem to bear to Great-mindedness the same relation that Liberality does to Magnificence: that is, both these virtues stand aloof from what is great but dispose us as we ought to be disposed towards moderate and small matters. Further: as in giving and receiving of wealth there is a mean state, an excess, and a defect, so likewise in grasping after Honour there is the more or less than is right, and also the doing so from right sources and in right manner.

For we blame the lover of Honour as aiming at Honour more than he ought, and from wrong sources; and him who is destitute of a love of Honour as not choosing to be honoured even for what is noble. Sometimes again we praise the lover of Honour as manly and having a love for what is noble, and him who has no love for it as being moderate and modest (as we noticed also in the former discussion of these virtues).

It is clear then that since “Lover of so and so” is a term capable of several meanings, we do not always denote the same quality by the term “Lover of Honour;” but when we use it as a term of commendation we denote more than the mass of men are; when for blame more than a man should be.

And the mean state having no proper name the extremes seem to dispute for it as unoccupied ground: but of course where there is excess and defect there must be also the mean. And in point of fact, men do grasp at Honour more than they should, and less, and sometimes just as they ought; for instance, this state is praised, being a mean state in regard of Honour, but without any appropriate name. Compared with what is called Ambition it shows like a want of love for Honour, and compared with this it shows like Ambition, or compared with both, like both faults: nor is this a singular case among the virtues. Here the extreme characters appear to be opposed, because the mean has no name appropriated to it.

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