Iamblichus' Life of Pythagoras, or Pythagoric Life: Accompanied by Fragments of the Ethical Writings of certain Pythagoreans in the Doric dialect; and a collection of Pythagoric Sentences from Stobaeus and others, which are omitted by Gale in his Opuscula Mythologica, and have not been noticed by any editorIamblichus
Philosophy
Iamblichus' Life of Pythagoras, or Pythagoric Life: Accompanied by Fragments of the Ethical Writings of certain Pythagoreans in the Doric dialect; and a collection of Pythagoric Sentences from Stobaeus and others, which are omitted by Gale in his Opuscula Mythologica, and have not been noticed by any editor
Iamblichus
Ethics, Ancient; Philosophers -- Greece -- Biography; Philosophy, Ancient; Pythagoras; Pythagoras and Pythagorean school
Since therefore of goods, some are eligible for their own sakes, and not
for the sake of another thing; but others are eligible for the sake of
something else, and not on their own account; there is also a certain
third species of goods, which is eligible both on its own account, and
for the sake of another thing. What, therefore, is the good which is
eligible on its own account, and not for the sake of something else? It
is evident that it is felicity. For we aspire after other things for the
sake of this, but we do not desire this for the sake of any thing else.
Again, what are those goods which we desire indeed for the sake of
something else, but which we do not desire on their own account? It is
evident they are such things as are useful, and pre-eligible goods,
which become the causes of our obtaining things which are eligible [on
their own account]; such as corporeal labors, exercise, and frictions
which are employed for the sake of a good habit of body; and also
reading, meditation, and study, which are undertaken for the sake of
things beautiful and virtue. But what are the things which are eligible
on their own account, and also for the sake of something else? They are
such things as the virtues, and the habits of them, deliberate choice
and actions, and whatever adheres to that which is really beautiful.
Hence, that indeed which is eligible on its own account, and not on
account of something else, is a solitary good and one. But that which is
eligible for its own sake, and for the sake of another thing, is triply
divided. For one part of it indeed subsists about the soul; another
about the body; and another pertains to externals. And that which is
about the soul, consists of the virtues of the soul; that which is about
the body, of the virtues of the body; and that which pertains to
externals, consists of friends, glory, honor, and wealth. There is
likewise a similar reasoning with respect to that which is eligible on
account of something else. For one part of it indeed is effective of the
goods of the soul; another part of it, of the goods of the body; and
that which pertains to externals is the cause of wealth, glory, honor,
and friendship.
That virtue however happens to be eligible for its own sake, is evident
from the following considerations. For if things which are naturally
subordinate, I mean the goods of the body, are eligible for their own
sakes, but the soul is better than the body, it is evident that we love
the goods of the soul on their own account, and not for the sake of the
consequences with which they are attended.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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