Plutarch, De communibus notitiis adversus Stoicos, ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs, 21

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

[21]

ΔΙΑΔΟΥΜ.

σκόπει δὲ μικρὸν ἀνωτέρω ἀναγαγὼν ἑαυτόν. ἕν τι τῶν παρὰ τὰς ἐννοίας λεγομένων ἐστὶ 15 τὸ

μηδένα φαῦλον ὠφελεῖσθαι

καίτοι παιδευόμενοὶ γε πολλοὶ προκόπτουσι καὶ δουλεύοντες ἐλευθεροῦνται καὶ πολιορκούμενοι σῴζονται καὶ πληρούμενοι χειραγωγοῦνται καὶ θεραπεύονται νοσοῦντες

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ὠφελοῦνται τούτων τυγχάνοντες οὐδʼ 20 πάσχουσιν οὐδʼ εὐεργέτας ἔχουσιν οὐδʼ εὐεργετῶν 1068e ἀμελοῦσιν

οὐδʼ τοίνυν οὐδʼ ἀχαριστοῦσιν οἱ φαῦλοι καὶ μὴν οὐδʼ οἱ νοῦν ἔχοντες. ἀνύπαρκτον οὖν ἐστι. τὸ ἀχάριστον οἱ μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἀποστεροῦσι χάριν λαμβάνοντες, οἱ δὲ λαμβάνειν χάριν οὐ πεφύκασιν. 25 ὅρα δὴ τί πρὸς ταῦτα λέγουσιν· ὅτι

ἡ χάρις εἰς τὰ μέσα διατείνει, καὶ τὸ μὲν ὠφελεῖν καὶ ὠφελεῖσθαι σοφῶν ἐστι, χάριτος δὲ καὶ φαῦλοι τυγχάνουσιν

εἶθʼ οἷς χάριτος μέτεστι, τούτοις οὐ μέτεστι χρείας; ὅπου δὲ διατείνει χάρις, ἐκεῖ χρήσιμον 1068f οὐδέν ἐστιν οὐδʼ οἰκεῖον; ἄλλο δὲ τί ποιεῖ τὴν 5 ὑπουργίαν χάριν ἢ τὸ πρός τι χρήσιμον ὑπάρξαι τῷ δεομένῳ τὸν παρασχόντα;

De communibus notitiis adversus Stoicos. Plutarch. ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs. Leipzig. 1895.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Περὶ τῶν κοινῶν ἐννοιῶν πρὸς τοὺς Στωικοὺς (Greek) (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol. VI. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1895.)

Translations (1)

Of common conceptions, against the Stoics. Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. IV. Goodwin, William W., editor; White, Samuel, translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company; Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1874.) — 21 focus

[21]

DIADUMENUS.

But recall yourself to the consideration of what has been said a little above. This is one of their assertions against the common conception, that no vicious man receives any utility. And yet many being instructed profit; many being slaves are made free; many being besieged are delivered, being lame are led by the hand, and being sick are cured. But possessing all these things, they are never the better, neither do receive benefits, nor have they any benefactors, nor do they slight their benefactors. Vicious men then are not ungrateful, no more than are wise men. Ingratitude therefore has no being; because the good receiving a benefit fail not to acknowledge it, and the bad are not capable of receiving any. Behold now. what they say to this,—that benefit is ranked among mean or middle things, and that to give and receive utility belongs only to the wise, but the bad also receive a benefit. Then they who partake of the benefit partake not also of its use; and whither a benefit extends, there is nothing useful or commodious. Now what else is there that makes a kind office a benefit, but that the bestower of it is, in some respect, useful to the needy receiver?

Plutarch De communibus notitiis adversus Stoicos 21

ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

ΔΙΑΔΟΥΜ.

Current edition Perseus

DIADUMENUS.

Stable identifiers