Diogenes Laërtius · fl. 3rd century CE
Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.100 — Diogenes Laërtius on the Stoics
Translation by R. D. Hicks (1925)
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.100
Reported speech · Diogenes Laërtius on the Stoics
The reason why they characterize the perfect good as beautiful is that it has in full all the “factors” required by nature or has perfect proportion. Of the beautiful there are (say they) four species, namely, what is just, courageous, orderly and wise; for it is under these forms that fair deeds are accomplished. Similarly there are four species of the base or ugly, namely, what is unjust, cowardly, disorderly, and unwise. By the beautiful is meant properly and in an unique sense that good which renders its possessors praiseworthy, or briefly, good which is worthy of praise; though in another sense it signifies a good aptitude for one’s proper function; while in yet another sense the beautiful is that which lends new grace to anything, as when we say of the wise man that he alone is good and beautiful.
Cite this passage
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.100 (on the Stoics), tr. R. D. Hicks (1925)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/lives-of-the-stoics/7.100
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Book VII, tr. R. D. Hicks (Loeb, 1925). Text: Perseus Digital Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesCalls the perfect good beautiful because it has everything nature requires in due proportion, and names four kinds of beauty in conduct: just, courageous, orderly and wise. The opposites are ugly acts: unjust, cowardly, disorderly and unwise. Doctrinal definitions.
Older wording
- “base or ugly”
- — shameful, morally ugly
- “aptitude”
- — natural ability or fitness
Themes and situations
- Virtue and character
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