Is 'happiness' a proper translation of the term eudaimonia?

Quote from Kalosyni

Suddenly the phrase "La Dolce Vita" pops into my mind

But as Epicureans, we have Vatican Saying 81:

"One will not banish emotional disturbance or arrive at significant joy through great wealth, fame, celebrity, or anything else which is a result of vague and indefinite causes."

So the "good life" (the removal of emotional disturbance combined with the addition of significant joy) won't happen by itself (or through vague and indefinite causes) and it requires the implementation of certain actions (causes).

Eudaimonia features prominently in the ethics of Aristotle, and due to his prominence and resultant influence, each of the Hellenistic schools took it up. So the primary definition may come from him, but as Titus just mentioned, each of the schools tailored their definition to their own ideas.

Which doesn't help to clarify the meaning other than to say that I agree that it makes sense to examine it from an Epicurean perspective. As Titus has just pointed out, the fullness of pleasure is a good interpretation from that point of view.

Quote from Godfrey

each of the schools tailored their definition to their own ideas.

This is probably more accurately worded as:

Each of the schools built on the base that Aristotle had laid, in some cases refining, in others revising and/or correcting. Epicurus was of the refining/correcting persuasion. Authors such as Farrington have to various degrees minimized the work of Epicurus as being built from Aristotle, but this was actually the work of all of the Hellenistic schools. It could even be said that Epicurus was the most original in this regard, as well as being the most true to "the nature of things."

Regarding other philosophies in ancient Greece, here is an excerpt from a class description: "CLASSICS 35: The Good Life: An Introduction to Ancient Greek Ethical Philosophy" Standford.edu

Quote

The ancient Greeks longed for happiness, but life often led to suffering and anxiety. In ancient Greece, the traditional value system focused on gaining honor, wealth, power, and success - external goods that could be taken away at any time. The Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle set forth ethical theories designed to alleviate suffering and anxiety. They rejected the traditional Greek value system, focusing on inner goodness rather than on external rewards. Developing inner goodness was the only way to live a happy and fulfilled life.

Most importantly, Epicurus restores back into the eudaimonia-well-being-happiness equation the physical world, both in understanding the natural world as arising due to natural causes rather than due to the gods, --and-- in experiencing the pleasure that the natural world easily gives us in day-to-day experiences (food, friends, and sensory experiences which bring enjoyment). Epicurus labels wealth and fame as "unnatural and unnecessary". Also, Epicurus does not narrow down everything to inner goodness, rather he says (in PD5) "living wisely and beautifully and rightly" is for the sake of creating a pleasurable life.