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Elli On Arete / Virtue

  • Cassius
  • March 15, 2019 at 11:36 AM
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    • March 15, 2019 at 11:36 AM
    • #1

    Arete...eudaemonia... ataraxia... aponia and so on...well, IF you do not connect them with something pretty clear and a faculty given to you by Nature that are the feelings, just for the purpose to live a pleasant life... then bid all these words farewell as empty of meaning.

    Since, Fg. 221. A philosopher's words are empty if they do not heal the suffering of the man. For just as medicine is useless if it does not remove sickness from the body, so philosophy is useless if it does not remove suffering from the soul. Epicurus.

    Ok the greek word arete (Virtue)... let's say the virtue of justice as an anticipation that created through your experiences and their consequences, and still are created in your life. What was your criterion of truth to judge RIGHTLY who was fair and who was unfair in your life? Who is lying and who is not ? And which of his actions are beneficial or not beneficial for you ? How you'll judge all the issues around you in accordance with Nature and you nature ? Please, do not say me of what makes me happy and what is not, because if you ask a donkey that is full loaded on his back climbing a hill, that donkey maybe would say to you that is extremely happy. 1f61b.png:P

    Frankly, I do not blame that donkey for that, since he does not examine who is saying lies and who is not. Donkeys do not study the Nature, do not fear death, do not know that one day will die. But if you load a donkey's back with a heavy load, yammering would say to you : Hey, mister you actions were against my nature : I'm not pleased....I pain (thrice I PAIN). and that poor creature will fall down in pains.

    But what I say now ? Epictetus when he was a slave, as they say, he was tortured by his master Epaphroditus who twisted his leg. Enduring the pain with complete composure, Epictetus warned Epaphroditus that his leg would break, and when it did break, he said :"There, did I not tell you that it would break?"

    Well, frankly THIS IS NOT the virtue of the pride and dignity of the Hellenes who fought for their natural and necessary, and for the purpose to live a pleasant life. This is not the self respect of a man who studies the Nature expressing his feelings of pleasure and pain. This is not Hellenic philosophy !!! This is an oriental cunning!!! This is a philosophy for SLAVES who are under the heavy load of Fate and Destiny are living in fully Apathy. These are not free and dignity men who want to live pleasantly their life. And who says that the genuine greek Epicurean Philosophy has any common thing with the stoicism is a total ignorant !


  • Cassius March 15, 2019 at 11:38 AM

    Changed the title of the thread from “Elli On Arete” to “Elli On Arete / Virtue”.
  • Kalosyni August 24, 2023 at 2:39 PM

    Moved the thread from forum The Virtue Of Nature - No Absolute Virtue to forum Virtue of Nature - General Discussion.

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