Hellenistic Philosophy Introductory

Ethics 225
of law and a naturally fitting government. For the law is, as we said,
virtuous and so too is the [corresponding] state. And it was enough that
Cleanthes posed this sort of argument about the [claim that] the state
[polis] is virtuous: If the state is a contrivance for dwelling in which one
takes refuge in order to give and receive justice, is not the state a virtuous
thing? But the state is such a dwelling place. Therefore, the state is a
virtuous thing. And 'state' is used in three senses: as a dwelling place,
as a complex system of men, and third as the combination of these two
senses. In two of these senses the state is said to be virtuous: as a complex
system of men and in the combination [of the two senses], because <of
the> [implicit] reference to its inhabitants.
Ilk. They say that every base man is a boor; for boorishness is inexperi-
ence of the habits and laws of the state, and every base man is subject
to this. And he is also wild, since he is a man hostile to the lawful way
oflife, beastlike, and harmful. This same fellow is untamed and tyrannical,
having a disposition to perform despotic actions, as well as ferocious and
violent and illegal actions, when he gets the chance. He is also ungrateful,
not finding it congenial either to return or to offer gratitude since he does
nothing for the common good or for friendship or without calculation.
Nor is the base man a lover of learning [philologos] or of listening,
because in the first place he is not prepared for the reception of right
accounts [or arguments: logot] because of the imprudence which derives
from his corruption, and because no base man has been encouraged [to
turn] to virtue nor does he encourage [others to turn] to virtue; for he
who has been encouraged [to turn] to virtue or who is encouraging others
[to turn] to virtue must be prepared for philosophizing, and he who is
prepared for it faces no impediments; but none of the base is like that.
For it is not the man who listens eagerly and memorizes what philosophers
say who is prepared for philosophizing, but the man who is prepared to
carry into action what is pronounced in philosophy and to live by it. But
none of the base is like that, since they are already in the grip of the
opinions of vice. For if any of the base had been encouraged to [turn to
virtue], he would also have turned away from vice. And no one who
possesses vice has turned to virtue; just as no one who is sick has turned
to health. Only the wise man has been encouraged to [turn to virtue],
and only he is able to encourage [others to turn to virtue], and none of
the imprudent-for none of the imprudent lives by the precepts <of
virtue>. Nor is he a lover of learning [philologos], but rather a lover of
talk [logophilos], since he only proceeds as far as a superficial [sort of]
chatter and does not yet confirm the talk [logos] about virtue by means
of deeds.
Nor is any of the base a lover of toil; for love of toil is a disposition