Ijernays (Die Dialoge des :iristoteles. p. hy if.) has drnn.n 1-3.
attention to the peculiar style of the opening chapkrs (I, 2, 3) of
this book, which he supposes to be tAen from some Aristotelian
(Iialogile. (See Esiay on Structure of histotclian \Vritings.)
The passage is certainly rcmarkdble for a flux and eloquence
which are not common in hristotlc. But though rare, there are
other traces of grace and elevation of style to be discovered in
ihe Politics : e. 6. in the discussion about education (viii. c. 3-5),
nhere the writer secnis to derive inspiration Froin his suhject ;
in the introduction to the criticism on the forms of goverunient
ii. c. 1 ; parts of ii. c. 5, especially $ I I, arc easy and flowing ; the
descriptions of tlie'middle class citizen iv. c. 11 ; of the tyrant
v. c. 11 ; and of the city vii. cc. 11, 12, are graphic and striking.
There are also several passages in the Nicomachean Ethics as nrrll
as many fine expressions in \vhicli beauty of style shines through
the logical analysis, e. g. Eth. i. 10. $ 14; c. 10. $ 12, Spc $2
suppose these passages to be a fair sample of any complete
witing of Aristotle, we could better understand why his style was
SO highly praised by Cicero (.4cad. ii. 38), and other mitcrs.
KR;.. !lfyRkd$WXOS; is. 4. $8 3-6: S. 8. $8 7, 8. If \ve could
d8<Xuv yip Suros iolrou KQ~ r+ +Lor?v iivay~a;ov 2dqXov elvat 1. I.
lioAireLav.
'For the best life may be expected to show US the best
sta:e.'
n"prcrra yip Irpdrrc'v apo&p' robr ;pura aoXirsvopivovr ZK TGV hap- 1. I,
X~WWV airoir, ihv prj ri ylyvimi napdhoyou.
r;v ilrapxdvrov is to be taken closely with aoXirruop;vour. Not
'they lead the best life, as far as their conditions of life admit,
\vho are governed in the best manner :' hut 'they lead the best