30 ARISTOTLE'S POLITICS.
~WOV, &,I 82 ipntiprpinr T~xvLK&~~~, ndhv rai aijs pra$aAA6peyoy
uktiurov noi$uei rtipbs.
f3cir~pow &or, i. e. other ' than what Aristotle before called Iv t&r
~uijr (c. 8. 3 I 3) which he had not yet distinguished from xanqke.
He admits that the simpler forms of exchange are necessary ; but
he also supposes that there are two uses to which the art of money-
making may be applied, the one, the storing up of the necessaries
of life, which he approves, the other, retail trade which he condemns.
A prejudice against money, which is further developed in the con-
demnation of usury (c. 10. $$ 4, 5) underlies the whole tone of
thought. We may note that Kmt$Wj, though here applied to trade
in general, carries with it the disparaging association of shopkeeping.
rd&v rtai niis pwat¶dhXQtvou is dependent on 61' ipnriplos.For the story of Midas see Ovid, Met. xi. 90-145. It is obvious
that Midas would have suffered equally if his touch had produced
food or clothing or any other article of commerce. In his account
of money Aristotle seems to be perplexed between its usefulness
and its uselessness, and between the good and bad consequences
which flow from it.- I I.
- I 2. rh yhp vdpiupa aror~~iov xni ripas 4s 6AiXXayjs.
Money is the element, i.e. the instrument of exchange. It is also
the limit or end of it. Exchange is not possible without money
and seeks for nothing beyond it.
rdr btipos ti; o&os d ~rhokor.
There is no limit to the art of making money any more than to
medicine or other arts ; for we want to have as much health and
wealth as we can. But there is a limit if we regard wealth as only
a means to an end, i.e. to the maintenance of a household. The
passage is not very clearly expressed, owing partly to the double
meaning of the word nipac, (I) ' limit ' or ' measure,' as opposed to
the infinite or indefinite ihrtipv, and (2) 'end' as opposed to
1 means.' Aristotle probably intends to say that the art of money
making is unlimited, having no other end but wealth, which is also
unlimited ; whereas in the art of household management, the limit
or end is bed by natural needs.8.13.