Book 2
661
Ath. Take the case of a man who has health and wealth and absolute power in perpetuity,—in addition to which I bestow on him, if you like, matchless strength and courage, together with immortality and freedom from all the other evils so called,—but a man who has within him nothing but injustice and insolence: probably I fail to convince you that the man who lives such a life is obviously not happy but wretched?
661
Clin. Quite true.
662
Ath. Well, then, what ought I to say next? Do you not think that if a man who is courageous, strong, beautiful, and rich, and who does exactly as he likes all his life long, is really unjust and insolent, he must necessarily be living a base life? Probably you will agree at any rate to call it base?
662
Clin. Certainly.
662
Ath. And also a bad lifeκακῶς ζῆν, to live badly may mean either to live wickedly or to live wretchedly: Clinias takes it in this latter sense.?
662
Clin. We would not go so far as to admit that.
662
Ath. Well, would you admit the epithets unpleasant and unprofitable to himself?
662
Clin. How could we agree to such further descriptions?
