Book 1
9
Now it is said that when somebody persisted in putting various difficulties of this sort to AnaxagorasSee Aristot. Eud. Eth. 1215b 6 n. and went on asking for what object one should choose to come into existence rather than not, he replied by saying, For the sake of contemplating the heavens and the whole order of the universe. Anaxagoras therefore thought that the alternative of being alive was valuable for the sake of some kind of knowledge;
10
but those who ascribe bliss to SardanapallusA mythical king of Assyria, proverbial for luxury, cf. Aristot. Nic. Eth. 1295b 22. or Smindyrides of SybarisGreek colony in S. Italy. For Smindyrides, who travelled with 1000 slaves in attendance, see Hdt. 6.127, Athenaeus 5 p. 273. or some of the others living the life of enjoyment, all appear for their part to place happiness in delight;
11
while a different set would not choose either wisdom of any kind or the bodily pleasures in preference to the actions that spring from goodness: at all events, some people choose those actions not only for the sake of reputation but even when they are not going to get any credit.
12
But the majority of those engaged in politics are not correctly designated politicians, for they are not truly political, since the political man is one who purposely chooses noble actions for their own sake, whereas the majority embrace that mode of life for the sake of money and gain.
