Kitap 2
6
Consequently the states of will favorable to athletic training will be variously favorable to health according to the two different fields of choice—in the one caseIn respect of amount of exercise. the over-energetic men <will be nearer the mean than the slack ones>, in the otherIn respect of amount of food. the too hardy <will be nearer the mean than the self-indulgent ones>; and also the character contrary to the moderate and rational will be in the one case the slack and not both the slack and the over-energetic, and in the other case the self-indulgent and not the man who goes hungry.
7
And this comes about because from the start our nature does not diverge from the mean in the same way as regards everything, but in energy we are deficient and in self-indulgence excessive, and this is also the same with regard the spirit.
8
And we class as contrary to the mean the disposition to which we, and most men, are more liable to err; whereas the other passes unnoticed as if non-existent, because its rarity makes it not observed.
9
For instance we count anger the contrary of gentleness and the passionate man the contrary of the gentle; yet there is also excess in the direction of being gentle and placable and not being angry when struck, but men of that sort are few, and everyone is more prone to the other extreme; on which account moreover a passionate temper is not a characteristic of a toady.A probable alteration of the Greek gives is not ready to make up a quarrel.
