Kitap 7
11
but among these, it falls to one to share bodily pleasure, to another artistic study, to another philosophy—; and so it is pleasanter to be with one’s friend (whence the saying Distant friends a burden are This proverb looks like a quotation, being half a line of verse.), so that they must not be separated when this is taking place. Hence also love seems to resemble friendship, for the lover is eager to share the life of the loved one, although not in the most proper way but in a sensuous manner.
12
Therefore the argument in raising the question asserts the former position,See Aristot. Eud. Eth. 1244b 2ff., Aristot. Eud. Eth. 1245a 27. but the facts of experience are obviously on the latter lines, so that it is clear that the raiser of the question in a way misleads us.
13
We must therefore examine the truth from the following consideration: friend really denotes, in the language of the proverb,Quoted elsewhere in the same connection, but one may conjecture that the phrase originally meant as strong as Hercules. 'another Hercules'—another self; but the characteristics are scattered, and it is difficult for all to be realized in the case of one person; though by nature a friend is what is most akin, yet one resembles his friend in body and another in spirit, and one in one part of the body or spirit, another in another. But still none the less a friend really means as it were a separate self.
