Kitap 1
12
Therefore their life has no need of pleasure as a sort of ornamental appendage,The word is especially used of an amulet hung round the neck or fastened round a limb but contains its pleasure in itself. For there is the further consideration that the man who does not enjoy doing noble actions is not a good man at all: no one would call a man just if he did not like acting justly, nor liberal if he did not like doing liberal things, and similarly with the other virtues.
13
But if so, actions in conformity with virtue must be essentially pleasant.
13
But they are also of course both good and noble, and each in the highest degree, if the good man judges them rightly; and his judgement is as we have said.
14
It follows therefore that happiness is at once the best, the noblest, and the pleasantest of things: these qualities are not separated as the inscription at Delos makes out— Justice is noblest, and health is best, But the heart’s desire is the pleasantest—, for the best activities possess them all; and it is the best activities, or one activity which is the best of all, in which according to our definition happiness consists.
15
Nevertheless it is manifest that happiness also requires external goods in addition, as we said; for it is impossible, or at least not easy, to play a noble part unless furnished with the necessary equipment.It was one of the public duties of rich citizens at Athens to equip the chorus and actors of a drama at their own expense. One so doing was called χορηγός (chorus-leader, as no doubt originally he was), and the dresses, etc., he supplied, χορηγία. The latter term is frequently used by Aristotle to denote the material equipment of life, and has almost or quite ceased to be felt as a metaphor. For many noble actions require instruments for their performance, in the shape of friends or wealth or political power;
