Diogenes Laërtius · fl. 3rd century CE
Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.126 — Diogenes Laërtius on the Stoics
Translation by R. D. Hicks (1925)
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.126
Reported speech · Diogenes Laërtius on the Stoics
For if a man be possessed of virtue, he is at once able to discover and to put into practice what he ought to do. Now such rules of conduct comprise rules for choosing, enduring, staying, and distributing; so that if a man does some things by intelligent choice, some things with fortitude, some things by way of just distribution, and some steadily, he is at once wise, courageous, just, and temperate. And each of the virtues has a particular subject with which it deals, as, for instance, courage is concerned with things that must be endured, practical wisdom with acts to be done, acts from which one must abstain, and those which fall under neither head. Similarly each of the other virtues is concerned with its own proper sphere. To wisdom are subordinate good counsel and understanding; to temperance, good discipline and orderliness; to justice, equality and fair-mindedness; to courage, constancy and vigour.
Cite this passage
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.126 (on the Stoics), tr. R. D. Hicks (1925)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/lives-of-the-stoics/7.126
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Book VII, tr. R. D. Hicks (Loeb, 1925). Text: Perseus Digital Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesSomeone with virtue can both work out and carry out the right thing, choosing, enduring, holding firm and distributing fairly. Each virtue has its own domain: courage deals with what must be endured, practical wisdom with what to do or avoid, temperance with discipline and order, and justice with fairness.
Older wording
- “fortitude”
- — courage in enduring hardship
- “practical wisdom”
- — good judgement about what to do
- “constancy”
- — steadiness, not wavering
Themes and situations
- Virtue and character
- Courage
- Justice and fairness
- Self-discipline and habit
- An ethical dilemma
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