Diogenes Laërtius · fl. 3rd century CE
Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.98 — Diogenes Laërtius on the Stoics
Translation by R. D. Hicks (1925)
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.98
Reported speech · Diogenes Laërtius on the Stoics
Of mental goods some are habits, others are dispositions, while others again are neither the one nor the other. The virtues are dispositions, while accomplishments or avocations are matters of habit, and activities as such or exercise of faculty neither the one nor the other. And in general there are some mixed goods: e.g. to be happy in one’s children or in one’s old age. But knowledge is a pure good. Again, some goods are permanent like the virtues, others transitory like joy and walking-exercise. All good (they say) is expedient, binding, profitable, useful, serviceable, beautiful, beneficial, desirable, and just or right.
Cite this passage
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.98 (on the Stoics), tr. R. D. Hicks (1925)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/lives-of-the-stoics/7.98
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 notesSorts mental goods into habits, dispositions and neither, with virtues as dispositions, and notes mixed goods such as being happy in one's children or old age, and that knowledge is a pure good. Says that all good is advantageous, binding, useful, beautiful, desirable and right. Doctrinal classification.
Older wording
- “dispositions”
- — settled states of mind or character
- “avocations”
- — hobbies or side activities
- “expedient”
- — advantageous, beneficial in practice
Themes and situations
- Virtue and character
- Learning and progress
- Family and love
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