May we not say then that, as seeing the beloved object
is most prized by lovers and they choose this sense
rather than any of the others because Love
“Is engendered in the eyes,
With gazing fed,”
in like manner intimacy is to friends most choiceworthy,
Friendship being communion? Again, as a man is
to himself so is he to his friend; now with respect
to himself the perception of his own existence is
choiceworthy, therefore is it also in respect of his
friend.
And besides, their Friendship is acted out in intimacy,
and so with good reason they desire this. And
whatever in each man’s opinion constitutes existence,
or whatsoever it is for the sake of which they choose
life, herein they wish their friends to join with
them; and so some men drink together, others gamble,
others join in gymnastic exercises or hunting, others
study philosophy together: in each case spending
their days together in that which they like best of
all things in life, for since they wish to be intimate
with their friends they do and partake in those things
whereby they think to attain this object.
Therefore the Friendship of the wicked comes to be
depraved; for, being unstable, they share in what
is bad and become depraved in being made like to one
another: but the Friendship of the good is good,
growing with their intercourse; they improve also,
as it seems, by repeated acts, and by mutual correction,
for they receive impress from one another in the points
which give them pleasure; whence says the poet,
“Thou from the good, good things
shalt surely learn.”
Here then we will terminate our discourse of Friendship.
The next thing is to go into the subject of Pleasure.
Next, it would seem, follows a discussion respecting
Pleasure, for it is thought to be most closely bound
up with our kind: and so men train the young,
guiding them on their course by the rudders of Pleasure
and Pain. And to like and dislike what one ought
is judged to be most important for the formation of
good moral character: because these feelings extend
all one’s life through, giving a bias towards
and exerting an influence on the side of Virtue and
Happiness, since men choose what is pleasant and avoid
what is painful.
Subjects such as these then, it would seem, we ought
by no means to pass by, and specially since they involve
much difference of opinion. There are those who
call Pleasure the Chief Good; there are others who
on the contrary maintain that it is exceedingly bad;
some perhaps from a real conviction that such is the
case, others from a notion that it is better, in reference
to our life and conduct, to show up Pleasure as bad,
even if it is not so really; arguing that, as the mass
of men have a bias towards it and are the slaves of
their pleasures, it is right to draw them to the contrary,
for that so they may possibly arrive at the mean.
