ΕΝΟΤΗΤΑ 9
<Ἀριστοτέλους, Ἠθικά Νικομάχεια Β 6. 10-13>

Οἷον καὶ φοβηθῆναι καὶ θαρρῆσαι καὶ ἐπιθυμῆσαι καὶ ὀργισθῆναι καὶ ἐλεῆσαι καὶ ὅλως ἡσθῆναι καὶ λυπηθῆναι ἔστι καὶ μᾶλλον καὶ ἧττον, καὶ ἀμφότερα οὐκ εὖ∙ τὸ δ’ ὅτε δεῖ καὶ ἐφ’ οἷς καὶ πρὸς οὓς καὶ οὗ ἕνεκα καὶ ὡς δεῖ, μέσον τε καὶ ἄριστον, ὅπερ ἐστὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ περὶ τάς πράξεις ἐστὶν ὑπερβολὴ καὶ ἔλλειψις καὶ τὸ μέσον. Ἡ δ’ ἀρετὴ περὶ πάθη καὶ πράξεις ἐστίν, ἐν οἷς ἡ μὲν ὑπερβολὴ ἁμαρτάνεται καὶ ἡ ἔλλειψις, τὸ δὲ μέσον ἐπαινεῖται καὶ κατορθοῦται∙ ταῦτα ἄμφω τῆς ἀρετῆς. Μεσότης τις ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ ἀρετή, στοχαστική γε οὖσα τοῦ μέσου.