IX
For this reason also the question is asked, whether happiness is to
be acquired by learning or by habituation or some other sort of training,
or comes in virtue of some divine providence or again by chance. Now
if there is any gift of the gods to men, it is reasonable that happiness
should be god-given, and most surely god-given of all human things
inasmuch as it is the best. But this question would perhaps be more
appropriate to another inquiry; happiness seems, however, even if
it is not god-sent but comes as a result of virtue and some process
of learning or training, to be among the most godlike things; for
that which is the prize and end of virtue seems to be the best thing
in the world, and something godlike and blessed.
It will also on this view be very generally shared; for all who are
not maimed as regards their potentiality for virtue may win it by
a certain kind of study and care. But if it is better to be happy
thus than by chance, it is reasonable that the facts should be so,
since everything that depends on the action of nature is by nature
as good as it can be, and similarly everything that depends on art
or any rational cause, and especially if it depends on the best of
all causes. To entrust to chance what is greatest and most noble would
be a very defective arrangement.
The answer to the question we are asking is plain also from the definition
of happiness; for it has been said to be a virtuous activity of soul,
of a certain kind. Of the remaining goods, some must necessarily pre-exist
as conditions of happiness, and others are naturally co-operative
and useful as instruments. And this will be found to agree with what
we said at the outset; for we stated the end of political science
to be the best end, and political science spends most of its pains
on making the citizens to be of a certain character, viz. good and
capable of noble acts.
It is natural, then, that we call neither ox nor horse nor any other
of the animals happy; for none of them is capable of sharing in such
activity. For this reason also a boy is not happy; for he is not yet
capable of such acts, owing to his age; and boys who are called happy
are being congratulated by reason of the hopes we have for them. For
there is required, as we said, not only complete virtue but also a
complete life, since many changes occur in life, and all manner of
chances, and the most prosperous may fall into great misfortunes in
old age, as is told of Priam in the Trojan Cycle; and one who has
experienced such chances and has ended wretchedly no one calls happy.
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