Ἀγαθόν
good
Translated by Marcelo Boeri24 May 2000Vetting: high12 revisions
Translation
The word has multiple meanings.1
Predicated of the good are the 10 genera, that is to say the 10 categories.2
"To produce, since some things are [understood as] good because [of being] productive. For what is productive of the good is said to be good, such as what is productive of health, or pleasure and, in general, what is beneficial. Certainly, the good in food, insofar as it is productive of a good, is a good. And the productive is in the category of quality; indeed quality sometimes exists in the soul, for when we predicate of the soul the good and say that it is good, we are signifying that the soul has a certain quality. For instance, that it is temperate, brave, just. And the qualifications are the presence of quality. So also in the case of a human being. For when we predicate of man the good, we are signifying the fact that he has a certain quality; for example, that he is temperate, brave, just, prudent. Sometimes the good signifies "when"; for that which happens at the appropriate time is said to be good. And the good also signifies quantity, for that which is moderate, neither exceeding nor falling short,3 will be a quantity, insofar as it is said to be something of such a magnitude. And qua substance, what [is] the good? [Something] like a god, [or] intellect. And the good also is said to be something relative, for 'that which is in measure' is good in this way. And there is good in 'being affected', such as receiving a medical treatment or being taught; and there is also some good in the domain of the 'where', such as 'to be in Greece', 'to be in wholesome regions', 'to be in calm or in peace'. And there would be also a good in 'being in a certain position'; for instance, when it is useful for someone to be seated, he sits, and when it is useful for someone to be lying down, he lies down: for the person who has a fever, for the sake of argument."4
Predicated of the good are the 10 genera, that is to say the 10 categories.2
"To produce, since some things are [understood as] good because [of being] productive. For what is productive of the good is said to be good, such as what is productive of health, or pleasure and, in general, what is beneficial. Certainly, the good in food, insofar as it is productive of a good, is a good. And the productive is in the category of quality; indeed quality sometimes exists in the soul, for when we predicate of the soul the good and say that it is good, we are signifying that the soul has a certain quality. For instance, that it is temperate, brave, just. And the qualifications are the presence of quality. So also in the case of a human being. For when we predicate of man the good, we are signifying the fact that he has a certain quality; for example, that he is temperate, brave, just, prudent. Sometimes the good signifies "when"; for that which happens at the appropriate time is said to be good. And the good also signifies quantity, for that which is moderate, neither exceeding nor falling short,3 will be a quantity, insofar as it is said to be something of such a magnitude. And qua substance, what [is] the good? [Something] like a god, [or] intellect. And the good also is said to be something relative, for 'that which is in measure' is good in this way. And there is good in 'being affected', such as receiving a medical treatment or being taught; and there is also some good in the domain of the 'where', such as 'to be in Greece', 'to be in wholesome regions', 'to be in calm or in peace'. And there would be also a good in 'being in a certain position'; for instance, when it is useful for someone to be seated, he sits, and when it is useful for someone to be lying down, he lies down: for the person who has a fever, for the sake of argument."4