Page:The World as Will and Idea - Schopenhauer, tr. Haldane and Kemp - Volume 2.djvu/359

and must be rejected. It is therefore with truth and in accordance with the Christian point of view that Augustine prefaces his exposition of the moral systems of the ancients (De Civ. Dei, Lib. xix. c. 1) with the explanation: "Exponenda sunt nobis argumenta mortalium, quibus sibi ipsi beatitudinem facere in hujus vitæ infelicitate moliti sunt; ut ab eorum rebus vanis spes nostra quid differat clarescat. De finibus bonorum et malorum multa inter se philosophi disputarunt; quam quæstionem maxima intentione versantes, invenire conati sunt, quid efficiat hominem beatum: illud enim est finis bonorum." I wish to place beyond all doubt the eudæmonistic end which we have ascribed to all ancient ethics by several express statements of the ancients themselves. Aristotle says in the "Eth. Magna," i. 4: "(Greek characters)" (Felicitas in bene vivendo posita est: verum bene vivere est in eo positum, ut secundum virtutem vivamus), with which may be compared "Eth. Nicom." i. 5. "Cic. Tusc." v. 1: "Nam, quum ea causa impulerit eos, qui primi se ad philosophiæ studia contulerunt, ut, omnibus rebus posthabitis, totos se in optimo vitæ, statu exquirendo collocarent; profecto spe beate vivendi tantam in eo studio curam operamque posuerunt." According to Plutarch (De Repugn. Stoic., c. xviii.) Chrysippus said: "(Greek characters)" (Vitiose vivere idem est quod vivere infeliciter.) Ibid., c. 26: "(Greek characters)"" (Prudentia nihil differt a felicitate, estque ipsa adeo felicitas.) "Stob. Ecl.," Lib. ii. c. 7: "(Greek characters)"(Finem esse dicunt felicitatem, cujus causa fiunt omnia.) "(Greek characters)" (Finem bonorum et felicitatem synonyma esse dicunt.) "Arrian Diss. Epict.," i. 4: "(Greek characters)" (Virtus profitetur, se felicitatem præstare.) Sen., Ep. 90: "Ceterum (sapientia) ad beatum statum tendit, illo ducit,