Friday, March 14, 2014
Some Definitions of Happiness
Socrates, asked what happiness was, said: "Pleasure without regret."The phrase ἀμεταμέλητον ἡδονὴν occurs in Plato, Timaeus 59d.
Σωκράτης ἐρωτηθεὶς τί εὐδαιμονία 'ἡδονὴ ἀμεταμέλητος' ἔφη.
Stobaeus 4.39.19 (id.):
Socrates, asked who were happy, said: "Those possessed of good sense and reason."Stobaeus 4.39.20 (id., quoting Diogenes):
Σωκράτης ἐρωτηθεὶς τίνες εὐδαίμονες, εἶπεν 'οἷς καὶ φρένες ἀγαθαὶ καὶ λόγος πρόσεστιν.'
For this alone is happiness: really to enjoy oneself and never to feel pain, whatever place or situation one is in.If Meineke's conjecture is adopted, translate "to enjoy oneself without ceasing," instead of "really to enjoy oneself." Hense thought that ἀληθινῶς might have been a marginal comment ("truly!") that crept into the text.
εὐδαιμονία γὰρ μία ἐστὶ τὸ εὐφραίνεσθαι ἀληθινῶς καὶ μηδέποτε λυπεῖσθαι, ἐν ὁποίῳ δ' ἂν τόπῳ ἢ καιρῷ ᾖ τις.
ἀληθινῶς codd.: διηνεκῶς Meineke, "ex margine illatum" Hense
Stobaeus 4.39.21 (id., quoting Diogenes):
We say that this is true happiness: always to employ one's mind and soul in peace and cheerfulness.
εὐδαιμονίαν δὲ ταύτην εἶναι φαμὲν ἀληθινὴν τὸ τὴν διάνοιαν καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀεὶ ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ καὶ ἱλαρότητι διατρίβειν.