---
title: "Virtue and Vice · De virtute et vitio"
author: "Plutarch"
translator: "Frank Cole Babbitt"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Philosophy"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-virtue-and-vice/
cite: "Plutarch, tr. Frank Cole Babbitt, Virtue and Vice · De virtute et vitio. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-virtue-and-vice/"
---

# Virtue and Vice · De virtute et vitio

*Plutarch, tr. Frank Cole Babbitt*

Vice makes every pleasure bitter; virtue makes any life sweet.

> Greek: ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0007.tlg075, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Frank Cole Babbitt, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0007.tlg075.perseus-eng3). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## Contents

1. [Sections 2–4](https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-virtue-and-vice/1.md)

## 1. Sections 2–4

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-virtue-and-vice/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-virtue-and-vice/1/#p-N

[¶0] Plutarch’s essay on Virtue and Vice is an excellent sermon which has not been overlooked by Christian preachers. Clothes are supposed to make a man warm, not of course by warming him themselves in the sense of adding their warmth to him, because each garment by itself is cold, and for this reason very often persons who feel hot and feverish keep changing from one set of clothes to another; but the warmth which a man gives off from his own person the clothing, closely applied to the body, confines and enwraps, and does not allow it, when thus imprisoned in the body, to be dissipated again. Now the same condition existing in human affairs deceives most people, who think that, if they surround themselves with vast houses, and get together a mass of slaves and money, they shall live pleasantly. But a pleasant and happy life comes not from external things, but, on the contrary, man draws on his own character as a source from which to add the element of pleasure and joy to the things which surround him. Bright with a blazing fire a house looks far more cheerful, and wealth is pleasanter, and repute and power more resplendent, if with them goes the gladness which springs from the heart; and so too men bear poverty, exile, and old age lightly and gently in proportion to the serenity and mildness of their character.

> Greek: τὰ ἱμάτια δοκεῖ θερμαίνειν τὸν ἄνθρωπον, οὐκ αὐτὰ δήπου θερμαίνοντα καὶ προσβάλλοντα τὴν θερμότητα καθʼ ἑαυτὸ γὰρ ἕκαστον αὐτῶν ψυχρόν ἐστιν, ᾗ καὶ πολλάκις οἱ καυματιζόμενοι καὶ πυρέττοντες ἐξ ἑτέρων ἕτερα μεταλαμβάνουσιν, ἀλλʼ ἣν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἀναδίδωσιν ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ θερμότητα, ταύτην ἡ ἐσθὴς τῷ σώματι προσπεσοῦσα συνέχει καὶ περιστέλλει, καὶ καθειργνυμένην εἰς τὸ σῶμα οὐκ ἐᾷ πάλιν σκεδάννυσθαι. ταὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο τοῖς πράγμασιν ὑπάρχον ἐξαπατᾷ τοὺς πολλούς, ὡς, ἂν οἰκίας μεγάλας περιβάλωνται καὶ πλῆθος ἀνδραπόδων καὶ χρημάτων συναγάγωσιν, ἡδέως βιωσομένους. τὸ δʼ ἡδέως ζῆν καὶ ἱλαρῶς οὐκ ἔξωθέν ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον ὁ ἄνθρωπος τοῖς περὶ αὑτὸν πράγμασιν ἡδονὴν καὶ χάριν ὥσπερ ἐκ πηγῆς τοῦ ἤθους προστίθησιν. 15
αἰθομένου δὲ πυρὸς γεραρώτερος οἶκος ἰδέσθαι,
καὶ πλοῦτος; ἡδίων καὶ δόξα λαμπροτέρα καὶ δύναμις, ἂν τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ἔχῃ γῆθος· ὅπου καὶ πενίαν καὶ φυγὴν καὶ γῆρας ἐλαφρῶς καὶ προσηνῶς πρὸς εὐκολίαν καὶ πραότητα τρόπου φέρουσιν.

[¶1] 2. As perfumes make coarse and ragged garments fragrant, but the body of Anchises gave off a noisome exudation, “Damping the linen robe adown his back,” so every occupation and manner of life, if attended by virtue, is untroubled and delightful, while, on the other hand, any admixture of vice renders those things which to others seem splendid, precious, and imposing, only troublesome, sickening, and unwelcome to their possessors. “This man is happy deemed ’mid public throng, But when he opes his door he’s thrice a wretch; His wife controls, commands, and always fights.” Yet it is not difficult for any man to get rid of a bad wife if he be a real man and not a slave; but against his own vice it is not possible to draw up a writing of divorcement and forthwith to be rid of troubles and to be at peace, having arranged to be by himself. No, his vice, a settled tenant of his very vitals always, both at night and by day, “Burns, but without e’er a brand, and consigns to an eld all untimely.” For in travelling vice is a troublesome companion because of arrogance, at dinner an expensive companion owing to gluttony, and a distressing bedfellow, since by anxieties, cares and jealousies it drives out and destroys sleep. For what slumber there may be is sleep and repose for the body only, but for the soul terrors, dreams, and agitations, because of superstition. “When grief o’ertakes me as I close my eyes, I’m murdered by my dreams.” says one man. In such a state do envy, fear, temper, and licentiousness put a man. For by day vice, looking outside of itself and conforming its attitude to others, is abashed and veils its emotions, and does not give itself up completely to its impulses, but oftentimes resists them and struggles against them; but in the hours of slumber, when it has escaped from opinion and law, and got away as far as possible from feeling fear or shame, it sets every desire stirring, and awakens its depravity and licentiousness. It “attempts incest,” as Plato says, partakes of forbidden meats, abstains from nothing which it wishes to do, but revels in lawlessness so far as it can, with images and visions which end in no pleasure or accomplishment of desire, but have only the power to stir to fierce activity the emotional and morbid propensities.

> Greek: 2. ὡς γὰρ ἀρώματα τρίβωνας εὐώδεις καὶ ῥάκια ποιεῖ, τοῦ δʼ Ἀγχίσου τὸ σῶμα ἰχῶρα πονηρὸν ἐξεδίδου
νώτου καταστάζοντα βύσσινον φάρος,
οὕτω μετʼ ἀρετῆς καὶ δίαιτα πᾶσα καὶ βίος ἄλυπός ἐστι καὶ ἐπιτερπής, ἡ δὲ κακία καὶ τὰ λαμπρὰ φαινόμενα καὶ πολυτελῆ καὶ σεμνὰ μιγνυμένη λυπηρὰ καὶ ναυτιώδη καὶ δυσπρόσδεκτα παρέχει τοῖς κεκτημένοις
οὗτος μακάριος ἐν ἀγορᾷ νομίζεται·
ἐπὰν δʼ ἀνοίξῃ τὰς θύρας, τρισάθλιος,
γυνὴ κρατεῖ πάντων, ἐπιτάττει, μάχετʼ ἀεί.
καίτοι γυναικὸς οὐ χαλεπῶς ἄν τις ἀπαλλαγείη πονηρᾶς ἀνὴρ ὤν, μὴ ἀνδράποδον πρὸς δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κακίαν οὐκ ἔστι γραψάμενον ἀπόλειψιν πραγμάτων ἀφεῖσθαι καὶ ἀναπαύεσθαι γενόμενον καθʼ αὑτόν, ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ συνοικοῦσα τοῖς σπλάγχνοις καὶ προσπεφυκυῖα νύκτωρ καὶ μεθʼ ἡμέραν
εὕει ἄτερ δαλοῖο καὶ ὠμῷ γήραϊ δῶκε,
βαρεῖα συνέκδημος οὖσα διʼ ἀλαζονείαν καὶ πολυτελὴς σύνδειπνος ὑπὸ λιχνείας καὶ σύγκοιτος ὀδυνηρά, φροντίσι καὶ μερίμναις καὶ ζηλοτυπίαις ἐκκόπτουσα τὸν ὕπνον καὶ διαφθείρουσα. καὶ γὰρ ὃ καθεύδουσι, τοῦ σώματος ὕπνος ἐστὶ καὶ ἀνάπαυσις, τῆς ψυχῆς πτοῖαι καὶ ὄνειροι καὶ ταραχαὶ διὰ δεισιδαιμονίαν.
ὅταν δὲ νυστάζοντά μʼ ἡ λύπη λάβῃ,
ἀπόλλυμʼ ὑπὸ τῶν ἐνυπνίων
φησί τις. οὕτω δὲ καὶ φθόνος καὶ φόβος καὶ θυμὸς καὶ ἀκολασία διατίθησι. μεθʼ ἡμέραν μὲν γὰρ ἔξω βλέπουσα καὶ συσχηματιζομένη πρὸς ἑτέρους ἡ κακία δυσωπεῖται καὶ παρακαλύπτει τὰ πάθη, καὶ παντάπασι ταῖς ὁρμαῖς ἐκδίδωσιν ἑαυτὴν ἀλλʼ ἀντιτείνει καὶ μάχεται πολλάκις· ἐν δὲ τοῖς ὕπνοις ἀποφυγοῦσα δόξας καὶ νόμους καὶ πορρωτάτω γενομένη τοῦ δεδιέναι τε καὶ αἰδεῖσθαι, πᾶσαν ἐπιθυμίαν κινεῖ καὶ ἐπανεγείρει τὸ κακόηθες καὶ ἀκόλαστον. μητρί τε γὰρ ἐπιχειρεῖ μίγνυσθαι, ὥς φησιν ὁ Πλάτων; καὶ βρώσεις ἀθέσμους προσφέρεται καὶ πράξεως οὐδεμιᾶς ἀπέχεται, ἀπολαύουσα τοῦ παρανομεῖν ὡς ἀνυστὸν ἐστιν εἰδώλοις καὶ φάσμασιν εἰς οὐδεμίαν ἡδονὴν οὐδὲ τελείωσιν τοῦ ἐπιθυμοῦντος τελευτῶσιν, ἀλλὰ κινεῖν μόνον καὶ διαγριαίνειν τὰ πάθη καὶ τὰ νοσήματα δυναμένοις.

[¶2] 3. Where, then, is the pleasure in vice, if in no part of it is to be found freedom from care and grief, or contentment or tranquillity or calm? For a wellbalanced and healthy condition of the body gives room for engendering the pleasures of the flesh; but in the soul lasting joy and gladness cannot possibly be engendered, unless it provide itself first with cheerfulness, fearlessness, and courageousness as a basis to rest upon, or as a calm tranquillity that no billows disturb; otherwise, even though some hope or delectation lure us with a smile, anxiety suddenly breaks forth, like a hidden rock appearing in fair weather, and the soul is overwhelmed and confounded.

> Greek: 3. ποῦ τοίνυν τὸ ἡδὺ τῆς κακίας ἐστίν, εἰ μηδαμοῦ τὸ ἀμέριμνον καὶ τὸ ἄλυπον μηδʼ αὐτάρκεια μηδʼ ἀταραξία μηδʼ ἡσυχία; ταῖς μὲν γὰρ τῆς σαρκὸς ἡδοναῖς; ἡ τοῦ σώματος εὐκρασία καὶ ὑγίεια χώραν καὶ γένεσιν δίδωσι· τῇ δὲ ψυχῇ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐγγενέσθαι γῆθος οὐδὲ χαρὰν βέβαιον, ἂν μὴ τὸ εὔθυμον καὶ ἄφοβον καὶ θαρραλέον ὥσπερ ἕδραν ἢ γαλήνην ἄκλυστον ὑποβάληται, ἀλλὰ κἂν ὑπομειδιάσῃ τις ἐλπὶς ἢ τέρψις, αὕτη ταχὺ φροντίδος ἐκραγείσης ὥσπερ ἐν εὐδίᾳ σπιλάδος συνεχύθη καὶ συνεταράχθη.

[¶3] 4. Heap up gold, amass silver, build stately promenades, fill your house with slaves and the city with your debtors; unless you lay level the emotions of your soul, put a stop to your insatiate desires, and quit yourself of fears and anxieties, you are but decanting wine for a man in a fever, offering honey to a bilious man, and preparing tid-bits and dainties for sufferers from colic or dysentery, who cannot retain them or be strengthened by them, but are only brought nearer to death thereby. Does not your observation of sick persons teach you that they dislike and reject and decline the finest and costliest viands which their attendants offer and try to force upon them; and then later, when their whole condition has changed, and good breathing, wholesome blood, and normal temperature have returned to their bodies, they get up and have joy and satisfaction in eating plain bread with cheese and cress? It is such a condition that reason creates in the soul. You will be contented with your lot if you learn what the honourable and good is. You will be luxurious in poverty, and live like a king, and you will find no less satisfaction in the care-free life of a private citizen than in the life connected with high military or civic office. If you become a philosopher, you will live not unpleasantly, but you will learn to subsist pleasantly anywhere and with any resources. Wealth will give you gladness for the good you will do to many, poverty for your freedom from many cares, repute for the honours you will enjoy, and obscurity for the certainty that you shall not be envied.

> Greek: 4. ἅθροιζε χρυσίον, σύναγε ἀργύριον, οἰκοδόμει περιπάτους, ἔμπλησον ἀνδραπόδων τὴν οἰκίαν καὶ χρεωστῶν τὴν πόλιν· ἂν μὴ τὰ πάθη τῆς ψυχῆς καταστορέσῃς καὶ τὴν ἀπληστίαν παύσῃς καὶ φόβων καὶ φροντίδων ἀπαλλάξῃς σαυτόν, οἶνον διηθεῖς· πυρέττοντι καὶ χολικῷ μέλι προσφέρεις καὶ σιτία καὶ ὄψα κοιλιακοῖς ἑτοιμάζεις καὶ δυσεντερικοῖς, μὴ στέγουσι μηδὲ ῥωννυμένοις ἀλλὰ προσδιαφθειρομένοις ὑπʼ αὐτῶν. οὐχ ὁρᾷς τοὺς νοσοῦντας ὅτι τῶν βρωμάτων τὰ καθαρώτατα καὶ πολυτελέστατα δυσχεραίνουσι καὶ διαπτύουσι καὶ παραιτοῦνται προσφερόντων καὶ βιαζομένων, εἶτα, τῆς κράσεως μεταβαλούσης καὶ πνεύματος χρηστοῦ καὶ γλυκέος αἵματος ἐγγενομένου καὶ θερμότητος; οἰκείας, ἀναστάντες ἄρτον λιτὸν ἐπὶ τυρῷ καὶ καρδάμῳ χαίρουσι καὶ ἀσμενίζουσιν ἐσθίοντες; τοιαύτην ὁ λόγος ἐμποιεῖ τῇ ψυχῇ διάθεσιν. αὐτάρκης ἔσῃ, ἂν μάθῃς τί τὸ καλὸν κἀγαθόν ἐστι· τρυφήσεις ἐν πενίᾳ καὶ βασιλεύσεις καὶ τὸν ἀπράγμονα βίον καὶ ἰδιώτην οὐδὲν ἧττον ἀγαπήσεις ἢ τὸν ἐπὶ στρατηγίαις καὶ ἡγεμονίαις· οὐ βιώσῃ φιλοσοφήσας ἀηδῶς, ἀλλὰ πανταχοῦ ζῆν ἡδέως μαθήσῃ καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων· εὐφρανεῖ σε πλοῦτος πολλοὺς εὐεργετοῦντα καὶ πενία πολλὰ μὴ μεριμνῶντα καὶ δόξα τιμώμενον καὶ ἀδοξία μὴ φθονούμενον.