he father should have no attention or regard for the son, or
the son for the father, or friend for friend; for what is best is most
eligible: but to be a member of the community and be in felicity is
best. What these persons advance might probably be true, if the supreme
good was certainly theirs who plunder and use violence to others: but
it is [1325b] most unlikely that it should be so; for it is a mere
supposition: for it does not follow that their actions are honourable
who thus assume the supreme power over others, without they were by
nature as superior to them as a man to a woman, a father to a child, a
master to a slave: so that he who so far forsakes the paths of virtue
can never return back from whence he departed from them: for amongst
equals whatever is fair and just ought to be reciprocal; for this is
equal and right; but that equals should not partake of what is equal, or
like to like, is contrary to nature: but whatever is contrary to nature
is not right; therefore, if there is any one superior to the rest of the
community in virtue and abilities for active life, him it is proper to
follow, him it is right to obey, but the one alone will not do, but must
be joined to the other also: and, if we are right in what we have now
said, it follows that happiness consists in virtuous activity, and that
both with respect to the community as well as the individual an active
life is the happiest: not that an active life must necessarily refer to
other persons, as some think, or that those studies alone are practical
which are pursued to teach others what to do; for those are much more
so whose final object is in themselves, and to improve the judgment and
understanding of the man; for virtuous activity has an end, therefore
is something practical; nay, those who contrive the plan which others
follow are more particularly said to act, and are superior to the
workmen who execute their designs. But it is not necessary that states
which choose to have no intercourse with others should remain inactive;
for the several members thereof may have mutual intercourse with each
other; for there are many opportunities for this among the different
citizens; the same thing is true of every individual: for, was it
otherwise, neither could the Deity nor the universe be perfect; to
neither of whom can anything external separately exist. Hence it is
evident that that very same life which is happy for each individual is
happy also for the