The Nicomachean Ethics — trans. F. H. Peters (1881)

The truth seems to be that well-wishing is the /^ germ of friendship, in the same way as pleasure in the sight of a person is the germ of sexual love : for no one falls in love unless he is first pleased by visible beauty ; but he who delights in the beauty of a person is not one whit in love on that account, imless he also feels the absence and desires the presence of that person. Just so it is impossible for people to be friends unless they first become well-wishers, but people who wish each other well are not a whit on that account friends ; for they merely wish good to those whose well-wishers they are, but would never help them in any enterprise, or put themselves out for them. One might say, then — extending the meaning of the term — that well-wishing is an undeveloped friendship, which with time and intimate acquaintance m.ay become friendship proper, — not that friendship whose motive is profit, nor that whose motive is pleasure ; for well-wishing is no element in them. He who has received a benefit does indeed give his good wishes in return to his benefactor, and it is but just that he should ; but he who wishes that another may prosper, in the hope of good things to be got by his means, does not seem really to wish well to the other, but rather to himself, just as he is not

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Uy a friend if he serves him with an eye to |iiofit.

But, generally speaking, well-wishing is grounded upon some kind of excellence or goodness, and arises when a person seems to us beautiful or brave, or endowed with some other good quality, as we said in the case of the athletes.

6. Unanimity [or unity of sentiment] also seems Friendship to be an element in friendship ; and this shows that unanimity. it is not mere agreement in opinion, for that is possible even between people who know nothing of each other.

Nor do we apply the term to those who agree in judgment upon any kind of subject, e.^. upon astronomy (for being of one mind in these matters has nothing to do with friendship) ; but we say that unanimity prevails in a state where the citizens agree in their judgments about what is for the common interest, and choose the same course, and carry out the decision of the community. It is with regard to practical matters, therefore, that people are said to be of one mind, especially with regard to matters of importance and things that may be given to both persons, or to all the persons concerned ; for instance, a state is said to be of one mind when all the citizens are agreed that the majfistracies shall be elective, or that an alliance \ be made with Sparta, or that Pittacus be governor, Pittacus himself being willing to accept the office. But when each wishes the government for himself, ; like the brothers in the Phoenissae of Euripides, then they are at discord : for being of one mind means tiiat each not merely thinks of the same thing (what-

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ever it be), but thinks of it under the same conditions— as, for instance, if both the populace and the upper classes agree that the best men shall govern ; for thus they all get what they want.

Unanimity, then, seems to be, as it is called, the kind of friendship that prevails in states ; for it has to do with what is for the common interest, and with things that have a considerable influence upon life.

This kind of unanimity is found in good men ; for they are of one mind with themselves and with each other, standing, so to speak, always on the same ground : for the wishes of such people are constant, and do not ebb and flow like the Euripus ; they wish what is just and for the common interest, and make united efforts to attain it. But people who are not good cannot be of one mind, just as they cannot be friends except for a little space or to a slight extent, as they strive for more than their share of profit, but take less than their share of labours and public services: but every man, while wishing to do this himself, keeps a sharp eye upon his neighbour, and prevents him from doing it ; for if they are not thus on their guard, the community is ruined. The result is that they are at discord, striving to compel one another to do what is just, but not willing to do it themselves. Why bene- 7. Bouefactors seem to love those whom they have