Abstract
This article aims to examine Constantine Lascaris’s work on Aristoteles’ ethical corpus. We consider evidence from the textual witnesses of the Nicomachean Ethics, the Eudemian Ethics, the Magna Moralia, and some other minor ethical writings, which belonged to Lascaris, in order to reconstruct his working methods. We also explore Lascaris’ own statements about virtuous life; a life devoted to the service of the common good, to philosophy and to the study of texts. For him philosophy was a way of life, rather than simply a discourse. We look at the link between written culture and philosophical life and propose further research into how Byzantine and Renaissance scholars understood their own intellectual activities to be a special kind of spiritual exercise intended to promote moral improvement in both individuals and societies.
Highlights
Constantine Lascaris is a well-known figure in the realm of humanism
We consider evidence from the textual witnesses of the Nicomachean Ethics, the Eudemian Ethics, the Magna Moralia, and some other minor ethical writings, which belonged to Lascaris, in order to reconstruct his working methods
We look at the link between written culture and philosophical life and propose further research into how Byzantine and Renaissance scholars understood their own intellectual activities to be a special kind of spiritual exercise intended to promote moral improvement in both individuals and societies
Summary
If philosophy is to be understood here as a pursuit for the best life possible and as a commitment to self-improvement, our figure of reference must be Socrates. Both for the city and for the individual, εὐδαιμονία is a good way to behave (εὐπραγία or εὐπραξία), and contemplation (like virtue) is an exercise or a practice in accordance with the most divine element in us.[25] To summarize, those devoted to philosophy were called upon to live, as far as possible, the life of the gods and to exercise contemplation; but to the same degree, they were responsible for living a virtuous life and making their co-citizens virtuous as well.[26]. Numerous content clarifications were added using a purple-coloured ink Some of these are merely intended to describe the content of relevant passages: for instance, at the beginning of the second book of Nicomachean Ethics (folio 12 recto), where Aristotle states the difference between intellectual and moral virtue, Lascaris describes the issues dealt in the passage by writing down on the margin, firstly, “τίἡ διανοητικὴ ἀρετή” (what is intellectual excellence?) and, secondly, downwards, “τίἡ ἠθική” (what is moral excellence?) (see Plate 3). Some of these minor mistakes and corrections are here listed: 1102a 16 1102a 20 1110a 23 1110a 30 1110b 5
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