Free Will, Moral Character, and Ethical Action: The Meaning of προαίρεσις in Polybius

Abstract

This paper offers a new perspective on Polybius’s thinking about human action and character by focusing on his use of the term προαίρεσις and its contextualization within rhetorical and philosophical settings. The paper attempts to trace and interpret the applications of the term in the Histories, with a focus on the implications for Polybian ethics. The investigation reveals that at certain points Polybius draws upon the philosophical uses of προαίρεσις, which provide a “missing link” in his conceptualization of human action, moral vs. natural character, and the ethical dimension in both the historical process and its explanation by the historian.