ἐπεὶ δὲ φίλ(22)αυτοι πάντες, καὶ τὰ αὑτῶν ἀνάγκη ἡδέα εἶναι πᾶσιν, οἷον (23) ἔργα καὶ λόγους·
διὸ καὶ φιλοκόλακες ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ (24) καὶ φιλερασταὶ καὶ φιλόμαιμοι καὶ φιλότεκνοι· αὐτῶν γὰρ (25) ἔργον τὰ τέκνα.
καὶ τὸ τὰ ἐλλιπῆ ἐπιτελεῖν ἡδύ· αὐτῶν γὰρ (26) ἔργον ἤδη γίγνεται.
καὶ ἐπεὶ τὸ ἄρχειν ἥδιστον, καὶ τὸ (27) σοφὸν δοκεῖν εἶναι ἡδύ·
ἀρχικὸν γὰρ τὸ φρονεῖν, ἔστιν δ’ (28) ἡ σοφία πολλῶν καὶ θαυμαστῶν ἐπιστήμη.
ἔτι ἐπεὶ φιλό(29)τιμοι ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολύ, ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸ ἐπιτιμᾶν τοῖς πέ(30)λας ἡδὺ εἶναι καὶ τὸ ἄρχειν,
καὶ τὸ ἐν ᾧ δοκεῖ βέλτιστος (31) αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ εἶναι, ἐνταῦθα διατρίβειν,
ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ ποιη(32)τής φησι κἀπὶ τοῦτ’ ἐπείγει,
νέμων ἑκάστης ἡμέρας πλεῖστον μέρος,
(33) ἵν’ αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ τυγχάνει βέλτιστος ὤν.
And because we are all fond of ourselves, it follows that what is our own is pleasant to all of us, as for instance our own deeds and words.
That is why we are usually fond of our flatterers, [our lovers,] and honour; also of our children, for our children are our own work.
It is also pleasant to complete what is defective, for the whole thing thereupon becomes our own work.
And since power over others is very pleasant, it is pleasant to be thought wise,
for practical wisdom secures us power over others. (Scientific wisdom is also pleasant, because it is the knowledge of many wonderful things.)
Again, since most of us are ambitious, it must be pleasant to disparage our neighbours as well as to have power over them.
It is pleasant for a man to spend his time over what he feels he can do best;
just as the poet says, To that he bends himself, To that each day allots most time, whereinHe is indeed the best part of himself.
