Book 3 / Chapter 9
Paragraph 2 - The Nature of Courage and Its Motivations
Explanation - Part By Part
"Yet the end which courage sets before it would seem to be pleasant, but to be concealed by the attending circumstances, as happens also in athletic contests; for the end at which boxers aim is pleasant- the crown and the honours- but the blows they take are distressing to flesh and blood, and painful, and so is their whole exertion; and because the blows and the exertions are many the end, which is but small, appears to have nothing pleasant in it."
Aristotle is drawing a comparison to help explain courage in a way that makes its complexity clearer. He says the ultimate goal of courage—the "end"—is something positive and desirable, much like the crown and honors that boxers aim for in an athletic contest. Winning the prize, or reaching this noble goal, is something good and pleasant. However, the process of achieving it is filled with pain and difficulty, such as the punches and exhaustion that boxers endure during their matches. These painful and unpleasant experiences often overshadow the prize, making it seem like there's nothing enjoyable about the entire endeavor. Courage, like this, involves enduring significant hardship, but it remains anchored in the pursuit of a noble and worthwhile goal, even if that goal isn’t immediately visible amidst the struggle.
"And so, if the case of courage is similar, death and wounds will be painful to the brave man and against his will, but he will face them because it is noble to do so or because it is base not to do so."
Aristotle is saying that a truly courageous person will inevitably find things like death and injury to be painful and undesirable—no one willingly seeks these out for their own sake. However, what distinguishes the brave individual is their willingness to face these hardships because doing so is noble (honorable, virtuous, and morally admirable) or because avoiding them would be shameful (cowardly or dishonorable). In other words, courage is about enduring what is difficult and unpleasant for a higher purpose, not because it is enjoyable, but because it is the right thing to do.
"And the more he is possessed of virtue in its entirety and the happier he is, the more he will be pained at the thought of death; for life is best worth living for such a man, and he is knowingly losing the greatest goods, and this is painful."
This part is emphasizing a profound paradox: the better and more virtuous a person is—someone who lives with purpose and values, who finds deep happiness in their life and in doing good—the more painful the thought of death becomes to them. Why? Because such a person fully understands the beauty and value of life and its opportunities for noble action, relationships, and fulfillment. Therefore, the idea of losing those "greatest goods"—all the meaningful aspects of living—feels deeply sorrowful. Unlike those who live carelessly or without much purpose, this person has much to cherish and, hence, much to lose. The pain arises not just from the fear of death but from the profound appreciation of life's worth.
"But he is none the less brave, and perhaps all the more so, because he chooses noble deeds of war at that cost."
This part highlights an important idea about courage: true bravery is not diminished by the presence of fear or personal pain—in fact, it may actually be heightened by those challenges. A person who faces great danger, such as the sacrifices required in war, knowing full well the cost (pain, suffering, or even death), is seen as even more courageous. Why? Because their decision to act nobly is made despite the steep personal price. Choosing to do what is right or honorable in the face of such hardship makes their bravery even more admirable.
"It is not the case, then, with all the virtues that the exercise of them is pleasant, except in so far as it reaches its end."
Aristotle is pointing out here that not all virtues are inherently enjoyable or pleasurable to practice. Their exercise often involves hardship, pain, or sacrifice in the moment. However, the virtue becomes meaningful and possibly satisfying only when it achieves its ultimate purpose or end goal. For example, the courage to face danger or suffering is not pleasant in itself, but what makes it worthwhile is the noble purpose or outcome it serves—whether it's defending something important, upholding one's values, or acting honorably in difficult circumstances. The fulfillment of the virtue's end is what makes it significant, even if the process itself is challenging.
"But it is quite possible that the best soldiers may be not men of this sort but those who are less brave but have no other good; for these are ready to face danger, and they sell their life for trifling gains."
This part suggests that the individuals who may prove to be the "best soldiers" in certain situations are not necessarily those who embody the highest level of virtue or bravery in the moral sense Aristotle has been discussing. Instead, they might be people who lack other significant goods in life—such as happiness, fulfillment, or a rich connection to noble goals—and thus, have less to lose. These individuals may be more willing to risk their lives for relatively minor rewards or gains ("trifling gains") because they don’t value their lives as highly compared to someone who possesses a fuller sense of virtue, happiness, and purpose.
In essence, Aristotle is pointing out that practical effectiveness in a specific role, like being a soldier, doesn’t always align with moral excellence or true courage. Someone might fight bravely and take great risks, not out of nobility or a virtuous commitment to what is right, but simply because they perceive their life as lacking meaning or worth, making the consequences of death less daunting for them. It's a subtle distinction between genuine courage (grounded in virtue and noble purpose) and a lesser form of bravery driven by different, less honorable motivations.
"So much, then, for courage; it is not difficult to grasp its nature in outline, at any rate, from what has been said."
In this concluding remark about courage, Aristotle is essentially saying that, based on everything he has discussed so far, the essence or core idea of courage should now be clear to the reader. It’s his way of wrapping up this section by summarizing that courage has been adequately explained in broad strokes, even if there might still be finer details left to explore.