ETHICS

Aristotle is saying that when anger is excessive, it can go wrong in many ways. For instance, a person might direct their anger at the wrong person or get angry over something they shouldn't be upset about. They might also express anger more intensely than is appropriate, get angry too quickly without thinking, or hold onto their anger for too long. However, he notes that all these flaws usually don’t occur together in one person. This is because anger that is completely out of control tends to be self-destructive—it isn’t sustainable, and such extreme behavior becomes unbearable over time. Essentially, people may display different types of unhealthy reactions, but you rarely see someone embodying all these negative traits simultaneously.

Aristotle is making a profound observation about the nature of excess and imbalance here. He’s essentially saying that extreme "evil" or excess—when it is absolute or complete—cannot sustain itself because it becomes intolerable, even self-destructive. This idea reflects a broader principle in his philosophy: virtues and functional behaviors often lie in balance, in a harmonious middle ground, while extremes lead to chaos and ultimately undo themselves. An excess, pushed far enough, undermines itself because it disrupts stability and becomes unsustainable both for the individual and for those around them.

In this specific context of anger, he means that if someone harbors excessive anger in its fullest, unrestrained form, it would likely consume them and their relationships, making it unbearable for everyone involved. It's a reminder that extremes often fail to endure because they create too much harm or disharmony, eroding their own existence from within.

Aristotle describes hot-tempered people as those who are quick to anger but, importantly, also quick to calm down. They may get angry at the wrong people, for the wrong reasons, or excessively, but their saving grace is that their anger doesn't last long. This quick cooling-off period is considered their redeeming quality. Essentially, their outbursts are short-lived because they express their emotions openly and promptly, rather than bottling them up.

This part explains that individuals who are naturally quick-tempered tend to express their anger immediately and openly. They don't hold back or bottle up their emotions, which allows them to lash out and get their frustrations out of their system. Because of this rapid release of anger, their emotional state tends to calm down relatively quickly. In short, their anger doesn't linger because they've already let it out.

This part refers to choleric people, a term derived from ancient Greek temperament theory, which Aristotle is referencing here. These individuals are excessively prone to anger—they're quick to react emotionally, often becoming angry over anything and everything, even trivial matters. This habitual readiness to explode is what defines their personality, and it is implied that their name (in Greek or related traditions) directly relates to their fiery and impulsive nature. Essentially, they let their emotions take control without much thought or restraint.

Aristotle is describing a type of person who holds on to their anger for a long time because they suppress or bottle up their emotions rather than expressing them openly. Instead of reacting immediately or letting go of their feelings, these individuals keep their resentment inside, which makes it difficult to calm or soothe them. This tendency to internalize their anger creates a lingering and unresolved tension.

This part is about how certain people handle their anger. Aristotle is pointing out that for some individuals, their anger subsides once they have taken revenge. By retaliating, they release their pent-up feelings, transitioning from the emotional pain of anger to the satisfaction—or even pleasure—of "getting even." In a sense, acting on their anger serves as a way of finding relief or closure for these individuals. It's a release valve for their emotional tension, albeit in a way that emphasizes revenge rather than reconciliation.

This part is explaining what happens when people repress their anger and don't express or release it in some way. When they don't take action to resolve their feelings—like seeking some form of "revenge" or relief—it creates an internal burden. The point here is that this type of anger is hidden and not visible to others, which means that no one tries to help by reasoning with them or addressing the issue. As a result, the unresolved anger festers internally, and processing it becomes a slow and difficult task. The focus is on how unexpressed anger can quietly harm the person holding it in.

Aristotle is pointing out that people who suppress their anger for too long without expressing it—those who "digest their anger in themselves"—tend to become their own worst enemies. This prolonged anger festers internally, making them emotionally burdened and unsettled. Moreover, this behavior negatively impacts their closest relationships, as the suppressed anger causes tension and strain with the people they care most about. Essentially, their inability to process or release anger in a healthy way creates unnecessary pain both for themselves and for those around them.

This part is describing what Aristotle refers to as "bad-tempered" people. These individuals tend to get angry for the wrong reasons or at things that don’t really warrant anger. Additionally, they exaggerate the intensity of their anger ("more than is right") and keep holding onto it for too long. What makes them particularly difficult to deal with is that they refuse to let go of their anger until they’ve enacted some form of revenge or punishment on the person they feel wronged them. This idea emphasizes how unhealthy and destructive their anger is—not just for themselves, but for others around them. It shows how being unable to forgive or move on can lead to harmful behavior and strained relationships.

Aristotle is making a comparative observation about good temper—a balanced and virtuous way of managing one's anger—and its opposites: excess and deficiency. He says that when comparing these extremes, excessive anger (bad temper) is considered more of a problem than a lack of anger (deficiency, or "inirascibility"). Why? Because excessive anger is far more common and deeply rooted in human behavior—since the desire for revenge is a "natural" human impulse. Aristotle argues that we are more likely to encounter people who are excessively angry and vengeful than those who are too passive or indifferent. Furthermore, excessively angry people are far more difficult to live and interact with. Their inability to control their emotions and tendency to hold grudges or seek constant retaliation make relationships with them unpleasant and even harmful.

So, while being too passive and never angry has its flaws, Aristotle views "bad-tempered" people—those who are frequently angry, irrational about it, and hard to appease—as a greater threat to both themselves and their relationships with others. Excess anger disrupts harmony in life and in communities, which is a central concern of Aristotle's ethics.