Book 9 / Chapter 10
Paragraph 2 - The Limitations of Utility and Pleasure in Friendships
Explanation - Part By Part
"To friends made with a view to utility this saying would seem thoroughly applicable; for to do services to many people in return is a laborious task and life is not long enough for its performance."
Aristotle is saying that when it comes to friendships based on utility (those formed because they are useful or beneficial), the idea of not having too many is very fitting. This is because maintaining practical, give-and-take relationships with lots of people can be exhausting. You’d have to keep doing favors and returning services, which could become overwhelming. Plus, life is too short to adequately sustain functional or transactional relationships with a large number of people. In short, trying to serve everyone's needs will wear you out.
"Therefore friends in excess of those who are sufficient for our own life are superfluous, and hindrances to the noble life; so that we have no need of them."
Aristotle is essentially saying that having too many friends—more than what is necessary or sufficient to live a good, meaningful life—is excessive and unnecessary. In fact, an overabundance of friends can actually become a burden and interfere with living a virtuous, "noble" life. True friendship, in his view, is about quality, not quantity, and endlessly maintaining connections with too many people can distract from leading a focused and meaningful life.
"Of friends made with a view to pleasure, also, few are enough, as a little seasoning in food is enough."
Aristotle is drawing an analogy between friendships based on pleasure and seasoning in food. Friendships that are primarily about shared enjoyment or entertainment—rather than deeper bonds like virtue—should be kept to a small number. Just as over-seasoning ruins a dish, having too many pleasure-based friendships can dilute their value or overwhelm one's life. He emphasizes moderation: a few such friendships can enhance life, but more than that is unnecessary and even counterproductive.