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Aretē: Excellence or Virtue Library

Want to know what the Ancient Greeks thought and said about aretē (excellence or virtue)?
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— Aretē: Excellence or Virtue Contents —

 

Nine readings (including the Introduction) in yellow are available below. 

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1. Introduction  2. Determining the Goal—Aretē as the Telos of Life  3. The Aretē Spectrum—from Inanimate to Divine Aretē  4. The Nature of Aretē—General & Specific Notions of Aretē  5. Aretē as the Means by Which—Competitive, Cooperative & Deifying Excellence  6. The How of Aretē—Inheritance, the Gods, Teaching & Hard Work  7. Models of Aretē—Excellent Men & Women  8. Plato & Socrates  9. Xenophon & Socrates  10. Aristotle  11. The Cynics—Antisthenes, Diogenes, Crates & Other Cynics  12. Zeno of Citium & the Early Stoics  13. Epictetus the Stoic  14. Epicurus  15. Plotinus  16. Lucian of Samosata  17. Isocrates  18. Demosthenes  19. Dio Chrysostom  20. Julian the Emperor  21. Conclusion

If you are looking wisdom related to aretē and ways to practice aretē, go to the Aretē Gymnasium here.​

Reading 1

Introduction

to Aretē: Excellence or Virtue
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Reading 2

Determining the Goal

Aretē as the Telos of Life
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Reading 3

The Aretē Spectrum

from Inanimate to Divine Aretē
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Reading 4

The Nature of Aretē 

General and Specific Notions of Arete
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Reading 8

Plato & Socrates

on Aretē: Excellence or Virtue
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Reading 9

Xenophon & Socrates

on Aretē: Excellence or Virtue
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Reading 12

Zeno of Citium & the Early Stoics

on Aretē: Excellence or Virtue
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Reading 15

Plotinus

on Aretē: Excellence or Virtue
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Reading 17

Isocrates

  on Aretē: Excellence or Virtue
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