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Sextus Empiricus

Against the Ethicists, Book XI of Against the Learned Section 123

Section 123 of 257

Canonical reference 11.123

Ancient Greek

Hermann Mutschmann and Jürgen Mau, editors · adversus-grc

πάλιν ὁ τὴν δόξαν αἱρετὴν ὑποτιθέμενος συντόνως ἐφίεται τῆς δόξης, τὸ δὲ συντόνως ἐφίεσθαι τῆς δόξης ἐστὶ φιλοδοξεῖν· τὸ ἄρα τὴν δόξαν αἱρετὸν καὶ φύσει ἀγαθὸν ὑποτίθεσθαι μεγάλου τινὸς κακοῦ γεννητικόν ἐστι, τῆς φιλοδοξίας.

English AI-generated translation, non-official

Codex gpt-5.6-sol · Non-official working translation · 2026-09-11

Again, one who assumes reputation to be choiceworthy intensely desires it, and intensely desiring reputation is being ambitious. Thus assuming reputation to be choiceworthy and good by nature generates a great evil, ambition.

French AI-generated translation, non-official

Codex gpt-5.6-sol · Non-official working translation · 2026-09-11

De même, celui qui suppose que la gloire mérite d’être choisie la désire intensément. Or désirer intensément la gloire, c’est aimer la gloire. Supposer que la gloire mérite d’être choisie et qu’elle est bonne par nature engendre donc un grand mal : l’ambition.

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