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Sextus Empiricus

Against the Ethicists, Book XI of Against the Learned Section 213

Section 213 of 257

Canonical reference 11.213

Ancient Greek

Hermann Mutschmann and Jürgen Mau, editors · adversus-grc

εἰ δὲ κατὰ τοῦτο ἀξιώσουσιν αὐτὸν ὑπάρχειν ἐγκρατῆ, καθόσον γίνεται μὲν ἐν φαύλαις κρίσεσιν, περιγίνεται δ’ αὐτῶν τῷ λόγῳ, πρῶτον μὲν δώσουσι τὸ ὅτι οὐδὲν ὠφέλησεν αὐτὸν ἡ φρόνησις, ἀκμὴν ἐν ταραχαῖς ὄντα καὶ βοηθείας δεόμενον, εἶτα καὶ κακοδαιμονέστερον τῶν φαύλων εὑρίσκεσθαι.

English AI-generated translation, non-official

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

But if they claim that he is self-controlled because base judgments arise in him but he overcomes them by reason, they will concede, first, that prudence has not benefited him at all, since he is still amid disturbances and in need of assistance, and second, that he is found to be more miserable than base people.

French AI-generated translation, non-official

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

Mais s’ils prétendent qu’il est maître de lui-même parce qu’il forme de mauvais jugements tout en les surmontant par la raison, ils accorderont d’abord que la prudence ne lui a été d’aucun secours, puisqu’il se trouve encore dans le trouble et a besoin d’aide; ensuite, qu’il se révèle même plus malheureux que les hommes mauvais.

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