ὁ φίλος ἐστὶν ἄλλος αὐτός → the friend is another self

[Jorsay]

Billberg,

As per your suggestion, my son (and now my 16 year old daughter) and I have begun "The First Year of Greek" by James Allen.  I already have a question about a translation.

Ὁ φίλος ἐστίν ἄλλος αὐτός.
The friend is another self.

Does this mean that your friend is like another you, both as in your friend helps you accomplish your goals etc... and as in your friends tend to be similar to you?

Anyone else who wishes to answer, please feel free.

Thank you,

[billberg23]

Good question, J!  Aristotle says this in Book 9, Chapter 4 of his Nicomachean Ethics (1166a30), where he seems to make true friendship an attribute of the virtuous man exclusively.  Just as a man loves his own goodness, so he recognizes and loves that goodness in another, i.e. recognizes a second self in that other.  At least that's what I make of the passage;  let us know what you think.

It's nice to be discussing real Greek for a change!

[oberonsghost]

I haven't quite got around to reading Aristotle...but is this the passage that is often rendered "a friend is a soul in two bodies"?.....

[billberg23]

"What is a friend?  A single soul dwelling in two bodies" (ἐρωτηθεὶς τί ἐστι φίλος, ἔφη, "μία ψυχὴ δύο σώμασιν ἐνοικοῦσα") is put into the mouth of Aristotle by Diogenes Laertius 5.20.  However, it's certainly the more famous quotation in English.  Who knows why?

[oberonsghost]

"What is a friend?  A single soul dwelling in two bodies" is put in the mouth of Aristotle by Diogenes Laertius 5.20.  However, it's certainly the more famous quotation in English.  Who knows why?

Thanks Bill....I think it gets better press because it makes such a wonderful Hallmark card ;-)