ABSTRACT
That the virtuous man is a self-lover may seem paradoxical to the many, who measure self-love by things useful and pleasant and not by things beautiful. Aristotle adds to the seeming paradox by showing that the virtuous man will love himself most. The paradox is only seeming. It is dissolved by the same distinction between the useful and the beautiful. Insofar as the virtuous man 208stands aside for his friend in things useful, he loves his friend more. Insofar as he does not stand aside in things beautiful (as virtuous he always chooses to do the virtuous thing), he loves himself more (12b8–17). But in this way he is also, at the same time, useful for his friend, since virtue always benefits the virtuous. The virtuous man is a not self-lover in any bad or selfish way, for who could blame, or consider selfish, someone who sought always to excel in virtue—in courage, generosity, justice? But most people think of what is useful and pleasant when they think of good things and so, since taking these for oneself means taking them away from others who may need them more or deserve them better, they think that those who love themselves are selfish (12b20–23). Were they to shift their focus to the beautiful things, they would see that love of self is good and not bad, provided it be love of self in beautiful things and only love of self in useful and pleasant things where these are made beautiful by virtue (12b17–20).
