Nicomachean Ethics · Character

Heraclitus

Pre-Socratic philosopher referenced on change and flux.

minor

First appearance: book i

Heraclitus's tie to Euripides is one of the pressures that moves Nicomachean Ethics—worth meeting in the text, not only on a cast list.

Cited for the saying that fighting with wrath is hard, used to illustrate that fighting with pleasure is harder.

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With Euripides (social): Both are pre-Socratic philosophers and tragedians referenced in Aristotle's ethical discussions. In Book II: Cited for the saying that fighting with wrath is hard, used to illustrate that…

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See Heraclitus in book i

Character Web

2 connections

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Relationship types

Social
Other

Character groups

Philosophers, poets, and historical figures

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

In this passage, the emotional and psychological peak occurs as Aristotle directly confronts and dismantles th…

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Relationships

Euripides
social · positive
Both are pre-Socratic philosophers and tragedians referenced in Aristotle's ethical… How this plays out →

Relationship notes

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See Heraclitus in book i

In the story

Heraclitus appears across 8 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Book II
Cited for the saying that fighting with wrath is hard, used to illustrate that fighting with pleasure is harder.
Moral Virtue
Referenced for the idea that fighting with pleasure is harder than fighting with wrath.
III
Mentioned in the context that fighting with pleasure is harder than fighting with wrath.
III
Cited as an example of someone with strong belief in opinion, comparable to knowledge.
Book VIII: Friendship or Love
Cited for the idea that opposites fit together and that harmony comes from discord.
I
Mentioned for the idea that opposites fit together and harmony arises from discord.
Book X: Pleasure and the Contemplative Life
Alluded to in the discussion of the flux of pleasure and the importance of stable pleasures.
Chapter V: Pleasures, Activities, and the Good Man
Cited for the observation that a donkey prefers hay to gold, illustrating that different beings have different proper pleasures.

Chapter companion notes

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See Heraclitus in book i

See Heraclitus in Book II