Commentary on Aristotle, ›Nicomachean Ethics‹

Critical Edition with Introduction and Translation

Georgios Pachymeres, Sophia Xenophontos, Sophia Xenophontos, Crystal Addey

• Publisher: De Gruyter
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9783110642841
• eBook ISBN: 9783110643060
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Philosophy
• Subtopic: Byzantine History

The Greek commentary tradition devoted to explicating Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics ( NE ) was extensive. It began in antiquity with Aspasius and reached a point of immense sophistication in the twelfth century with the commentaries of Eustratius of Nicaea and Michael of Ephesus, which primarily served educational purposes. The use of Aristotle's ethics in the classroom continued into the late Byzantine period, but until recently scholastic use of the NE was known mostly through George Pachymeres' epitome of the NE (Book 11 of his Philosophia ). This volume radically changes the landscape by providing the editio princeps of the last surviving exegetical commentary on the NE stricto sensu, also penned by Pachymeres. This represents a new witness to the importance of Aristotelian studies in the cultural revival of late Byzantium. The editio princeps is accompanied by an English translation and a thorough introduction, which offers an informed reading of the commentary's genre and layout, relationship to its sources, exegetical strategies, and philosophical originality. This book also includes the edition of diagrams and scholia accompanying Pachymeres' exegesis, whose paratextual function is key to a full understanding of the work.

Table of contents

• Preface
• Contents
• Bibliography
• Note to the reader
• Part I Introduction
• 1 George Pachymeres: His life and work
• 2 The Commentary on Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics
• 3 The manuscript tradition
• 4 Paratextual elements
• 5 Editorial principles
• 6 Language
• 7 A note on the translation
• 8 Images
• 9 Sigla
• Part II Τοῦ δικαιοφύλακος καὶ πρωτεκδίκου παράφρασις ἠκριβωμένη τοῦ Παχυμέρη Text and Translation
• Book 1
• Book 2
• Book 3
• Book 4
• Book 5
• Book 6
• Appendix of Supplementary Notes
• Part III Indices
• General Index
• Index of Parallel Passages
• Index of Greek Terms