The life of active virtue is essentially pleasant.
virtuequotes
For ‘activity in conformity with virtue’ involves virtue.
Virtue is a greater good than honour; and one might perhaps accordingly suppose that virtue rather than honour is the end of the political life.
Hence while in respect of its substance and the definition that states what it really is in essence virtue is the observance of the mean, in point of excellence and rightness it is an extreme.
To feel these feelings at the right time, on the right occasion, towards the right people, for the right purpose and in the right manner, is to feel the best amount of them, which is the mean amount – and the best amount is of course the mark of virtue.
Man’s work as Man is accomplished by virtue of Practical Wisdom and Moral Virtue, the latter giving the right aim and direction, the former the right means to its attainment.
The actions from which [virtue] was produced are also those in which it is exercised.
Actions which produce [virtue] are those which increase it, and also, if differently performed, destroy it.
Again, it is harder to fight with pleasure than with anger, to use Heraclitus’ phrase, but both art and virtue are always concerned with what is harder.
anger / art / Heraclitus / pleasure / virtue
For to nothing does a stability of human results attach so much as it does to the workings in the way of virtue, since these are held to be more abiding even than the sciences: and of these last again the most precious are the most abiding, because the blessed live in them most and most continuously, which seems to be the reason why they are not forgotten.