Β, Chapter 8

τὸν δὲ θεὸν τῶν φαύλων οὐκ εἰκὸς ἐπιμελεῖσθαι. λοιπὸν τοίνυν καὶ οἰκειότατον τῆς εὐτυχίας ἐστὶν ἡ φύσις. ἔστιν δʼ ἡ εὐτυχία καὶ ἡ τύχη ἐν τοῖς μὴ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν οὖσιν, μηδʼ ὧν αὐτοὶ κύριοί ἐσμεν καὶ δυνατοὶ πρᾶξαι. διὸ τὸν δίκαιον, δίκαιος, οὐθεὶς λέγει εὐτυχῆ οὐδὲ τὸν ἀνδρεῖον οὐδʼ ὅλως τῶν κατʼ ἀρετὴν οὐδένα· ἐφʼ ἡμῖν γάρ ἐστι ταῦτα καὶ ἔχειν καὶ μὴ ἔχειν. ἀλλʼ ἤδη ἐπὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις οἰκειότερον τὴν εὐτυχίαν ἐροῦμεν· τὸν γὰρ εὐγενῆ εὐτυχῆ λέγομεν, καὶ ὅλως ᾧ τὰ τοιαῦτα τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὑπάρχει, ὧν μὴ αὐτὸς κύριος ἐστίν.