Averroes' Paraphrase of Plato's Republic

the habit. It then expounds what kind of habit should be placed under another, so that the action proceeding from the proposed habit may exist most perfectly. It also teaches which habit is impeded by which, and (to summarize the matter) those things are taught in this part which, if they are joined with universal things as foundations, it will be possible for actions to proceed from them. And thus, the first part of this science relates to the other as the books on health and sickness relate to the books inscribed on maintaining health and curing diseases. Furthermore, the first part of this art is contained in that work which Aristotle wrote to Nicomachus; the other in the books of the Politics, regarding which we shall also treat in this book of Plato, which we are about to expound. For we have not yet seen the political books of Aristotle. But before the beginning of the material to be declared, it is worth the effort to speak first about those things which were declared in the first part, and which must be set forth as certain foundations for what we are about to say.

A decorative initial 'D' starts the new section.It must therefore be said (as was explained in the first part of this science) that there are four kinds of human perfections: namely, contemplative virtues, and excogitative or "contemplative/inventive" ones, or industries (the Greeks call them mechanical), likewise moral ones, and practical or operative, or one might say, manual arts; all of which were invented for the sake of the contemplative ones, and are held as certain preludes and preparations for them. For those things which are before the end are sought for the sake of that end.