The Complete Aristotle (eng.)

what persons give pleasure
to envious people, and in what states of mind they feel it: the
states of mind in which they feel pain are those under which they
will feel pleasure in the contrary things. If therefore we
ourselves with whom the decision rests are put into an envious
state of mind, and those for whom our pity, or the award of
something desirable, is claimed are such as have been described, it
is obvious that they will win no pity from us.
11
    We will next consider Emulation, showing in what follows its
causes and objects, and the state of mind in which it is felt.
Emulation is pain caused by seeing the presence, in persons whose
nature is like our own, of good things that are highly valued and
are possible for ourselves to acquire; but it is felt not because
others have these goods, but because we have not got them
ourselves. It is therefore a good feeling felt by good persons,
whereas envy is a bad feeling felt by bad persons. Emulation makes
us take steps to secure the good things in question, envy makes us
take steps to stop our neighbour having them. Emulation must
therefore tend to be felt by persons who believe themselves to
deserve certain good things that they have not got, it being
understood that no one aspires to things which appear impossible.
It is accordingly felt by the young and by persons of lofty
disposition. Also by those who possess such good things as are
deserved by men held in honour-these are wealth, abundance of
friends, public office, and the like; on the assumption that they
ought to be good men, they are emulous to gain such goods because
they ought, in their belief, to belong to men whose state of mind
is good. Also by those whom all others think deserving. We also
feel it about anything for which our ancestors, relatives, personal
friends, race, or country are specially honoured, looking upon that
thing as really our own, and therefore feeling that we deserve to
have it. Further, since all good things that are highly honoured
are objects of emulation, moral goodness in its various forms must
be such an object, and also all those good things that are useful
and serviceable to others: for men honour those who are morally
good, and also those who do them service. So with those good things
our possession of which can give enjoyment to our neighbours-wealth
and beauty rather than health. We can see, too, what persons are
the objects of the feeling. They are those who have these and
similar things-those already mentioned, as courage, wisdom, public
office. Holders of public office-generals, orators, and all who
possess such powers-can do many people a good turn. Also those whom
many people wish to be like; those who have many acquaintances or
friends; those whom admire, or whom we ourselves admire; and those
who have been praised and eulogized by poets or prose-writers.
Persons of the contrary sort are objects of contempt: for the
feeling and notion of contempt are opposite to those of emulation.
Those who are such as to emulate or be emulated by others are
inevitably disposed to be contemptuous of all such persons as are
subject to those bad things which are contrary to the good things
that are the objects of emulation: despising them for just that
reason. Hence we often despise the fortunate, when luck comes to
them without their having those good things which are held in
honour.
    This completes our discussion of the means by which the several
emotions may be produced or dissipated, and upon which depend the
persuasive arguments connected with the emotions.
12
    Let us now consider the various types of human character, in
relation to the emotions and moral qualities, showing how they
correspond to our various ages and fortunes. By emotions I mean
anger, desire, and the like; these we have discussed already. By
moral qualities I mean virtues and vices; these also have been
discussed already, as well as the various things that various types
of men tend to will and to do. By ages I mean youth, the prime of
life, and old age. By fortune I mean birth, wealth, power, and
their opposites-in fact, good fortune and ill fortune.
    To begin with the Youthful type of character. Young men have
strong passions, and tend to gratify them indiscriminately. Of the
bodily desires, it is the sexual by which they are most swayed and
in which they show absence of self-control. They are changeable and
fickle in their desires, which are violent while they last, but
quickly over: their impulses are keen but