Greek Name Transliteration Latin Name Translation
Αρετη Aretê Virtus Virtue, Valour,
Excellence (aretê)

ARETE was the goddess or daimona of virtue, excellence, goodness and valour. She was depicted as a fair woman of high bearing, dressed in white. Her opposite number was the daimon Kakia, lady of vice.

SOTER & PRAXIDIKE (Suidas s.v. Praxidike)


Simonides, Fragment 579 (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric III) (Greek lyric C6th to 5th B.C.) :
"There is a tale that Arete (Virtue) dwells on unclimable rocks and close to the gods tends a holy place; she may not be seen by the eyes of all mortals, but only by him on whom distressing sweat comes from within, the one who reaches the peak of manliness."


"If their bodies have perished . . . their fame still lives; for Arete (Excellence), shining among all men, is not dimmed, hidden by the lightless (veil) of night: flourishing constantly with undying fame she ranges over the land and the sea that drives many from their course. Look, now she honours, the glory-winning island of Aiakos and with garland-loving Eukleia (Good Repute) steers the city, she and wise Eunomia (Good Order), who has festivities as her portion and guards in peace the cities of pious men."

"Have respect for Aidos (Shame), the helpmate of spear-fighting Arete (Valour)."

Aristotle, Fragment 842 (from Athenaeus, Scholars at Dinner) (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric V) (Greek lyric C4th B.C.) :
"Areta (Virtue), you who bring many labours for the race of mortals, fairest quarry for a man's life, for the sake of your beauty, maiden, even to die is an enviable fate in Greece, or to endure cruel unresting toils: such a fruition, as good as immortal, do you bestow on the mind, better than gold or parents or soft-eyed sleep; on your account noble Herakles and the sons of Leda endured much in their exploits, hunting your power; in their desire for you Akhilleus (Achilles) and Aias (Ajax) went to the dwelling of Haides: and on account of your dear beauty the nursling Atarneus left desolate the rays of the sun. Therefore he is glorified in song for his exploits, and the Mousai (Muses), daughters of Mnamosyna (Mnemosyne), will exalt him to immortality, exalting the majesty of Zeus, god of hospitality, and the privilege of secure friendship."

‘My friends call me Happiness,’ she said, ‘but among those that hate me I am nicknamed Kakia (Vice).’


Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy 5. 49 ff (trans. Way) (Greek epic C4th A.D.) :

Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy 5. 50 ff :
"I then contended, but for Arete's (Honour's) meed, which alway is for all right-hearted men the happy goal of all their rivalry."

Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy 14. 195 ff :
"No man shall attain to Arete's (Honour's) height, except his heart be right within: her stem is hard to climb, and high in heaven spread her branches: only they whom strength and toil attend, strain up to pluck her blissful fruit, climbing the Tree of Arete (Honour) glow-crowned."



Statius, Thebaid 10. 632 ff (trans. Mozley) (Roman epic C1st A.D.) :
[Arete accompanies the hero Menoikeus (Menoeceus) as he sacrifices himself to save the city of Thebes during the siege of the Seven Against Thebes:]
"The goddess Virtus [Arete, Virtue], close companion to the throne of Jove [Zeus], whence rarely she is wont to be vouchsafed to the world and to bless earth, whether the almighty Father hath sent her, or she herself hath chosen to dwell in men worthy of her--how gladly then did she leap down from the heavenly places! The shining stars gave way before her, and those fires that she herself had fixed in heaven [the spirits who for their virtue had been transformed into shining stars]; already she treads the earth, nor is her countenance far distant from the sky; but it pleased her to change her aspect, and she becomes sagacious Manto [the Theban seeress], that her speech might have full credence, and be deceit puts off her former mien. The look of awe, the austerity were gone, something of charm remained, a softer beauty; the sword was laid aside, and she took instead the prophet's wand; her robe falls to her feet, and on her stern brow the wool [fillets of the seer] is bound, where before was laurel; yet her grave aspect and more than mortal strides betray the goddess . . . Nor does she find thee, O Menoeceus, an unworthy victim, nor unfit to receive so solemn a behest, as thou standest before the Dircaean tower . . . But though ye were of one blood, and in everything brothers, thou hadst first place: heaps of dead are piled around thee [from the battle], ever dart finds its mark, no stroke but a victim falls--nor yet had Virtus [Arete] come to aid--neither mind nor hand is idle . . . when the goddess stays the warrior's hand upon the sword-hilt: ‘Great-hearted youth, than whom none were more surely known of Mars [Ares] to be of Cadmus' fighting seed, leave these mean affrays, such is not the prowess reserved for thee: the stars are calling thee, thou shalt send thy soul to heaven - conceive a nobler destiny! This it is that inspires my father's frenzy [the seer Teiresias father of Manto] at the joyful altars, this the flames and the fibres demand, this doth Apollo urge: they call for an earth-born one on behalf of our country's common life. Rumour repeats the counsel, the folk of Cadmus, certain of thee, rejoice; take the god's word to heart, and snatch a glorious fate. [It was prophesied that the city of Thebes would only be saved if a descendant of the earth-born Spartoi, like Menoeceus himself, were sacrificed] Go I pray thee, and hasten, lest Haemon by thy side forestall thee.’
So speaking she assured his wavering mind with the silent touch of her mighty hand, and left herself within his heart . . . Swiftly did the youth, possessed by the mighty deity, raise high his spirits and fall straight in love with death [to die for and so save his city] . . . With his glittering blade [Menoeceus] tears at the noble soul that long has disdained its body and grieved to be held fast, and probes for the life and rends it with one wound. Then with his blood he sprinkled the towers and purified the walls, and grasping still his sword hurled himself into the midst of the lines and strove to fall upon the fierce Achaeans. But Pietas [Eusebia, Piety] and Virtus [Arete, Virtue] clasped and bore his body lightly to the earth; for his spirit long since is at the throne of Jove [Zeus], and demands for itself a crow ‘mid the highest stars."

Statius, Thebaid 4. 661 ff :
"No sluggish retinue is his [Dionysos']: Ira (Anger) and Furor (Fury) are there, and Metus (Fear) and Virtus (Virtue), and Ardor (Ardour) never sober, and steps that stagger, an army most like to its prince."


  • Greek Lyric III Telesilla, Fragments - Greek Lyric C5th B.C.
  • Greek Lyric V Aristotle, Fragments - Greek Lyric C4th B.C.
  • Xenophon, Memorabilia - Greek Philosophy C5th B.C.
  • Statius, Thebaid - Latin Epic C1st A.D.
  • Suidas - Byzantine Greek Lexicon C10th A.D.

Other references not currently quoted here: Pliny Natural History; Callixinus 2; Prodicus 1; Corpus Inscriptionum Graecarum 2786; Sylloge Inscriptionym Gracum 985.10