The concept of virtue in Epicurus

The article is devoted to the problem of correlation between virtue and pleasure in Epicurus' ethics. In the Letter to Menoeceus Epicurus expressed some ideas that may seem controversial. On the one hand he claims virtue to be the biggest good, tied to pleasure. On the other hand Epicurus says that pleasure is the beginning and the end of a happy life, and also criteria of any good and evil. The main opponents of Epicurus in regard of the issue of virtue and pleasure are the Stoics and Cicero. Their critique is based on the idea that virtue and pleasure have nothing in common. They differ in essence and origin. Virtue is based in the soul and intellect, while pleasure is located in the body and feelings. From this could be derived that the idea of Epicurus about the ties that link virtue and pleasure are controversial and ill-conceived. However it is the aims of virtue and pleasure, not its basis that is important for Epicurus. The aims are tranquility of the soul and corporal health. According to Epicurus pleasure is the beginning and the end of the happy life. But, in order to achieve it, one needs a proper mean, and, according to Epicurus, such a mean is virtue.