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[5]
Noble birth, in the case of a nation or State,
means that its members or inhabitants are sprung from the soil1, or of long standing; that its first members were famous as
leaders, and that many of their descendants have been famous for qualities that
are highly esteemed. In the case of private individuals, noble birth is derived
from either the father's or the mother's side, and on both sides there must be
legitimacy; and, as in the case of a State, it means that its founders were
distinguished for virtue, or wealth, or any other of the things that men honor,
and that a number of famous persons, both men and women, young and old, belong
to the family.
1 This was a favorite boast of the Athenians.
Aristotle in 23 Volumes, Vol. 22, translated by J. H. Freese. Aristotle. Cambridge and London. Harvard University Press; William Heinemann Ltd. 1926.
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