And these lands it is fitting that I who (not to speak arrogantly) am superior to those ancient kings in magnificence, and in all eminent virtues, should now reclaim.
The Brooks suggest that the parts of the Analects most directly associated with the historical Confucius and his disciples are the parts that feature ren as the pre-eminent virtue and that de-emphasize the role of ritual.
But although decisiveness and self-confidence are admirable traits in a legislator, a president or a supreme allied commander, they are not always the pre-eminent virtues in an unelected judge.
As for history, Webster had this answer: "If there ever was a government, which under the name of a republic or democracy, was generally guided by eminent wisdom, virtue and talents, it was a government of a mixed kind, in which an aristocratic branch existed independent of popular suffrage".
Indeed, since Aristotle held that all power should be wielded by one man, pre-eminent in virtue, he never considered the concept of separated powers.
These passages can be a grind – but at least they have the virtue of eminent skipability.
He made a favorable impression, for the Pope, impressed by his "eminent knowledge and spotless virtue," as he put it (Valois, 11), both ordained him priest and made him Bishop of Paris, a position he retained until his death in 1249.
He was a man endowed with every virtue, but most eminent in war; and, resolving to kill Porsenna, attired himself in the Tuscan habit, and using the Tuscan language, came to the camp, and approaching the seat where the king sat amongst his nobles, but not certainly knowing the king, and fearful to inquire, drew out his sword, and stabbed one who he thought had most the appearance of king.
"Character" sounds like a lovely idea, as does "resilience", and "grit", and "self-control" and all the other "virtues" discussed by eminent politicians, charity leaders and academics.
To the extent that self-determination is an preeminent value and democracy extends it to the political realm, allegiance to democratic decisions is necessary to self-determination and therefore is required by virtue of the pre eminent importance of self-determination.
For eminent Victorians, cricket displayed their national virtues.
