[ad. Gr. εὐπάθεια happy condition of the soul, f. εὐπαθής, f. εὐ- (see EU-) + πάθος state of feeling, condition.]
Ancient Stoical Philos. (see quots.)
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 74. They … do terme those joies, those promptitudes of the will, and warie circumspections by name of Eupathies, i. good affections.
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 321/1. There are three kinds of good affections of the Mind, called Eupathies, or Constancies; Joy, Caution, Will.
1744. Harris, Three Treat., III. xlviii. 329, note. In Laertius we read … that … the Virtuous [had] his Ἐυπαθείαι, his Eupathies or Well-feelings.
1834–43. Southey, Doctor, lxxvi. (1862), 160. The Stoics who called our good affections eupathies, did not manage those affections as well as they understood them. Ibid. (1837), in C. Southey, Life & Corr., VI. 346. Our affections, our eupathies, our capacities of happiness and of improvement.
¶ Wrongly explained.
1730–6. Bailey (folio), Eupathy, an easiness, or patience in bearing of sufferings or afflictions.
