According to Hippia of Élide, the purpose of the teaching was to achieve Areté, which means training to think, to speak and to act successfully. The political ("civic") excellence of the Greeks consisted in the cultivation of three specific virtues: andreia (courage), sofrosine (moderation or balance) and dicaiosine (justice): these virtues formed a relevant, useful and perfect citizen. To these virtues Plato then added a fourth, Prudence, giving rise to the so-called Cardinal Virtues: prudence, strength and temperance would correspond to the three parts of the soul, and harmony between them would engender the fourth, justice.

ANDREIA - Courage

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In a way, the Greek earring would be equivalent to the Roman virtus, dignity, honour or manhood of good.Towards the classical period - above all the 5th and 4th centuries BC - the meaning of Areté approached what is today considered "virtue", fundamentally through the work of Aristotle, in general, including features such as μεγαλοψυχια (megalopsyjía, 'magnanimity'), σοφροσυνη (sofrosine, 'temperance') or δικαιοσυνη (dicaiosine, 'justice').

The acquisition of the earring was the pivotal point in the education (παιδεία, paideía) of the young Greek to become a citizen, following the ideal set out by Isocrates.

Traces of the more restricted conception of the archaic era can be seen in the emphasis placed on discipline and mastery of the body through gymnastics, one of the main activities, and fighting, but a finished education also included the arts of oratory, music and - eventually - philosophy.

DICAIOSINE - Justice

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