E3DA33
Definition of an Emotion — Part III
Latin
Æmulatio est alicujus rei cupiditas quæ nobis ingeneratur ex eo quod alios eandem cupiditatem habere imaginamur.
Explicatio: Qui fugit quia alios fugere vel qui timet quia alios timere videt vel etiam ille qui ex eo quod aliquem manum suam combussisse videt, manum ad se contrahit corpusque movet quasi ipsius manus combureretur, eum imitari quidem alterius affectum sed non eundem æmulari dicemus, non quia aliam æmulationis aliam imitationis novimus causam sed quia usu factum est ut illum tantum vocemus æmulum qui id quod honestum, utile vel jucundum esse judicamus, imitatur. Cæterum de æmulationis causa vide propositionem 27 hujus partis cum ejus scholio. Cur autem huic affectui plerumque juncta sit invidia, de eo vide propositionem 32 hujus cum ejusdem scholio.
English (Elwes 1883)
Emulation is the desire of something, engendered in us by our conception that others have the same desire.
Explanation: He who runs away, because he sees others running away, or he who fears, because he sees others in fear; or again, he who, on seeing that another man has burnt his hand, draws towards him his own hand, and moves his body as though his own were burnt; such an one can be said to imitate another's emotion, but not to emulate him; not because the causes of emulation and imitation are different, but because it has become customary to speak of emulation only in him, who imitates that which we deem to be honourable, useful, or pleasant. As to the cause of emulation, cf. III. xxvii. and note. The reason why this emotion is generally coupled with envy may be seen from III. xxxii. and note.
Modern English
Emulation is a desire for something produced in us by seeing that others have the same desire.
Explanation: Someone who flees because he sees others flee, or who fears because he sees others afraid, or again who draws back his hand and moves his body as if his own hand were being burnt upon seeing another burn his hand — such a person can be said to imitate another's affect, but not to emulate him. Not because imitation and emulation have different causes, but because usage has come to reserve the word emulation for imitating only what we judge to be honourable, useful, or pleasant. For the cause of emulation see Proposition 27 of this Part (E3P27) with its scholium. Why envy tends to accompany this affect, see Proposition 32 of this Part (E3P32) with its scholium.