The first three pictured here - Irene's in theTetons, Rochefort in Chamonix, and Carn mor Dearg in Scotland - I have climbed with fossils. The fourth example was from my seminar discussions on Plato's "Protagoras." As the concept and word originated with the ancient Greeks. Arete in its basic sense, means "goodness", "excellence" or "virtue" of any kind. In its earliest appearance in Greek, this notion of excellence was ultimately bound up with the notion of the fulfillment of purpose or function; the act of living up to one's full potential. Arete in ancient Greek culture was courage and strength in the face of adversity and it was what all people aspired to.