Being honored for one's virtue is gift of good fortune, and like other gifts of fortune, not being honored is not a major obstacle to living well, as are poverty, loss of liberty, or loss of health. These other goods of fortune are rightly desired by virtuous persons who recognize them as goods not entirely within their own power to achieve, as moral virtue itself is. They may think themselves dishonored if other persons do not give them the respect that accords with their own self-respect. For those who hold that honor and fame are distinct in principle, justice does not require fame to be proportionate to the possession of moral virtue. Persons lacking moral virtue can achieve fame as readily as, or perhaps more easily than, those who have a high degree of moral virtue.
Fame belongs to the great, the outstanding, the exceptional, without regard to their virtue or vice.
Infamy is fame, no less than good repute. The great scoundrel can be as famous as the great hero. There can be famous villains as well as famous saints. Existing in the reputation a person has, regardless of his or her accomplishments, fame does not tarnish as honor does when it is unmerited. Virtuous person will not seek fame or be unhappy for lack of it.