This guide explains how to cite Aristotle in APA, MLA, and Chicago formats. The approach differs from citing a modern author. Standard author-date formats do not apply here. When you reference Aristotle, you use a system centered on Bekker numbers, which are universal coordinates that point to the same passage in any edition or translation. This guide explains the system and provides ready-to-copy citation formats for Aristotle’s most commonly assigned works.
TLDR: For any in-text citation of Aristotle, use the title of the original work followed by its book, chapter, and the specific Bekker number (e.g., Nicomachean Ethics 1.7, 1098a16). The full citation in your reference list will then follow the rules of your required style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago), detailing the specific translation you used.
What Are Bekker Numbers?
Bekker numbers are the standardized referencing method for Aristotle’s works. They take their name from August Immanuel Bekker, a 19th-century classical philologist who prepared a definitive edition of Aristotle’s writings, organizing the ancient Greek text for the Prussian Academy of Sciences. Bekker numbers have nothing to do with the page number of the book you are holding. They are a uniform map to the entire Aristotelian corpus, used consistently across all modern editions and translations.
Each Bekker number contains three parts:
- A page number from Bekker’s original edition.
- A column letter (either ‘a’ or ‘b’).
- The specific line number or range of line numbers.
You will find these Bekker numbers printed in the margins of nearly all modern editions and academic publications featuring Aristotle. They allow precise quotation or paraphrase regardless of which translation you are using.
Crafting Your In-Text Citation
The in-text citation format is consistent across APA, MLA, and Chicago when you are citing Aristotle. You begin with the title of the text, then the book and chapter numbers, followed by the specific Bekker number. The format looks like this:
“Aristotle famously argued that “happiness, then, is something final and self-sufficient, and is the end of action” (Nicomachean Ethics, 1.7, 1097b20-21).”
Work Title
Book and Chapter
Bekker Number
This structure works the same whether you are directly quoting or summarizing an idea from the text. The only variation between APA, MLA, and Chicago appears in the full reference list entry, which records the specific translation you used.
How to Cite Nicomachean Ethics
The Nicomachean Ethics is Aristotle’s most widely cited work and a cornerstone of ancient Greek ethics, covering virtue, happiness, and the good life. Its Bekker numbers run from 1094a to 1181b. The standard academic translation is Terence Irwin’s edition published by Hackett Publishing Company.
For in-text references, use the book number, chapter number, and Bekker location. For example: (Nicomachean Ethics 1.7, 1098a16). The table below shows the complete reference list entry in each major citation style for Nicomachean Ethics MLA, APA, and Chicago formats.
| Style | Full Reference Entry |
|---|---|
| APA 7 | Aristotle. (1999). Nicomachean ethics (T. Irwin, Trans.; 2nd ed.). Hackett Publishing Company. (Original work published ca. 350 B.C.E.) |
| MLA 9 | Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics. Translated by Terence Irwin, 2nd ed., Hackett Publishing Company, 1999. |
| Chicago 17 (Footnote) | Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, trans. Terence Irwin, 2nd ed. (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1999), 1.7, 1098a16. |
| Chicago 17 (Bibliography) | Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics. Translated by Terence Irwin. 2nd ed. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1999. |
APA style requires you to include both the translation year and the original publication date. The phrase “(Original work published ca. 350 B.C.E.)” is standard for all Aristotle citations in APA format. Use the APA citation generator to format your entry automatically.
How to Cite Aristotle’s Politics
Aristotle’s Politics examines the structure and purpose of political communities and is one of the foundational texts in political philosophy. Its Bekker numbers run from 1252a to 1342b. The widely used academic translation is Carnes Lord’s edition published by the University of Chicago Press.
For in-text citations of the Politics, follow the same Bekker pattern used for any other work. For example: (Politics 3.1, 1274b32). The table below shows the full reference list format for each style when citing Aristotle’s Politics.
| Style | Full Reference Entry |
|---|---|
| APA 7 | Aristotle. (2013). Politics (C. Lord, Trans.; 2nd ed.). University of Chicago Press. (Original work published ca. 350 B.C.E.) |
| MLA 9 | Aristotle. Politics. Translated by Carnes Lord, 2nd ed., University of Chicago Press, 2013. |
| Chicago 17 (Footnote) | Aristotle, Politics, trans. Carnes Lord, 2nd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013), 3.1, 1274b32. |
| Chicago 17 (Bibliography) | Aristotle. Politics. Translated by Carnes Lord. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013. |
Use the MLA citation generator or Chicago citation generator to format your reference list entry automatically once you have the translation details.
Quick-Reference Citations for Aristotle’s Major Works
The table below covers five commonly cited works in the Aristotelian corpus. The in-text format using the book, chapter, and Bekker number is the same across all citation styles. Only the reference list entry changes between APA, MLA, and Chicago.
| Work | Bekker Range | Sample In-Text (all styles) | Standard Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicomachean Ethics | 1094a–1181b | (Nicomachean Ethics 1.7, 1098a16) | Irwin, Hackett, 1999 |
| Politics | 1252a–1342b | (Politics 3.1, 1274b32) | Lord, U of Chicago P, 2013 |
| Metaphysics | 980a–1093b | (Metaphysics 12.7, 1072b3) | Ross, Oxford U P, 1924 |
| De Anima | 402a–435b | (De Anima 2.1, 412a6) | Hamlyn, Oxford U P, 1993 |
| Poetics | 1447a–1462b | (Poetics 1.1, 1447a8) | Halliwell, Harvard U P, 1995 |
Handling the Reference List
While the in-text format is uniform, the reference list entry depends entirely on the citation style your instructor requires. This entry records the specific translation you read, including the translator and publication date.
The per-work tables above show fully formatted entries for the Nicomachean Ethics and Politics. For any other Aristotle work, the structure follows the same pattern: Author (Aristotle), year of the specific translation, work title in italics, translator name, edition number, and publisher. In APA, add the original publication date at the end.
For more on handling classical works, search the official APA style website for guidance on including the original date of a publication. Some publishers, like Oxford University Press, provide clear details in their editions to make this easier.
What About Citing a Translator’s Note?
Sometimes you need to cite a detail not from Aristotle, but from the translator’s commentary in the edition you are reading. In this case, your in-text citation should mention the translator by name in your sentence, and the work should be listed in your references as shown above. As the Chicago Manual of Style explains, you should clarify who is being credited. You do not need a separate entry for the translator. Make it clear in the sentence who the idea belongs to. For example:
Terence Irwin notes in his translation of the Ethics that the Greek concept of eudaimonia is complex (Aristotle, 1999, p. xvii).
Why can’t I just cite a normal page number from my book?
Different editions and translations of Aristotle have completely different page numbering. Using a page number would make it nearly impossible for someone with a different version of the text to find your source. Bekker numbers are universal, meaning the Bekker number 1097b will point to the same passage in the original work regardless of which modern translation someone is reading. This universality makes them the standard when you search academic databases for Aristotle sources.
Do I always have to include Aristotle in my main reference list?
Most of the time, yes. Some styles, like APA, suggest that for very famous classical works, a clear in-text citation can be sufficient, and you do not need a full entry. However, academic best practice, and what most instructors expect, is to include a full entry in your references. This entry gives your reader critical information about the specific translation and edition you consulted. When in doubt, include it.
Correctly citing Aristotle demonstrates your engagement with the traditions of philosophy. While a citation generator can help format your reference list entry, understanding how to deploy Bekker numbers in text is a skill worth developing. For more guidance on citing other classical texts, both of these guides offer comparable examples: see the companion guide on how to cite the Federalist Papers. For citation resources covering a broader range of sourcing principles, explore this guide to mastering citations.
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Terry is a Chicago-based writer and editor who creates practical, student-friendly guides on essay writing, research, and citation styles (APA, MLA, and Chicago). He’s spent 15+ years editing educational content and building clear examples that help readers apply rules without guessing. When he’s not revising drafts, he’s usually turning messy notes into clean outlines and hunting down the one detail everyone skips.