Short answers, pulled from the story.
The ancient Romans derived the word virtue from the Latin term vir, which means man. This etymological root bound the concept of excellence directly to physical strength, valorous conduct, and moral rectitude. The Romans viewed virtue as a hard, masculine quality essential for the survival of the state.
Aristotle defined virtue as a dynamic point of balance known as the golden mean that lies between two extremes of deficiency and excess. This concept suggests that the desirableness of a trait consists in its disposition to be chosen under the proper guidance of reason. For Aristotle, the virtuous action is the right course taken at the right times, on the right occasions, towards the right persons, and with the right object.
Aurelius Prudentius Clemens listed the seven heavenly virtues in his book Psychomachia, which is an allegorical story of conflict between vices and virtues. The seven theological virtues of faith, hope, and love were added to the four cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, temperance, and courage. These seven virtues became the subject of intense theological debate and artistic representation during the medieval and Renaissance periods.
Valluvar described virtue as a way of life rather than any spiritual observance, a way of harmonious living that leads to universal happiness. He kept virtue as the cornerstone throughout the writing of the Kural literature and considered justice as a facet or product of virtue. This view of virtue is deeply rooted in the idea of the golden mean, which suggests that the path to moral excellence is a journey of self-discovery and self-improvement.
Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman identified 24 traits classified into six broad areas of virtue after three years of study. These six categories of virtue are courage, justice, humanity, temperance, transcendence, and wisdom. The modern view of virtue is thus a holistic approach to human development, integrating the mind and the body, the individual and the community.