Alcibiades I

Glossary of Key Terms

The English words on which the argument depends, in alphabetical order, with the Greek they render and the places where they matter, by Stephanus page. Where a word has a longer entry in the Key Words of the Dialogue, the Glossary says so.

advantageous, συμφέρειν, τὰ συμφέροντα (sympherein, ta sympheronta); be to one’s advantage, συνενεγκεῖν. Alcibiades’ distinction of the advantageous from the just, and its refutation: 113d–117a, 118a. See Key Words, Just and advantageous.

advise, adviser, advice, συμβουλεύειν, σύμβουλος (symbouleuein, symboulos). What Alcibiades means to do in the Assembly: 106c–107e, 109a–b, 113b. Recommend is παραινεῖν (107b, 132d).

agree, ὁμολογεῖν (homologein). The partners’ assent in the argument, and the many’s agreement about Greek: 111b–112a, 113b, 116c, 128e, 130a–b, 133c–d. At 109c it is “admit”. Kept apart from concord and disagree. See Key Words, Good counsel, concord, friendship.

be ignorant, ignorance, ἀγνοεῖν, ἄγνοια (agnoein, agnoia). 110b–c, 116e, 117d–118b, 128e–129b, 133e, 134e. Kept apart from “not know”. See stupidity and Key Words, Knowing, and thinking one knows.

beautiful, ugly, καλός, αἰσχρός (kalos, aischros), of persons: 104a, 107b, 113b, 131d, 135c. See fine and Key Words, Fine, beautiful, shameful.

befit, πρέπει (prepei), and the chain more befitting, befits a slave, befits a free man, what befits a slave, as befits a free man (πρεπωδέστερον, δουλοπρεπής, ἐλευθεροπρεπής, δουλοπρέπεια, ἐλευθεροπρεπῶς): 124d, 135b–c.

better, βέλτιον, ἄμεινον (beltion, ameinon). Both “better”, because the argument turns on the word: 107d–109c; 135b. See Key Words, Craft, and the better.

care for, ἐπιμελεῖσθαι (epimeleisthai); care, ἐπιμέλεια; take no care, ἀμελεῖν; care about, μέλει. The dialogue’s demand, one rendering throughout: 104d, 113c, 119a, 120b–d, 123d, 124b–d, 127e–129a, 132b–c, 134c, 135e. See Key Words, Care for oneself.

concord, discord, be in concord, ὁμόνοια, διχόνοια, ὁμονοεῖν (homonoia). What Alcibiades takes friendship to be: 126c–127d. See Key Words, Good counsel, concord, friendship.

condition, πάθημα, πάθος (pathēma, pathos). Alcibiades’ state of mind: 116e, 118b, 127d. At 109a, where it is a grievance, πάθημα is “suffering”.

contest, contend, contend against, opponent, ἀγών, ἀγωνίζεσθαι, ἀνταγωνίζεσθαι, ἀνταγωνιστής (agōn). 119b–120b, 123d–124a.

courage, cowardice, ἀνδρεία, δειλία (andreia, deilia). 115b–e; the Persian prince’s “most courageous” tutor, 121e–122a; the Spartans’ courage, 122c.

craft, τέχνη (technē). 108b–d, 124b, 125d–126d, 128b–e, 131b, 133e. See Key Words.

deliberate, βουλεύεσθαι (bouleuesthai). What the Athenians do in the Assembly: 106c–107e, 113d. Let us deliberate on it together (119b) and let us deliberate together (124b) render κοινὴ βουλή, Stephanus’ reading, printed at both places: Socrates hands Alcibiades’ words back to him.

disagree, disagreement, διαφέρεσθαι, διαφορά (diapheresthai). The many about what is just: 111b–112d. Dispute is ἀμφισβητεῖν (111c, 112d).

discover, εὑρίσκειν (heuriskein); seek, ζητεῖν (zētein); learn, μανθάνειν (manthanein). The dilemma of 106d–114a, and again at 129b–130c. Find out is πυνθάνεσθαι (103a, 104d, 131e). See Key Words, Learning, discovering, seeking.

divination, μαντική, μαντεία (mantikē, manteia); prophet, μάντις, μαντικός. 107b, 115a, 127e.

do one’s own business, τὰ αὑτοῦ πράττειν (ta hautou prattein). 127a–c, 131c. See Key Words, One’s own.

do well, do badly, εὖ πράττειν, κακῶς πράττειν (eu prattein, kakōs prattein); do finely, καλῶς πράττειν. Both acting and faring: 116b, 134a–e, 135b. See Key Words, Good and bad.

do wrong, be wronged, ἀδικεῖν, ἀδικεῖσθαι (adikein). 109b, 110b–c, 113d.

educated, uneducated, education, παιδεύειν, ἀπαίδευτος, παιδεία (paideuein). 118b, 119b, 122b, 123d, 124c.

exercise, γυμνάζεσθαι (gymnazesthai). 132b, after “stripped”. Train, training is ἀσκεῖν, ἄσκησις (119b–120b, 123e).

family, γένος (genos); nature, φύσις (physis); upbringing, bring up, τροφή, τρέφειν (trophē). 119c, 120d–122b.

fine, shameful, καλόν, αἰσχρόν (kalon, aischron), of conduct: 108e–109c, 115a–116c, 118a, 124a, 127d. The fine and good, καλοὶ κἀγαθοί, gentlemen: 124e. See beautiful.

friendship, φιλία (philia); love (of a father for his son), φιλεῖν (philein). 126c–127d. See lover and Key Words, Good counsel, concord, friendship.

god, the god, θεός, ὁ θεός (theos). Socrates’ name for his divine sign (105d–e, 124c), and the god in whom the soul sees itself (133c); if god wills, ἂν θεὸς θέλῃ (127e), ἐὰν θεὸς ἐθέλῃ (135d); divine, θεῖος (133c, 134d); divine opposition, δαιμόνιον ἐναντίωμα (103a).

good, bad, ἀγαθός, κακός (agathos, kakos). Never “evil”: 115a–116d, 124e–125b, 133c, 134b. Worthless is πονηρός (125a). See Key Words, Good and bad.

good counsel, want of counsel, εὐβουλία, ἀβουλία (euboulia). The knowledge of ruling the city: 125e–126a, 127d. See Key Words, Good counsel, concord, friendship.

good enough, ἱκανός (hikanos). 105e, 110e–111e. Evidence enough, ἱκανὸν τεκμήριον (111d).

gymnastics, gymnastic, γυμναστική, γυμναστικόν (gymnastikē). 108b–e, 128c.

happy, εὐδαίμων, εὐδαιμονεῖν (eudaimōn). 116b, 134a–135b. Wretched, wretchedness, ἄθλιος, ἀθλιότης (134a–b). See Key Words, Good and bad.

have in mind, διανοεῖσθαι (dianoeisthai). 104c–e, 106b–c, 119a, 119d–e. Mean to is ἐν νῷ ἔχειν (104d, 113c, 120a, 123c–124a); have a better idea, διανοεῖσθαι at 124a.

insolent, insolence, ὑβριστής, ὕβρις (hybristēs). 114d.

intelligent, unintelligent, intelligence, φρόνιμος, ἄφρων, φρονεῖν, φρόνησις (phronimos, phronēsis). 125a, 133c. Wise, wisdom are σοφός, σοφία (118c–119a, 123d, 124c, 133b).

just, unjust, justice, δίκαιος, ἄδικος, δικαιοσύνη (dikaios, dikaiosynē); what is just, τὰ δίκαια, and just things in the argument of 114e–116d. 109b–118a, 127c, 134c, 135e. See Key Words.

know, εἰδέναι, ἐπίστασθαι, γιγνώσκειν (eidenai, epistasthai, gignōskein); come to know, γνωρίζειν (130e); think one knows, οἴεσθαι εἰδέναι (110c, 117b–118b). Know thyself, γνῶθι σαυτόν: 124a–b, 129a, 130e, 132c–d. See Key Words, Know thyself and Knowing, and thinking one knows.

license, ἐξουσία (exousia). 134c–135b. Rule, ἀρχή, ἄρχειν: 125b–e, 130a–b, 134c, 135a–b. See Key Words, Virtue, license, rule, tyranny.

look into, σκοπεῖν, σκοπεῖσθαι, σκέψις (skopein, skepsis): Socrates’ verb for examining, 103b, 107c, 109a, 110c, 113d, 115c, 116b, 120c–e, 124d, 130c–d. Also βλέπειν εἰς (blepein eis) in the passage on the eye and the soul, 132d–134e; there Consider renders Σκόπει (132d). See Key Words, Look into.

love: see friendship and lover.

lover, ἐραστής (erastēs); love, ἔρως, ἐρᾶν (erōs, eran). 103a–104e, 122b, 123d, 131c–132a, 135e. Lover of the people, δημεραστής (132a). See Key Words.

make mistakes, ἁμαρτάνειν (hamartanein); mistakes, ἁμαρτήματα; without making mistakes, ἀναμάρτητος. 117d–e, 134a. See Key Words, Knowing, and thinking one knows.

man, ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos). The human being as such: 128a, 129e–130c (“Then what on earth is man?”). See Key Words, The self itself.

manage, πράττειν τὰ πράγματα, τὰ τῆς πόλεως (prattein). The city’s affairs: 118b, 119b, 120b, 124e, 134b. Order is διοικεῖν (126a–b), be well ordered εὖ οἰκεῖσθαι (127b).

many, the, οἱ πολλοί (hoi polloi). Alcibiades’ teachers of justice: 110e–112d.

menial, βάναυσος (banausos). 131b; noted.

mirror, κάτοπτρον, ἔνοπτρον (katoptron, enoptron). 132e–133c.

one’s own, what is one’s own, τὰ αὑτοῦ (ta hautou); what belongs to what is one’s own, τὰ τῶν αὑτοῦ. 128a–e, 131a–c, 133d–e, 134c. See Key Words.

perceive, αἰσθάνεσθαι (aisthanesthai). 121b, 122c–d, 127d–e, 135c. At 121d, in the comic poet’s line, it is “notice”.

persuade, πείθειν (peithein). 114b–e; listen to, πείθεσθαι (124a).

pilot, piloting, κυβερνήτης, κυβερνητική (kybernētēs). 117d, 119d, 125c–e, 135a.

power, δύναμις (dynamis). 103a, 104b, 105c–e.

precisely, adequately, ἀκριβῶς, μετρίως (akribōs, metriōs). How far it has been shown that man is soul: 130c.

pride, high-minded, look down on, pride oneself, φρόνημα, μεγαλόφρων, ὑπερφρονεῖν, μέγα φρονεῖν (phronēma, megalophrōn). Alcibiades’ character: 103b–104c, 119d; the Spartans’ high-mindedness, 122c.

private person, ἰδιώτης (idiōtēs). 121a, 126c–d, 134e. As amateurs, ἰδιωτικῶς (119b).

pupil, κόρη (korē). 133a; noted.

rivals, ἀντίπαλοι (antipaloi). 119e, 124b. Surpass, περιγίγνεσθαι (119d, 124b).

self itself, the, αὐτὸ ταὐτό, αὐτὸ τὸ αὐτό (auto tauto). 129b, 130d; noted. See Key Words.

sight, ὄψις (opsis). 126b, 132d, 133b; at 133a, where it is the eye that reflects, “eye”.

soul, ψυχή (psychē); body, σῶμα (sōma). 129e–131d, 132c, 133b–c. See Key Words, The self itself.

stupidity, ἀμαθία (amathia). “The disgraceful stupidity”, 118a–b; noted. See Key Words, Knowing, and thinking one knows.

talk (with), διαλέγεσθαι (dialegesthai). 103a, 105d–106a, 108c, 124c, 129b–c, 130e. Converse is προσομιλεῖν (130d).

teach, teacher, διδάσκειν, διδάσκαλος (didaskein). 109d–114a, 118c–119a.

temperance, temperate, σωφροσύνη, σώφρων (sōphrosynē, sōphrōn). One rendering throughout: 121e–122c, 131b, 133c–134d. See Key Words.

tend, θεραπεύειν (therapeuein). 126b, 131b, 135e. The service of the gods, θεῶν θεραπεία (122a).

think, ἡγεῖσθαι, οἴεσθαι (hēgeisthai, oiesthai). Throughout. See know.

trainer, παιδοτρίβης (paidotribēs). 107e, 118d, 131a.

tyranny, be a tyrant, τυραννίς, τυραννεῖν (tyrannis). 135a–b. See Key Words, Virtue, license, rule, tyranny.

use, user, χρῆσθαι, ὁ χρώμενος (chrēsthai). 129c–130a, 133c; make use of, 125c–d. See Key Words, The self itself.

virtue, ἀρετή (aretē). Of persons and crafts: 120e, 124e–125d, 133b–c, 134b–135c. Of land, “excellence” (122d). See Key Words.

wander, πλανᾶσθαι (planasthai). 112d, 117a–118a. See Key Words, Knowing, and thinking one knows.

worthy, worth, unworthy, think fit, ἄξιος, ἀνάξιος, ἀξιοῦν (axios). One chain: 105b–e, 119c–e. Worth mentioning, ἄξια λόγου (105c, 123d).