The Lovers

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.

agree, ὁμολογεῖν (homologein); agree over again, ἀνομολογεῖσθαι (anomologeisthai); concede, συγχωρεῖν (synchōrein); concur, συμφάναι (symphanai). The steps granted, 133e, 134c–e, 136b–c, 136e–137a, 137c, 137e; “agree over again on what has been said”, the recapitulation, 136e; “concede”, 134b, 135c, 138a, 138e; “He concurred”, 134d.

appear, φαίνεσθαι (phainesthai); seem, δοκεῖν (dokein). Kept apart: the lads “appeared” to be quarreling and drawing circles, 132a–b; “You appear to me”, 136a; “It appears so”, 136d, 137c, 138b, and “They appear so”, 138b; “It appears to be so”, 138c; “to appear second or third”, 139a. “Seem” renders δοκεῖν, as at 133a, 135b (“if he seemed to be experienced”), 135d (“so as to seem”) and 136a (“you seem to me”); and ἔοικε, “it seems” (137a, 138a, 138b, 138c); in questions δοκεῖ σοι is “do you think” (132c, 132d, 133b, 134a), except at 133d, “does it seem to you”.

argument, λόγος (logos). 134b, 135a, 135d, 137a (“by your argument”); “words”, against “deeds”, at 132d.

base, πονηρός (ponēros); decent, χρηστός (chrēstos); worthless, μοχθηρός (mochthēros). “Base”, 136b, 137a, 137e, 138a; “worthless”, 136e, 137c, 137d, 137e, 138a; “decent”, 137c, 137d, 137e, 138a. The same words for horses, oxen and men, 137c–138a. See good and Key Words, Good, decent, base, worthless.

beloved: see lover.

benefit, ὠφελεῖν (ōphelein); be benefited, ὠφελεῖσθαι (ōpheleisthai); beneficial, ὠφέλιμος (ōphelimos). 132d (“be benefited by him”); 134d (“most beneficial”, “benefit it”, “benefits”).

best, βέλτιστος (beltistos). The craft that makes horses, dogs and men “best”, 137c–d; “my excellent friend”, ὦ βέλτιστε, 139a.

busybody, be a, πολυπραγμονεῖν (polypragmonein); busying oneself, πραγματεία (pragmateia). “Living as a busybody”, 137b, as in the Charmides (161d); “busying oneself with the crafts”, 139a.

craft, τέχνη (technē); craftsman, δημιουργός (dēmiourgos). “Craft”, 135b, 135c, 135d, 136a, 136c, 137a–b, 137c, 138b, 138c, 139a (at 137d the English supplies it); “craftsman”, 135d, 136b, 136d, 136e, 137a, 138d. “Carpentry”, τεκτονική, “carpenter”, τέκτων, and “master builder”, ἀρχιτέκτων, 135b–c; “handiwork”, χειρουργία, 135b. See Key Words, Craft and craftsman.

decent: see base.

disgrace, ὄνειδος (oneidos). 137b.

distinguish, διαγιγνώσκειν (diagignōskein). 137d, 138b, where the Charmides (170e) and the Alcibiades I (109d) have “tell … from”.

doctor, ἰατρός (iatros); trainer, παιδοτρίβης (paidotribēs); farmer, γεωργός (geōrgos); pilot, κυβερνήτης (kybernētēs). The judges of the moderate, 134e; the doctor and the pilot preferred to the philosopher, 136c–d; the doctor again, 138d.

earnest, be in, σπουδάζειν (spoudazein); earnestness, σπουδή (spoudē). The lads, 132b; friends “about whom you are greatly in earnest”, 136c; “being in earnest about the crafts”, 137b.

exercise, the love of, φιλογυμναστία (philogymnastia); lover of exercise, φιλογυμναστής (philogymnastēs); love exercise, φιλογυμναστεῖν (philogymnastein); exercises, γυμνάσια (gymnasia); gymnastics, γυμναστική (gymnastikē). The love of exercise, 133d–e; those who love exercise, 133e; the lover of exercise, 134a; exercises, 133e, 134c; gymnastics, 132d, 134a.

experienced, ἔμπειρος (empeiros); experience, ἐμπειρία (empeiria). “Experienced in words”, 132d; “his experience of gymnastics”, 134a; “experienced in all the crafts”, 135b.

fine, καλός (kalos); more finely, κάλλιον (kallion); shameful, αἰσχρός (aischros). Something “great and fine”, 132b; is philosophizing “shameful”, 132c, 133b, or “fine”, 132d, 133b; “fine” and “good”, 133d–e; “the finest”, 135b; “finely”, 136a; “philosophy is fine”, 137a; “shameful” for the philosopher, 138d, 139a. “Beautiful”, of the young, 133a. See Key Words, Fine and shameful.

follow, ἐπακολουθεῖν (epakolouthein), ἕπεσθαι (hepesthai); contribute, συμβάλλεσθαι (symballesthai). One English verb for the two Greek verbs of following, since 138d restates 135d (ξυμβάλλεσθαι at 135d): to follow what the craftsman says and contribute a judgment, 135d; to follow and contribute when a doctor, a judge or a king speaks, 138d.

free, ἐλεύθερος (eleutheros); educated, πεπαιδευμένος (pepaideumenos). What is fitting for free men to learn, 135b; “a free and educated man”, 135d.

good, ἀγαθός (agathos). Philosophy “good as well”, 133d; the love of exercise “both fine and good”, 133e; “the good are useful”, 136b, 136e; “the good useful”, 137a. See base and Key Words, Good, decent, base, worthless.

inscription, γράμμα (gramma). “The inscription at Delphi”, 138a, as in the Charmides (164d–165a).

judge, δικαστής (dikastēs); to judge, δικάζειν (dikazein); the judge’s (knowledge), δικαστική (dikastikē). 137d; “a judge”, 138d; “judging rightly”, “decide or judge”, 138e. See just.

just, δίκαιος (dikaios); justice, δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosynē); justly, δικαίως (dikaiōs); wrongdoers, οἱ ἀδικοῦντες (hoi adikountes); pay the penalty, δίκην διδόναι (dikēn didonai). “Justly”, 134e; “justice”, 137d, 138a, 138b, 138c; “just man”, 138c; “when wrongdoers pay the penalty”, 138b. See Key Words, Justice.

king, βασιλεύς (basileus), kingly, βασιλική (basilikē); tyrant, τύραννος (tyrannos), tyrannical, τυραννική (tyrannikē); statesman, πολιτικός (politikos), the statesman’s (art), πολιτική (politikē); household manager, οἰκονόμος (oikonomos), the household manager’s, οἰκονομική (oikonomikē); master, δεσπότης (despotēs), the master’s, δεσποτική (despotikē). 138b–c; “a king”, 138d. See order and Key Words, King, tyrant, statesman, household manager, master.

know, γιγνώσκειν (gignōskein), εἰδέναι (eidenai); know how, ἐπίστασθαι (epistasthai); knowledge, ἐπιστήμη (epistēmē); have knowledge, ἐπιστήμων εἶναι (epistēmōn einai); be ignorant, ἀγνοεῖν (agnoein); find out, γνῶναι (gnōnai) at 136c; take in, ἐννοεῖν (ennoein). “Know” (εἰδέναι), 133b, 133c (“Then you know … what philosophizing is?”), 136b; “even a pig would know” (γνῶναι), 134a; “know each of the crafts precisely”, 135c; “having knowledge about the crafts”, 137a; “know how to punish”, 137b–c, 138a–b; “knows the decent and the worthless”, 137c, “know the decent and the worthless”, 137e; “the knowledge that rightly punishes”, 137d; “ignorant”, 137e, 138a; “knowing oneself”, 138a; “let us find out” (γνῶμεν), 136c; “Do I take in”, 135e (“thinking it over” at 133c). See temperance.

labor, πόνος (ponos); much labor, πολυπονία (polyponia); labor at, διαπονεῖν (diaponein). “Labors”, 133e, 134a, 134b, 134e; “much labor”, 133e; “to have labored at anything”, 136a. See Key Words, Much learning, much labor.

learn, μανθάνειν (manthanein); much learning, πολυμαθία (polymathia); learn much, πολυμαθεῖν (polymathein); subjects of learning, μαθήματα (mathēmata); unlearned, ἀμαθής (amathēs). “Learn”, 133c, 135a, 135b, 135c; “much learning”, 133c, 133e, 139a; “nor learning much”, 137b; “subjects of learning”, 134d, 134e, 135a, 135b; “the unlearned one”, 139a. “Learning” in Solon’s line, 133c, renders διδασκόμενος. See Key Words, Much learning, much labor.

look into, σκοπεῖν (skopein). 135a, Socrates’ method verb, as in the series.

lover, ἐραστής (erastēs); rival lover, ἀντεραστής (anterastēs); beloved, παιδικά (paidika). “Lovers”, 132a, 132d, 133a; “the lover of one of the two”, 132b; “his rival in love”, 132c; “his rival lover”, 133b; “his beloved”, 133b. The “lover of exercise” is φιλογυμναστής (see exercise). See Key Words, Lover, rival lover, beloved.

menial, βάναυσος (banausos). 137b, as in the Alcibiades I (131b).

moderate, μέτριος (metrios); immoderate, ἄμετρος (ametros); in moderation, μετρίως (metriōs). “Moderate”, 134a, 134b, 134c, 134d, 134e; “immoderate”, 134d; “in moderation”, 136b, where the Alcibiades I (130c) has “adequately” for μετρίως. See Key Words, Moderate, in moderation.

opinion, δόξα (doxa); reputation, δόξα; judgment, γνώμη (gnōmē). “Against my own opinion”, 134c; “the greatest reputation for philosophy”, 135b; “a judgment of his own”, 135d.

order, διοικεῖν (dioikein); be ordered, οἰκεῖσθαι (oikeisthai). “Cities … are well ordered”, 138b; one man “orders a city”, “orders a household”, 138b–c; “if his household is to be well ordered”, 138e. As in the Alcibiades I (126a–b, 127b).

perplexity, ἀπορία (aporia). 135a, twice.

philosophy, φιλοσοφία (philosophia); philosophize, φιλοσοφεῖν (philosophein); philosopher, φιλόσοφος (philosophos). “Philosophy”, 132c, 133c, 133d, 133e, 135b, 137a; “philosophize”, “philosophizing”, 132b, 132c, 132d, 133b, 133c, 133e, 135a, 135c, 135e, 137a, 137b, 139a; “the man who has philosophized”, 136a; “philosopher”, 135e, 136a, 136b, 136c, 136d, 136e, 137a, 138d, 138e. See the note at 132b and Key Words, Philosophy, philosophize, philosopher.

precisely, ἀκριβῶς (akribōs); precision, ἀκρίβεια (akribeia). 135d, 136a.

punish, κολάζειν (kolazein); be unruly, ἀκολασταίνειν (akolastainein). “Punish”, 137b–c, 137d, 137e, 138a, 138b, 138e; “unruly”, 137d. See Key Words, Punish.

runner-up, ὕπακρος (hypakros); top, ἄκρος (akros); pentathlete, πένταθλος (pentathlos); second prizes, τὰ δευτερεῖα (ta deutereia). “A top master builder”, 135c; the pentathletes, 135e; “likening him to the pentathlete”, 136a; “a kind of runner-up in everything”, “holding the second prizes”, 136a; “these runners-up”, 136c; “that runner-up”, 136c; “a pentathlete and a runner-up”, “holding in this the second prizes”, 138e. See Key Words, Runner-up, pentathlete, second prizes.

seem: see appear.

shameful: see fine.

temperance, σωφροσύνη (sōphrosynē); be temperate, σωφρονεῖν (sōphronein); temperate (man), σώφρων (sōphrōn). knowing oneself as “being temperate”, 138a; temperance and justice, 138a–b; “temperate man”, “temperance”, 138c. See Key Words, Temperance and knowing oneself.

think, ἡγεῖσθαι (hēgeisthai), οἴεσθαι (oiesthai); consider, νομίζειν (nomizein); take, ὑπολαμβάνειν (hypolambanein); lead, ἡγεῖσθαι. “Think”, 132c, 132d, 133b, 133c, 133d–e, 134a, 136b–c, 137b; “consider myself a man”, 133b; “took this up”, 135b, “Don’t take me that way”, 135c, “to take the philosopher’s case”, 136a, “whether he took the good to be”, 136b; “not to lead”, 139a.

tyrant: see king.

understanding, σύνεσις (synesis). “Whatever belongs to understanding”, 135b; “the understanding of the crafts”, 136a.

useful, χρήσιμος (chrēsimos); useless, ἄχρηστος (achrēstos); of no use, ἀχρεῖος (achreios). “Useful”, 136b, 136c, 136d, 136e, 137a; “useless”, 136b, 136e, 137a, 137b; “of no use”, 138e. See Key Words, Useful and useless.

wise, σοφός (sophos); wiser, σοφώτερος (sophōteros); wisest, σοφώτατος (sophōtatos). “Laid claim to being wiser”, 132d; “the wiser one”, 135b; “the wisest”, 135d; “the wise one”, 139a.

worthless: see base.

writing-master, γραμματιστής (grammatistēs). 132a, as in the Charmides and the Alcibiades I.