From the book
Stobaeus, Volume I
John Stobaeus · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordEpipnoia is a breathing upon or inspiration.
- In StobaeusThe Phaedrus classification assigns prophetic inspiration to Apollo, initiatory inspiration to Dionysus, poetic inspiration to the Muses, and love to Aphrodite and Eros.
- In this edition“Inspiration” is fluent; “inspired breath” explains the Greek image.
- A place to beginProphetic inspiration takes its place within the fourfold divine classification.
- English renderings
- inspiration; inspired breath
Meaning
Epipnoia is a breathing upon or inspiration. The breath image supplies a religious metaphor without necessarily identifying a bodily fluid.
Use in the book
The Phaedrus classification assigns prophetic inspiration to Apollo, initiatory inspiration to Dionysus, poetic inspiration to the Muses, and love to Aphrodite and Eros. The fourfold arrangement differentiates kinds of divine departure from customary behavior rather than treating them as one indistinguishable state.
Places to read
- I.9.9Prophetic inspiration takes its place within the fourfold divine classification.
Translation in this edition
“Inspiration” is fluent; “inspired breath” explains the Greek image.
Source note
Wachsmuth, volume I, printed pp. 113–114. The four divine sources include groups or paired figures; the wording should not force the list into exactly four individual persons.