From the book
Lysis
Plato · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordPhiletairos means fond of companions; a lover of companionship.
- In LysisSocrates applies the compound to himself after saying that he would prefer a companion to Darius’ gold, or even to Darius himself.
- Reading contextThe edition’s “friend of companions” deliberately keeps the connection with the other φίλ-words audible.
- A place to readThe Greek example means “So much a lover of companions am I.”
- English renderings
- Fond of companions; a lover of companionship
Meaning
Fond of companions; a lover of companionship.
Grammatical category: adjective.
Use in the book
Socrates applies the compound to himself after saying that he would prefer a companion to Darius’ gold, or even to Darius himself. The second element is ἑταῖρος, “companion,” and the whole word is the culmination of his enthusiastic comparison of acquisitions.
The self-description introduces his professed ignorance about how friends become friends. Enthusiasm for companionship is not yet knowledge of friendship’s nature. The edition’s “friend of companions” deliberately keeps the connection with the other φίλ-words audible.
Places to read
- 211eοὕτως ἐγὼ φιλέταιρός τίς εἰμι — So much a lover of companions am I.