From the book
Charmides
Plato · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Great King and Asia
μέγαν βασιλέα (megan basilea); τῇ ἠπείρῳ (tēi ēpeirōi); πρεσβεύων (presbeuōn)
Megas basileus, “Great King,” is the conventional royal designation used here of the Persian ruler; the attested phrase has the accusative megan basilea after para.
Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordMegas basileus, “Great King,” is the conventional royal designation used here of the Persian ruler; the attested phrase has the accusative megan basilea after para.
- In the CharmidesThe Persian court appears only through the reputation of Charmides' maternal uncle.
- In this edition“Continent” follows the Greek and the note identifies Asia.
- A place to readThe Great King and other rulers of the continent are destinations of Pyrilampes’ embassies.
Meaning
Megas basileus, “Great King,” is the conventional royal designation used here of the Persian ruler; the attested phrase has the accusative megan basilea after para. Ēpeiros means mainland or continent, here the Asian mainland in the setting of Pyrilampes' embassies. Presbeuōn means acting as an ambassador.
Use in the book
The Persian court appears only through the reputation of Charmides' maternal uncle. Socrates says that Pyrilampes was admired for beauty and stature whenever he visited the Great King or another ruler on the continent. This external horizon magnifies a family encomium within an intensely local Athenian setting.
No king is named and no individual mission dated. The conversation's disputed chronology does not justify attaching a specific monarch to every embassy in the retrospective plural “whenever.” Nor does the sentence compare constitutions or offer a theory of Persian kingship. Its function is to make admiration of Pyrilampes appear geographically extensive, supporting the claim that the maternal household is no less distinguished than the paternal.
The lexical contrast with Zalmoxis deserves notice. Both a Persian ruler and the Thracian god-king are called basileus, but their places in the dialogue differ sharply: one anchors aristocratic diplomatic prestige; the other authorizes the medical story about treating the soul. The shared ordinary noun does not imply that Plato has identified their authority or doctrine.
Places to read
- 158aThe Great King and other rulers of the continent are destinations of Pyrilampes’ embassies
Translation in this edition
“Continent” follows the Greek and the note identifies Asia. “Great King” should remain a title without an invented proper name. The apparatus records variation and an editorial proposal to delete the repeated phrase about rulers on the continent; Burnet retains it.
βασιλεύς
Attested: βασιλεύς / βασιλέα (basileus / basilea). King; Zalmoxis is the Thracian doctor’s king and god, whereas “Great King” in Pyrilampes’ embassy refers to the Persian ruler. References: 156d, 158a. Lexical identification: lemma: βασιλεύς. See Great King and Asia.
πρεσβεύω
Attested: πρεσβεύων (presbeuōn). Going or serving as an ambassador; Pyrilampes’ diplomatic visits to the Great King and other rulers provide the setting for praise of his appearance. References: 158a. Lexical identification: lemma: πρεσβεύω. See Great King and Asia.
From the book
Lysis
Plato · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Great King
βασιλεύς
basileusBasileus means king; here the Great King, ruler of Asia.
Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordBasileus means king; here the Great King, ruler of Asia.
- In LysisThe title ὁ μέγας βασιλεύς introduces the most socially elevated test of the competence argument.
- Reading contextThe noun names the ruler, while the statement that Asia’s rule passes to his eldest son specifies why the comparison is striking.
- A place to readThe Greek example means “What, then, about the Great King?”
- English renderings
- King; here the Great King, ruler of Asia
Meaning
King; here the Great King, ruler of Asia.
Grammatical category: noun, masculine.
Use in the book
The title ὁ μέγας βασιλεύς introduces the most socially elevated test of the competence argument. Even he would trust knowledgeable outsiders rather than his own heir in preparing a dish or treating the heir’s eyes.
The illustration deliberately opposes supreme rank and hereditary succession to task-specific understanding. The king remains hypothetical within this conversation: Socrates and Lysis do not visit his court. The noun names the ruler, while the statement that Asia’s rule passes to his eldest son specifies why the comparison is striking.