From the book
Alcibiades I
Plato · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Guardian and tutor
ἐπίτροπον (epitropon); ἐπίτροπος (epitropos); παιδαγωγοὺς (paidagōgous); παιδαγωγὸν (paidagōgon); παιδαγωγήσω (paidagōgēsō)
Epitropos is a guardian entrusted with another’s affairs; paidagōgos is an attendant or tutor responsible for a young person.
Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordEpitropos is a guardian entrusted with another’s affairs; paidagōgos is an attendant or tutor responsible for a young person.
- In Alcibiades IPericles was left as guardian to Alcibiades and his brother.
- In this editionThe edition expands the last verb as attending “as a tutor attends a boy,” avoiding the misleading modern suggestion that Alcibiades now gives Socrates academic lessons.
- A place to readPericles’ guardianship is established.
Meaning
Epitropos is a guardian entrusted with another’s affairs; paidagōgos is an attendant or tutor responsible for a young person. The words designate different relations, and the dialogue uses both metaphorically as well as socially.
Use in the book
Pericles was left as guardian to Alcibiades and his brother. His political power is initially counted among Alcibiades’ advantages, yet guardianship does not establish that he has made his wards wise. The Persian “royal tutors” are selected adult exemplars of four virtues; Zopyrus, by contrast, is the aged household slave Pericles appointed to attend Alcibiades. A paidagōgos need not be identical with a schoolteacher, and the contrast exploits differences within the role rather than making the word itself an assurance of educational excellence.
At 124c Socrates calls the god his own guardian, superior to Pericles. This transfers the model of responsible guidance while retaining Socrates’ need for education. At 135d Alcibiades promises to tutor or attend Socrates from that day forward. The point is that he will now follow the older man, reversing the opening pursuit. It does not mean he has suddenly become Socrates’ expert instructor. The role that seemed lowly in the Zopyrus portrait becomes a freely adopted expression of attachment and care.
Places to read
Translation in this edition
The edition expands the last verb as attending “as a tutor attends a boy,” avoiding the misleading modern suggestion that Alcibiades now gives Socrates academic lessons.
ἐπίτροπος
Attested: ἐπίτροπον (epitropon; 104b); ἐπίτροπος (epitropos; 124c). Guardian, of Pericles for Alcibiades and metaphorically the god for Socrates. Lexical identification: lemma: ἐπίτροπος. See Guardian and tutor.
παιδαγωγέω
Attested: παιδαγωγήσω (paidagōgēsō; 135d). To attend as a tutor attends a boy; Alcibiades promises to follow Socrates in reversed roles. Lexical identification: lemma: παιδαγωγέω. See Guardian and tutor.
παιδαγωγός
Attested: παιδαγωγοὺς (paidagōgous; 121e); παιδαγωγὸν (paidagōgon; 122b). Tutor or attending guardian of a young person, contrasting royal exemplars with Zopyrus. Lexical identification: lemma: παιδαγωγός. See Guardian and tutor.
σχῆμα
Attested: σχῆμα (schēma; 135d). A role, configuration or manner; Alcibiades proposes an exchange of roles in which he becomes the one who attends Socrates. Lexical identification: lemma: σχῆμα. See Guardian and tutor.
From the book
Lysis
Plato · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Tutor
παιδαγωγός
paidagōgosPaidagōgos means tutor or boy-escort; the household supervisor who takes the boy to lessons.
Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordPaidagōgos means tutor or boy-escort; the household supervisor who takes the boy to lessons.
- In LysisLysis points to his παιδαγωγός when asked who rules him.
- Reading contextTheir foreign-sounding Greek and apparent drinking at the festival contribute to the comic interruption.
- A place to readThe Greek example means “This man, my tutor.”
- English renderings
- Tutor or boy-escort; the household supervisor who takes the boy to lessons
Meaning
Tutor or boy-escort; the household supervisor who takes the boy to lessons.
Grammatical category: noun, masculine.
Use in the book
Lysis points to his παιδαγωγός when asked who rules him. He explicitly says the man is one of their slaves. Asked what this rule consists in, he replies that the tutor leads him to his teacher, bringing out the word’s boy-leading sense.
The role should be distinguished from the διδάσκαλος who teaches and the παιδοτρίβης who supervises physical training. Rendering it “pedagogue” in its modern sense of an instructor would collapse distinctions that support Socrates’ account of the boy’s multiple authorities.
At 223a–b the boys’ tutors arrive with their brothers and call them home. Their supervisory authority ends the gathering when the argument remains unfinished. Their foreign-sounding Greek and apparent drinking at the festival contribute to the comic interruption.