Kinship and connections · Lexicon

From the book

Alcibiades I

Plato · Diotimos Editions · 2026

Orientation

At a Glance

The wordFriends and kinsmen are social connections on whom Alcibiades expects to rely; syngenēs specifically indicates shared kinship, whereas philos need not.
In Alcibiades IThe opening inventory carefully includes both paternal and maternal relatives and friends, numerous and distinguished on each side.
In this editionThe edition keeps “friends and kinsmen” distinct.
A place to readThe two sides of the family furnish numerous friends and relatives who could assist.

Meaning

Friends and kinsmen are social connections on whom Alcibiades expects to rely; syngenēs specifically indicates shared kinship, whereas philos need not. Serving or assisting describes the practical support they might provide.

Use in the book

The opening inventory carefully includes both paternal and maternal relatives and friends, numerous and distinguished on each side. Their value is not only prestige: Socrates says they would serve Alcibiades if anything were needed. This is an imagined network of assistance supporting his confidence that he needs no one. Pericles’ guardianship then stands above the whole list as the largest source of power. At 105e Socrates counters with a sharply different claim: no guardian, kinsman or other person can hand over the desired power except himself, with divine help. The argument will test what such help must involve. Connections may supply access, influence and assistance without supplying knowledge of justice or competent care. This use of friendship as an available social resource should be distinguished from Alcibiades’ later proposed definition of civic friendship as concord.

Places to read

104bThe two sides of the family furnish numerous friends and relatives who could assist.
105d–105e2Socrates asserts the insufficiency of guardians and kinsmen for the desired achievement.

Translation in this edition

The edition keeps “friends and kinsmen” distinct. No particular person should be inserted into the unnamed maternal or paternal groups simply because external biographies identify additional relatives.

συγγενής

Attested: συγγενεῖς (syngeneis; 104b); συγγενὴς (syngenēs; 105e). Kinsman or relative, the family relation distinguished from friendship. Lexical identification: lemma: συγγενής. See Kinship and connections.

ὑπηρετέω

Attested: ὑπηρετοῖεν (hypēretoien; 104b). To render service or help; numerous relatives and friends could serve Alcibiades if need arose. Lexical identification: lemma: ὑπηρετέω. See Kinship and connections.

φίλος

Attested: φίλους (philous; 104b). Friend, here an available social connection rather than the later proposed civic concord. Lexical identification: lemma: φίλος. See Kinship and connections.