From the book
Lysis
Plato · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordEraō means be in love; desire as a lover.
- In LysisThe contracted infinitive is ἐρᾶν, the usual citation form in the edition’s English notes.
- Reading contextThe dialogue connects the two verbs, but their different ranges remain important.
- A place to readThe Greek example means “being in love.”
- English renderings
- Be in love; desire as a lover
Meaning
Be in love; desire as a lover.
Grammatical category: verb.
Use in the book
The contracted infinitive is ἐρᾶν, the usual citation form in the edition’s English notes. Hippothales does not deny being in love with Lysis (205a). At 221b and 221e–222a, the verb joins desire and φιλεῖν in the final proposed explanation by affinity.
Distinguish ἐρᾶν from φιλεῖν: the latter is used broadly of parental affection, attachment to things, and the relation under examination. The dialogue connects the two verbs, but their different ranges remain important.