From the book
Lysis
Plato · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordEnkōmion means song of praise; encomium.
- In LysisSocrates claims that Hippothales is composing an ἐγκώμιον of himself when he celebrates his beloved.
- Reading contextCalling these poems “compliments” alone would miss their elaborate, public, victory-song character.
- A place to readThe Greek example means “a song of praise about yourself.”
- English renderings
- Song of praise; encomium
Meaning
Song of praise; encomium.
Grammatical category: noun, neuter.
Use in the book
Socrates claims that Hippothales is composing an ἐγκώμιον of himself when he celebrates his beloved. If he wins such a distinguished boy, the praise adorns his own success; if the boy escapes, it measures the greatness of his loss.
The term therefore changes its apparent target without changing its wording: ostensibly praise of Lysis, effectively prospective praise of Hippothales. The athletic language of winning strengthens the irony. Calling these poems “compliments” alone would miss their elaborate, public, victory-song character.