From the book
Lysis
Plato · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordBlabē means harm; damage done or suffered.
- In LysisAt 214e βλάβη is paired with ὠφελία, benefit, in the question what one like thing can do to another that it cannot do to itself.
- Reading contextThe argument moves from this supposed lack of distinctive effect to a lack of assistance and cherishing.
- A place to readThe Greek example means “What harm could it do?”
- English renderings
- Harm; damage done or suffered
Meaning
Harm; damage done or suffered.
Grammatical category: feminine noun.
Use in the book
At 214e βλάβη is paired with ὠφελία, benefit, in the question what one like thing can do to another that it cannot do to itself. The construction βλάβην ποιῆσαι means “do harm.”
The noun names an effect, while βλάπτω names harming or being harmed and βλαβερός characterizes something as harmful. Keeping these related forms together conceptually helps with the later inquiry into harmless hunger, but βλάβη itself occurs here in the earlier test of what like can provide for like. The argument moves from this supposed lack of distinctive effect to a lack of assistance and cherishing.
Places to read
- 214eτίνα βλάβην ἂν ποιῆσαι δύναιτο — What harm could it do?