From the book
Lysis
Plato · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordErastēs means lover; the person who is in love.
- In LysisHippothales is the dramatic example: his praise and desire focus on Lysis.
- Reading contextIt should not be presented as a norm obliging someone to return another’s desire.
- A place to readThe Greek example means “the genuine lover.”
- English renderings
- Lover; the person who is in love
Meaning
Lover; the person who is in love.
Grammatical category: masculine noun.
Use in the book
Hippothales is the dramatic example: his praise and desire focus on Lysis. The word names a role in courtship and need not imply that the beloved reciprocates. At 212b–c lovers may think they are unloved or even hated.
At 222a the “genuine” rather than “pretended” lover is said necessarily to be loved by his darling. This startling conclusion is drawn from the current affinity argument; Lysis and Menexenus only just nod, and Hippothales is delighted. The following examination destabilizes the account. It should not be presented as a norm obliging someone to return another’s desire.