From the book
Lysis
Plato · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordArtiazō means play odd and even.
- In LysisThe imperfect ἠρτίαζον describes an ongoing game in the changing-room.
- Reading contextKeep it distinct from the more general ἀστραγαλίζω, which merely identifies knucklebone play without specifying this particular game.
- A place to readThe Greek example means “they played odd and even with very many knucklebones.”
- English renderings
- Play odd and even
Meaning
Play odd and even.
Grammatical category: verb.
Use in the book
The imperfect ἠρτίαζον describes an ongoing game in the changing-room. Its players use many knucklebones, taking them from little containers, and draw a group of spectators that includes Lysis. The edition translates the activity as playing “odd and even.” Keep it distinct from the more general ἀστραγαλίζω, which merely identifies knucklebone play without specifying this particular game.
Places to read
- 206eἠρτίαζον ἀστραγάλοις παμπόλλοις — they played odd and even with very many knucklebones.