From the book
Lysis
Plato · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordParoimia means proverb; a traditional saying.
- In LysisThe ancient proverb that the beautiful is dear is recalled while Socrates describes his dizziness over the argument.
- Reading contextThe noun signals inherited authority whose implications still have to be examined.
- A place to readThe Greek example means “According to the ancient proverb.”
- English renderings
- Proverb; a traditional saying
Meaning
Proverb; a traditional saying.
Grammatical category: feminine noun.
Use in the book
The ancient proverb that the beautiful is dear is recalled while Socrates describes his dizziness over the argument. It offers a fresh verbal starting point after the failures of likeness and opposition.
The saying’s traditional status is not a substitute for proof. Socrates immediately develops a conjecture about the beautiful and good and asks the boys to hear its grounds. The noun signals inherited authority whose implications still have to be examined.
Places to read
- 216cκατὰ τὴν ἀρχαίαν παροιμίαν — According to the ancient proverb.