From the book
Lysis
Plato · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordMetadidōmi means give a share, share something with someone.
- In LysisAt the opening Hippothales says the group would gladly share its talk with Socrates.
- Reading contextThe verbal adjective μεταδοτέον expresses the obligation to make the exchange accessible to the surrounding listeners.
- A place to readThe Greek example means “but you do not share the conversation with us.”
- English renderings
- Give a share, share something with someone
Meaning
Give a share, share something with someone.
Grammatical category: verb.
Use in the book
At the opening Hippothales says the group would gladly share its talk with Socrates. At 211d Ctesippus complains that Socrates and Lysis are not sharing their conversation with the others, and Socrates answers that they must share it.
The thing shared is expressed in the genitive, τῶν λόγων, and the recipient in the dative. The repeated verb frames conversation as a common pleasure rather than a private possession. The verbal adjective μεταδοτέον expresses the obligation to make the exchange accessible to the surrounding listeners.