From the book
Symposium
Plato · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Rightly and well
ὀρθῶς (orthōs); καλῶς (kalōs)
Correctly and well overlap in English, but the Greek adverbs are not the same word.
Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordCorrectly and well overlap in English, but the Greek adverbs are not the same word.
- In the SymposiumThe edition reads Socrates’ praise at 201c as a compliment to the manner of Agathon’s speech despite the refutation of its content; that is a plausible interpretation of the irony, not an independently stated distinction in that brief reply.
- In this editionThe edition’s note 107 interprets the adverb at 201c through the beauty of the speech despite the failure of its account.
- A place to readSocrates’ qualified admiration for Agathon’s speech.
Meaning
Correctly and well overlap in English, but the Greek adverbs are not the same word.
Use in the book
The edition reads Socrates’ praise at 201c as a compliment to the manner of Agathon’s speech despite the refutation of its content; that is a plausible interpretation of the irony, not an independently stated distinction in that brief reply. The repeated rightly in Diotima’s ascent instead qualifies the route, leadership and recognition needed for its end. At 210e orderly sequence and correctness are both named; correct order is more than merely moving rapidly through a list of attractions. Neither adverb by itself establishes that a particular speaker or learner has satisfied the standard.
Places to read
Translation in this edition
The edition’s note 107 interprets the adverb at 201c through the beauty of the speech despite the failure of its account. This entry preserves that reading as an interpretation. The repeated rightly in the ascent follows the distinct adverb in the Greek.
καλῶς (kalōs)
kalōs — Well or finely; the adverb of beautiful can commend speech or action without certifying its account.
- 201c — καλῶς γε εἶπες. Socrates still tells Agathon he spoke well after refuting the portrait.
Read: Rightly and well.
ὀρθῶς (orthōs)
orthōs — Rightly or correctly, according to the requirements of the practice or inquiry.
- 210e — ἐφεξῆς τε καὶ ὀρθῶς. Beautiful things must be beheld in sequence and rightly.
Read: Rightly and well.
From the book
Symposium
Plato · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Well and rightly
καλῶς (kalōs); ὀρθῶς (orthōs)
The adverbs qualify an act’s manner or direction.
Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordThe adverbs qualify an act’s manner or direction.
- In the SymposiumPausanias refuses to assign beauty or shame to drinking, singing or conversation considered merely as actions.
- In this editionThe edition normally renders the adjective kalos “beautiful” but its adverb “well”.
- A place to readThe manner of performance supplies the evaluation.
Meaning
The adverbs qualify an act’s manner or direction. They help distinguish the fact of doing something from doing it well.
Use in the book
Pausanias refuses to assign beauty or shame to drinking, singing or conversation considered merely as actions. Their value depends on how they are performed. Eryximachus similarly distinguishes making a musical structure from correctly applying it in education. Diotima’s later insistence on correct guidance and ordered pursuit continues this attention to method, though it does not simply repeat Pausanias’ ethical rule.
Places to read
Translation in this edition
The edition normally renders the adjective kalos “beautiful” but its adverb “well”. At 183d Burnet’s printed “well” follows a reading different from the principal manuscripts’ “beautiful”; the distinction should not be erased in lexical analysis.
καλῶς (kalōs)
kalōs — Well, finely or beautifully; the adverb evaluates how an act is performed, not merely the appearance of its object.
- 181a — καλῶς μὲν γὰρ πραττόμενον. Well-performed action becomes beautiful.
Read: Well and rightly.
ὀρθῶς (orthōs)
orthōs — Rightly or correctly, a procedural or normative qualification that can accompany “well” without being identical to it.
- 181a — καὶ ὀρθῶς. Right performance joins good manner in Pausanias’ criterion.
- 187d — χρώμενον ὀρθῶς. The correct use of composed music is education.
Read: Well and rightly.