Ἀκρασίας
of incontinence, of lack of restraint, of want of self-control
Translated by Jennifer Benedict23 Mar 2001Vetting: high16 revisions
Translation
[Meaning of] irregularity, [sc. so called] from not being blended in [sugkekra=sqai ].1
Josephus [writes]: "the Romans are conquered through their hands' lack of restraint."2
*)akrasi/a and a)kolasi/a ["intemperance"] are different. For the latter, intemperance, creates shameful things in accordance with choice; but the other [does so] contrary to choice.3
[sc. The adjective]a)kra/sios is also used.4
"And thus she having digressed into every deviant path [...]."5
Josephus [writes]: "the Romans are conquered through their hands' lack of restraint."2
[sc. The adjective]
"And thus she having digressed into every deviant path [...]."5
Greek original · Adler’s text
Ἀκρασίας· ἀνωμαλίας, παρὰ τὸ μὴ συγκεκρᾶσθαι. Ἰώσηπος· οἱ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι διὰ χειρῶν ἀκρασίαν ἁλίσκονται. ἀκρασία καὶ ἀκολασία διαφέρει. ἡ μὲν γὰρ κατὰ προαίρεσιν πράττει τὰ αἰσχρὰ, ἡ ἀκολασία· ἡ δὲ παρὰ προαίρεσιν. λέγεται δὲ καὶ Ἀκράσιος. οὕτω τε ἐς πᾶσαν ἀκράσιον ἐκπεπτωκυῖα τρίβον.
Betacode
*)akrasi/as: a)nwmali/as, para\ to\ mh\ sugkekra=sqai. *)iw/shpos: oi( de\ *(rwmai=oi dia\ xeirw=n a)krasi/an a(li/skontai. a)krasi/a kai\ a)kolasi/a diafe/rei. h( me\n ga\r kata\ proai/resin pra/ttei ta\ ai)sxra\, h( a)kolasi/a: h( de\ para\ proai/resin. le/getai de\ kai\ *)akra/sios. ou(/tw te e)s pa=san a)kra/sion e)kpeptwkui=a tri/bon.
Notes (4)
- [1] Likewise in other lexica; references at Photius alpha836 Theodoridis. The headword, evidently quoted from somewhere, is either genitive singular (as assumed here) or accusative plural of the feminine noun↩
a)krasi/a .- 2Josephus, Jewish War 5.122: web address 1 below. ↩
- 3Alexander of Aphrodisias, Commentaries on Aristotle's Topica 121.29-31; cf. Van Ophuijsen (131). The distinction is Aristotle's: see Nicomachean Ethics 3.2 (1111b13-15) and 7.8 (1151a11-14), web addresses 2 and 3, respectively. ↩
- 4Attested only here and in the parallel entry in ps.-Zonaras. They both, likewise, have its accusative case in the quotation which follows: see next note. ↩
- 5Procopius, Secret History 15.9 (on Theodora), where the text (web address 4) has the genitive
a)krasi/as ("every path of deviance"); cf Kaldellis (68). For Theodora (ca. 490-548), wife of Justinian I (cf. iota 446) and empress (527-548), see PLRE IIIb s.v. Theodora(1). Modern historians are often skeptical of the anecdotes Procopius provides about Theodora, all collected from hearsay, and his estimate of her moral character; cf. Foss (169-170).
References
J.M. Van Ophuijsen, Alexander of Aphrodisias: On Aristotle’s Topics 1, (Ithaca, NY 2001)
A. Kaldellis, ed. and trans., Prokopios: The Secret History, (Indianapolis 2010)
J.R. Martindale, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, vol. IIIb, (Cambridge, 1992)
C. Foss, "The Empress Theodora", Byzantion 72, no. 1 (1982), 141-176
A. Kaldellis, ed. and trans., Prokopios: The Secret History, (Indianapolis 2010)
J.R. Martindale, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, vol. IIIb, (Cambridge, 1992)
C. Foss, "The Empress Theodora", Byzantion 72, no. 1 (1982), 141-176
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
- Web address 2 perseus.tufts.edu
- Web address 3 perseus.tufts.edu
- Web address 4 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from9 entries
- α958Ἀκράτειαpowerlessness, debility, incontinence[no gloss]
- α960ἈκρατίζωI have breakfast, I drink neat wine[Meaning] I drink unmixed [wine]. Also [sc. attested is the aorist participle] a)kratisame/nh, [meaning she] having imbibed unmixed [wine]. "Having breakfasted, Theodora took a rest." [Note] that a meal, early…
- α2530Ἀνθρωποδαίμονεςhuman-demons"Being demons they took on a human body and, having become human-demons in this way, they shook the entire inhabited world."
- α2622Ἀντελαμβάνοντοthey used to take hold of"Sleeps of great length always used to take hold of her." Meaning used to seize [her]. "The daytime ones [lasted] until the beginning of the nights, and the night-time ones until sunrise."
- α3151Ἀπήλγησανthey grieved at"The whole populace [...] immediately grieved at the calamity and in lamentation raised their cries to heaven." Meaning they mourned.
- β126Βαρσύμης ΠέτροςBarsumes PetrosSee under de/cios.
- δ223Δεξαμενήreceptacle"He came into the sanctuary of Wisdom and sat unexpectedly in the sacred receptacle itself [...] But even from there [Theodora] was able to drag her off." That is, the table which receives the sacred articles.
- δ233Δεξιόςclever, fortunateAlso [meaning] one with aptitude. "In the time of Justinian, there was one Peter called Barsumês who sat at the money-exchange table and took shameful profits from this work, contriving rather well the theft in the case…
- χ320Χιτώνchiton, tunicA man's garment. "And a sleeved short tunic [xitwni/skos xeiridwto/s], such as befits a slave boy." A chiton, therefore, is a lightweight garment, an undershirt; [the word is derived] from the fact that it flows…
Neighbouring entries
Revision history16 revisions · last 21 Jun 2024
- expanded n.5, added to bibliography — Ronald Allen
- augmented n.5, added to bibliography, added cross-reference, added link — Ronald Allen
- added bibliography n.3, added links — Ronald Allen
- tweaked link — Catharine Roth
- — David Whitehead
- — David Whitehead
- cosmetics — Catharine Roth
- — David Whitehead
- augmented notes and keywords; tweaks and cosmetics — David Whitehead
- tweaks and cosmetics — Catharine Roth
- updated link — Catharine Roth
- modified translation of initial gloss; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Augmented headword and references. — Marcelo Boeri
- modified translation; added note and keywords; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- —
- —
- Translated — Jennifer Benedict