Δέον
necessary, right
Translated by Jennifer Benedict19 May 2004Vetting: high4 revisions
Translation
If the proposition is that the earnest man manages the state, they must [do this] by determining what is necessary for themselves: which means what is good and what is beneficial and what is needful; "needful" [is] whenever we say that everything that has come into being must also perish; "beneficial", whenever we say that we should employ exercise or this sort of diet; "good", whenever we say that we should do just things or obey the laws or our parents.1
Therefore, it [sc. the headwordde/on ] means 3 things.
It is called "necessary" because it consists of what things are imperative.2
Therefore, it [sc. the headword
It is called "necessary" because it consists of what things are imperative.2
Greek original · Adler’s text
Δέον· ὅτι εἰ κείμενόν ἐστι τὸν σπουδαῖον πολιτεύεσθαι, χρὴ διελομένους τὸ δέον παρ' ἑαυτοῖς· ὅπερ σημαίνει καὶ τὸ καλὸν καὶ τὸ συμφέρον καὶ τὸ ἀναγκαῖον, τὸ μὲν ἀναγκαῖον, ὅταν λέγωμεν πᾶν τὸ γενόμενον δέον εἶναι καὶ φθαρῆναι, τὸ δὲ συμφέρον, ὅταν λέγωμεν, δέον εἶναι περιπάτοις χρῆσθαι ἢ διαίτῃ τοιαύτῃ, τὸ δὲ καλόν, ὅταν λέγωμεν δέον εἶναι τὰ δίκαια ποιεῖν ἢ πείθεσθαι τοῖς νόμοις ἢ τοῖς γονεῦσι. γʹ οὖν σημαίνει. δέον δὲ λέγεται, ὅτι συνέχει ἐν οἷς χρή.