Πραότης
gentleness, good temper
Translated by Marcelo Boeri12 Nov 1999Vetting: high8 revisions
Translation
[Meaning] inirascibility.1
If one characterized continence as a genus of good temper, and defines good temper as 'continence of anger',2 he is not giving a correct characterization; for what follows from a certain hypothesis would not be a genus. For the genus [is] inseparable.
Gentleness, in reference to God [means] small revenge. David [says]: "gentleness made an approach to us, and we will be taught."3
Gentle/good-tempered (praos) [comes] from raon, raos ['easy'], so praos.
If one characterized continence as a genus of good temper, and defines good temper as 'continence of anger',2 he is not giving a correct characterization; for what follows from a certain hypothesis would not be a genus. For the genus [is] inseparable.
Gentleness, in reference to God [means] small revenge. David [says]: "gentleness made an approach to us, and we will be taught."3
Gentle/good-tempered (praos) [comes] from raon, raos ['easy'], so praos.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Πραότης· ἀοργησία. ἂν δέ τις τῆς πραότητος γένος ἀποδῷ τὴν ἐγκράτειαν καὶ ὁρίσηται αὐτὴν ἐγκράτειαν ὀργῆς, οὐκ ὀρθῶς ἀποδίδωσιν· οὐ γὰρ τὸ ἐξ ὑποθέσεώς τινι ἀκολουθοῦν εἴη ἂν καὶ γένος. τὸ γὰρ γένος ἀχώριστον. Πραότης, ἐπὶ θεοῦ ἡ μικρὰ τιμωρία. Δαβίδ· ὅτι ἐπῆλθε πραότης ἐφ' ἡμᾶς, καὶ παιδευθησόμεθα. Πρᾶος δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ ῥᾷον, ῥᾷος, καὶ πρᾶος.
Betacode
*prao/ths: a)orghsi/a. a)\n de/ tis th=s prao/thtos ge/nos a)podw=| th\n e)gkra/teian kai\ o(ri/shtai au)th\n e)gkra/teian o)rgh=s, ou)k o)rqw=s a)podi/dwsin: ou) ga\r to\ e)c u(poqe/sew/s tini a)kolouqou=n ei)/h a)\n kai\ ge/nos. to\ ga\r ge/nos a)xw/riston. *prao/ths, e)pi\ qeou= h( mikra\ timwri/a. *dabi/d: o(/ti e)ph=lqe prao/ths e)f' h(ma=s, kai\ paideuqhso/meqa. *pra=os de\ a)po\ tou= r(a=|on, r(a=|os, kai\ pra=os.
Notes (3)
- 1"Good temper is a mean with respect to anger" (Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 1125b26, Revised Oxford Translation). "...since we call the intermediate person good-tempered let us call the mean good temper; of the persons at the extremes let the one who exceeds be called irascible, and his vice irascibility, and the man who falls short an inirascible sort of person, and the deficiency inirascibility" (Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 1108a5-9, Revised Oxford Translation). ↩
- 2cf. Alexander of Aphrodisias, Commentaries on Aristotle's Topica 364.1. ↩
- 3Theodoret (PG 80, 1604c) on Psalm 89.10 LXX. ↩
Neighbouring entries
Revision history8 revisions · last 24 May 2016
- coding — David Whitehead
- coding — Catharine Roth
- Revised — David Whitehead
- another keyword — David Whitehead
- another keyword — David Whitehead
- added notes and keywords; restorative and other cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Revised — Scott Carson
- Revised — Scott Carson
- Translated — Marcelo Boeri