σωφροσύνη

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Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

Etymology

From σώφρων (sṓphrōn, wise) +‎ -σῠ́νη (-súnē).

Pronunciation

 

Noun

σωφροσῠ́νη (sōphrosúnēf (genitive σωφροσῠ́νης); first declension

  1. soundness of mind, prudence, discretion; sanity
    • 386 BCE – 367 BCE, Plato, Meno 73b:
      Σωκράτης   τῶν αὐτῶν ἄρα ἀμφότεροι δέονται, εἴπερ μέλλουσιν ἀγαθοὶ εἶναι, καὶ ἡ γυνὴ καὶ ὁ ἀνήρ, δικαιοσύνης καὶ σωφροσύνης.
      Sōkrátēs   tôn autôn ára amphóteroi déontai, eíper méllousin agathoì eînai, kaì hē gunḕ kaì ho anḗr, dikaiosúnēs kaì sōphrosúnēs.
      Socrates: Then men and women both need the same things, if they want to be good: justice and prudence.
  2. moderation in sensual desires, self-control, temperance
    • 385 BCE – 380 BCE, Plato, Symposium 196c:
      εἶναι γὰρ ὁμολογεῖται σωφροσύνη τὸ κρατεῖν ἡδονῶν καὶ ἐπιθυμιῶν
      eînai gàr homologeîtai sōphrosúnē tò krateîn hēdonôn kaì epithumiôn
      For it is agreed that prudence is the restraining of pleasures and desires.
  3. (politics) a moderate form of government

Inflection

Antonyms

Descendants

  • English: sophrosyne
  • Greek: σωφροσύνη (sofrosýni)

References