Semantic changes of lexemes σώφρων, σωφροσύνη and their cognates in Ancient Greek (From Homer to New Testament)
Abstract
The article analyses the semantic evolution of lexemes σώφρων, σωφροσύνη and their cognates in Ancient Greek language with particular focus on contrastive investigation of their contextual meanings in New Testament and classic Greek texts. These lexemes and their derivatives belong to lexemes, which cause difficulties in attempts of their appropriate translation because of the breadth of their meanings and the semantic evolution from the poems of Homer to the ascetic treatises of the Byzantine age. Despite the fact that the concept σωφροσύνη occupies an important place in the system of both Ancient and Christian values, its exact correspondences in modern languages are difficult to find. For nearly a thousand years history of usage the semantics of σωφροσύνη has extended from etymologically determined and prototypical meaning "soundness of mind" to "prudence", "modesty", "obedience", "temperance", "self-restraint", "control of pleasures and desires" in Classic age of VI-IV centuries B.C. and "chastity", "innocence", "virginity" in Early Christian epoch. It is also revealed that traditional Christian interpretation of σωφροσύνη as chastity and virginity was formed only in Patristic discourse, whereas the use of this value term in New Testament is still linked with its prototypical meanings in Ancient Greek texts of the Classic age. It is noted that meanings of σωφροσύνη vary according to their attribution to different corresponding groups such as men, women, girls, boys, citizens and state. This tendency to polysemy is fully observed in Classic Greek non-philosophical texts, although gender difference in semantics of σώφρων and σωφροσύνη is still present in the New Testament Greek.
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Література
Boulter P. N. «Sophia» and «Sophrosyne» in Euripides' «Andromache» / P. N. Boulter // Phoenix. – Vol. 20/1. – 1966. – P. 51–58.
Demos R. A Note on Σωφροσυνη in Platos' Republic / R. Demos // Philosophy and Phenomenological Research. – Vol. 17/3. – 1957. – P. 399–403.
Kanavou N. A Husband is More Important Than a Child / N. Kanavou // Mnemosyne. – Vol. 68/6. – 2015. – P. 937–955.
Klein S. Drucker's Knowledge Society and Socratic Sōphrosynē / S. Klein // Business & Professional Ethics Journal. – Vol. 12/4. – 1993. – P. 51–71.
Liddell H. G. Greek-English Lexicon / Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott and Sir Henry Stuart Jones. – Oxford : Clarendon Press, 1996. – 2042 p.
Matuszewski R. Eros and Sophrosyne : morality, social behaviour and paiderastia in 4th-century B.C. Athens / R. Matuszewski. – Warszawa : Instytut Historyczny UW, 2011. – 165 p.
Novum Testamentum Craece et Latine / ed. Eb. Nestle, Er. Nestle, B. Alland, K. Alland, J. Karavidopoulos, C. Martini, B. Metzger. – 27-th. rev. ed. – Stuttgart : Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2002. – 812 p.
North H. F. A Period of Opposition to Sôphrosynê in Greek Thought / H. F. North // Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association. – Vol. 78. – 1947. P. 1–17.
North H. Sophrosyne : self-knowledge and self-restraint in Greek literature / Helen North. – Ithaca, N.Y. : Cornell University Press, 1966. – 389 p.
North H. F. The Concept of Sophrosyne in Greek Literary Criticism / H. F. North // Classical Philology. – Vol. 43/1. – 1948. – P. 1–17.
North H. F. The Mare, the Vixen, and the Bee: «Sophrosyne» as the Virtue of Women in Antiquity / H. F. North // Illinois Classical Studies. – Vol. 2. – 1977. – P. 35–48.
Papadimitropoulos L. Love and the reinstatement of the self in Heliodorus' Aethiopica / L. Papadimitropoulos // Greece and Rome. – Vol. 60/1. – 2013. – P. 101–113.
Rademaker A. Sophrosyne and the rhetoric of self-restraint polysemy & persuasive use of an ancient Greek value term / Adriaan Rademaker. – Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2005. – 375 p.
Schöpsdau K. Tapferkeit, Aidos und Sophrosyne im Ersten Buch der Platonischen Nomoi / K. Schöpsdau // Rheinisches Museum für Philologie. – Vol. 129/2. – 1986. – P. 97–123.
Sheppard J. T. The Heroic Sophrosyne and the Form of Homer's Poetry / J. T. Sheppard // The Journal of Hellenic Studies. – Vol. 40. – 1920. – P. 47–67.
References
Boulter, P. N. (1966) «Sophia» and «Sophrosyne» in Euripides' «Andromache». Phoenix, vol. 20/1, pp. 51–58.
Demos, R. A (1957) Note on Σωφροσυνη in Platos' Republic. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research. Vol. 17/3, pp. 399–403.
Kanavou, N. A (2015) Husband is More Important Than a Child. Mnemosyne. Vol. 68/6, pp. 937–955.
Klein, S. (1993) Drucker's Knowledge Society and Socratic Sōphrosynē. Business & Professional Ethics Journal. Vol. 12/4, pp.. 51–71.
Liddell, H. G. (1996) Greek-English Lexicon. Oxford : Clarendon Press.
Matuszewski, R. (2011) Eros and Sophrosyne : morality, social behaviour and paiderastia in 4th-century B. C. Athens. Warszawa : Instytut Historyczny UW.
Novum Testamentum Craece et Latine (2002) Edited by. Eb. Nestle, Er. Nestle, B. Alland, K. Alland, J. Karavidopoulos, C. Martini, B. Metzger. 27-th. rev. ed. Stuttgart : Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft.
North, H. F. (1947) A Period of Opposition to Sôphrosynê in Greek. Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association. Vol. 78, pp. 1–17.
North, H. (1966) Sophrosyne : self-knowledge and self-restraint in Greek literature. Ithaca, N.Y. : Cornell University Press.
North, H. F. (1948) The Concept of Sophrosyne in Greek Literary. Classical Philology. Vol. 43/1, pp. 1–17.
North, H. F. (1977) The Mare, the Vixen, and the Bee: «Sophrosyne» as the Virtue of Women in Antiquity. Illinois Classical Studies. Vol. 2, pp. 35–48.
Papadimitropoulos, L. (2013) Love and the reinstatement of the self in Heliodorus' Aethiopica. Greece and Rome. Vol. 60/1, pp. 101–113.
Rademaker, A. (2005) Sophrosyne and the rhetoric of self-restraint polysemy & persuasive use of an ancient Greek value term. Leiden ; Boston : Brill.
Schöpsdau, K. (1986) Tapferkeit, Aidos und Sophrosyne im Ersten Buch der Platonischen Nomoi. Rheinisches Museum für Philologie. Vol. 129/2, pp. 97–123.
Sheppard, J. T. (1920) The Heroic Sophrosyne and the Form of Homer's Poetry. The Journal of Hellenic Studies. Vol. 40, pp. 47–67.
