Humanitext Reader

Theophrastus · Fragments §114.1

The Definition of Love as a Passion of the Idle Soul

Passage 119 of 196 · Greek

Summary

Records the definition given by Theophrastus when asked what love is, describing it as a passion of an idle soul.

§114.1Fr. 114 Θ. ἐρωτηθεὶς τί ἐστιν ἔρως, πάθος, ἔφη, ψυχῆς σχολαζούσης.
Fr. 114 Theophrastus, when asked what love is, said: "It is a passion of an idle soul."

Notes

  1. §114.1Θ. — Abbreviation for the philosopher Theophrastus (Θεόφραστος).
  2. §114.1ἐρωτηθεὶς — Aorist passive participle, masculine nominative singular, modifying the main subject Θ.. It functions adverbially to indicate time ("when asked").
  3. §114.1ψυχῆς σχολαζούσης — Genitive of quality (or possessive genitive) modifying the noun πάθος, meaning "a passion belonging to or characterized by an idle soul." The present participle σχολαζούσης (from σχολάζω, "to have leisure, be unoccupied") describes the state of the soul.

Cite this passage

Theophrastus, Fragments §114.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0093.tlg010x09.humanitext-grc1:114.1

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