Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §11.28.1

Socrates in a Sheepskin and His Ashamed Companions

Passage 440 of 486 · Greek

Summary

This chunk recalls an anecdote about Socrates wearing a sheepskin after Xanthippe ran off with his cloak, and what he said to his embarrassed companions who retreated upon seeing him.

§11.28.1Οἷος ὁ Σωκράτης τὸ κῴδιον ὑπεζωσμένος, ὅτε ἡ Ξανθίππη λαβοῦσα τὸ ἱμάτιον ἔξω προῆλθε, καὶ ἃ εἶπεν ὁ Σωκράτης τοῖς ἑταίροις αἰδεσθεῖσι καὶ ἀναχωρήσασιν, ὅτε αὐτὸν εἶδον οὕτως ἐσταλμένον.

What Socrates was like when he had girt himself with the sheepskin, when Xanthippe took his cloak and went out, and what Socrates said to his companions who felt ashamed and retreated when they saw him dressed in this way.

Notes

11.28.1Οἷος — The introductory Οἷος ('what sort of...') introduces an exemplary case to be remembered, continuing the context of the previous chapter (11.27.1). The main verb (such as ἦν or an imperative of remembering) is omitted, resulting in an exclamatory or descriptive noun-phrase construction.
11.28.1τὸ κῴδιον ὑπεζωσμένος — ὑπεζωσμένος is the perfect passive (or middle) participle of ὑποζώννυμι (to gird underneath, wrap around the waist), taking τὸ κῴδιον (sheepskin, rough leather garment) as a direct object in the accusative. If interpreted as passive, it is an accusative of retained object indicating the garment worn.
11.28.1αἰδεσθεῖσι καὶ ἀναχωρήσασιν — Aorist participles (passive αἰδεσθεῖσι and active ἀναχωρήσασιν) modifying the dative noun τοῖς ἑταίροις. They indicate an action prior to or concomitant with the main verb εἶπεν ('who felt ashamed and retreated' upon seeing his unusual appearance).

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §11.28.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:11.28.1

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