Plutarch, Quaestiones Graecae, ed. William W. Goodwin, 25

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[25]

Question 25.

Who are Ἀλάστωρ, Ἀλιτήριος and Παλαμναῖος?

Solution.

For we must not give credit to those that say that such are called aliterii who, in the time of dearth, watch the miller ( ἀλοῦντα ἐπιτηροῦντες) and steal the corn. But he was called Alastor who did exploits not to be forgotten ( ἄληστα) but to be had in remembrance for a long time. Aliterius is he whom we should avoid ( ἀλεύασθαι) and observe upon the account of his knavery. Such things (saith Socrates) were engraven in plates of brass.

Quaestiones Graecae. Plutarch. ed. William W. Goodwin. Boston. 1874.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Greek Questions (English) (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. II. Goodwin, William W., editor; Chauncy, Isaac translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company; Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1874.)

Editions (2)

Αἴτια Ἑλληνικά Perseus (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. IV. Babbitt, Frank Cole, editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1936 (printing).) — 25 focus

[25] τίς ἀλάστωρ ἀλιτήριος παλαμναῖος;

οὐ γὰρ πειστέον τοῖς λέγουσιν ἀλιτηρίους κεκλῆσθαι τοὺς ἐπιτηροῦντας ἐν τῷ λιμῷ τὸν ἀλοῦντα καὶ διαρπάζοντας· ἀλλʼ ἀλάστωρ μὲν κέκληται ὁ ἄληστα καὶ πολὺν χρόνον μνημονευθησόμενα δεδρακώς, ἀλιτήριος δʼ ὃν ἀλεύασθαι καὶ φυλάξασθαι διὰ μοχθηρίαν καλῶς εἶχε. ταῦτα, φησὶν ὁ Σωκράτης, ἐν διφθέραις χαλκαῖς γεγράφασι.

Κεφαλαίων καταγραφή Ἑλληνικά Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol IΙ. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1889.) — 25 focus

[25] τίς ἀλάστωρ ἀλιτήριος παλαμναῖος; οὐ γὰρ πειστέον τοῖς λέγουσιν ἀλιτηρίους κεκλῆσθαι τοὺς ἐπιτηροῦντας ἐν τῷ λιμῷ τὸν ἀλοῦντα καὶ διαρπάζοντας· ἀλλʼ ἀλάστωρ μὲν κέκληται ὁ ἄληστα καὶ πολὺν χρόνον μνημονευθησόμενα δεδρακώς, ἀλιτήριος 20 δʼ ὃν ἀλεύασθαι καὶ φυλάξασθαι διὰ μοχθηρίαν καλῶς εἶχε. ταῦτα, φησὶν ὁ Σωκράτης, ¹ ἐν διφθέραις χαλκαῖς γεγράφασι. 297b

Translations (1)

The Greek Questions Perseus (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. IV. Babbitt, Frank Cole, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1936 (printing).) — 25 focus

[25] What is an alastor, an aliterios, a palamnaeos?

We certainly must not believe those who say that persons who, during a famine set a watch upon the miller and plunder him are called aliterioi.¹ But he who has done unforgettable ( alesta) things,² things that will be remembered for a long time, is called alastor; and he whom it were well to avoid ( aleuasthai) and to guard against because of his wickedness is called aliterios. These things, according to the statement of Socrates,³ they have written on tablets of bronze.

Plutarch Quaestiones Graecae 25

ed. William W. Goodwin

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Question 25.

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