The previous post in this series may be found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2014/06/10/plutarchs-marriage-advice-section-46-a-wife-and-the-dark/

Section 47:

Plato advised elderly men to show a sense of shame before the younger men, so that the younger men might have respect for them. “Where the old men are shameless, none of the young men will show honor or respect.”

This is something husbands should remember. The husband must show no one greater respect than he does his wife. Her room will be the instructor for every good order or licentiousness.  If he throws himself into mere pleasures from he tries to turn her away doesn’t differ from one who calls enemies to come battle his wife – while he, himself has already surrendered to them.

 Greek Text & Notes:

Section 47

ὁ Πλάτων τοῖς πρεσβύταις μᾶλλον παρῄνει ‘ αἰσχύνεσθαι τοὺς νέους,’ ἵνα κἀκεῖνοι πρὸς αὐτοὺς αἰδημόνως ἔχωσιν· ‘ὅπου’ γὰρ ‘ ἀναισχυντοῦσι γέροντες,’ οὐδεμίαν αἰδῶ τοῖς νέοις οὐδʼ εὐλάβειαν ἐγγίγνεσθαι. τούτου δεῖ μεμνημένον τὸν ἄνδρα μηδένα μᾶλλον αἰδεῖσθαι τῆς γυναικός, ὡς τὸν θάλαμον αὐτῇ διδασκαλεῖον εὐταξίας ἢ ἀκολασίας γενησόμενον. ὁ δὲ τῶν αὐτῶν ἡδονῶν αὐτὸς μὲν ἀπολαύων ἐκείνην δʼ ἀποτρέπων οὐδὲν διαφέρει τοῦ κελεύοντος διαμάχεσθαι τὴν γυναῖκα πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους, οἷς αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν παρέδωκε.^[1]

 

ὁ Πλάτων τοῖς πρεσβύταις

Plato to the elders

The “celebrity” article.

μᾶλλον παρῄνει ‘ αἰσχύνεσθαι τοὺς νέους

rather he advised [them] to be ashamed before them

The infinitive completes the finite verb: to advise.

The accusative of respect or reference.

ἵνα κἀκεῖνοι πρὸς αὐτοὺς αἰδημόνως ἔχωσιν

in order that they to them reverence might have

The accusative is again of respect.

ἔχωσιν: subjunctive

Respect would be the antonym of shame.

ὅπου’ γὰρ ‘ ἀναισχυντοῦσι γέροντες,’

for where they do not know shame/behave shamelessly the old men

ἀναισχυντέω, f. ήσω, to be shameless, behave impudently, Thuc.; πρός τινα Xen.; and ἀναισχυντία

 

H.G. Liddell, A Lexicon: Abridged from Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon

 

οὐδεμίαν αἰδῶ τοῖς νέοις οὐδʼ εὐλάβειαν ἐγγίγνεσθαι

no one honor among the young men neither restraint is possible

eulabeain means concern, restraint, respect. In matters of religion it tends toward the concept of piety. Here, it merely determines social relations.

ἐγ-γίγνομαι, Ion. and later -γίνομαι [ῑ]: f. -γενήσομαι: 3 pl. Ep. pf. ἐγγεγάᾱσι: Dep.:—to be born or bred in a place, c. dat., Hom., Hdt.

2. of qualities, to be inborn, innate, Id., Eur.

3. of events and the like, to happen in or among, τισι Hdt.

II. to come in, intervene, pass, of Time, Id., Thuc.

III. ἐγγίγνεται, impers., it is allowed or possible, c. inf., Hdt., Att.

H.G. Liddell, A Lexicon: Abridged from Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon

τούτου δεῖ μεμνημένον τὸν ἄνδρα μηδένα μᾶλλον αἰδεῖσθαι τῆς γυναικός,

concerning this it is necessary to be remembered (by) the husband no one more so to respect than his wife

ὡς τὸν θάλαμον αὐτῇ διδασκαλεῖον εὐταξίας ἢ ἀκολασίας γενησόμενον.

As her apartment/room to her a teacher of good order or wantonness to become

The hos gives the reason for the preceding command. A thamalos is a woman’s room, chamber. Orderliness is contrasted with sexual debauchery.

ὁ δὲ τῶν αὐτῶν ἡδονῶν αὐτὸς μὲν ἀπολαύων

One on hand the one of those pleasures enjoying

ἐκείνην δʼ ἀποτρέπων

but on the other those turning from

 

οὐδὲν διαφέρει τοῦ κελεύοντος διαμάχεσθαι τὴν γυναῖκα πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους,

nothing differs from the one calling to completely battle the wife [subject] with the enemies

The participle is substantive: the actor is characterized by conduct

The wife: Accusative subject of an infinitive: diamachesthai: to sharply contend, thoroughly battle.

Pros + accusative: very close combat.

οἷς αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν παρέδωκε

those which he himself has given orver/delivered/betrayed

 

^[1] Plutarch, Moralia, ed. Gregorius N. Bernardakis, vol. 1 (Medford, MA: Teubner, 1888), 354.