[B-Greek] Follow up to Mitch's AGAPAW and PILEW

Mark Wilson emory2oo2 at hotmail.com
Sat Aug 16 10:57:35 EDT 2003


I wrote in an earlier post the following:

-------
Antonius, in the funeral discourse addressed the Roman people over the body 
of Caesar in this way:

EFILHSATE AUTON hWS PATERA, KAI HGAPHSATE hWS EUERGETHN

- Trench, Synonyms of the NT, pg. 42, citing Dion Cassius, xliv, 48).
-------

To which Carl rightly pointed out that Antony would have uttered this in 
Latin. But this is
Dion's take of the gist of Antony's utterance. And since it is generally 
stated that PIL-
has the idea of "affections" inherent to it and AGAP- more the 
"contemplative" sense, I wonder
if the following chart would not accurately represent how Greeks would have 
placed these
two in a hierarchy:

1. PIL-1 (used in the sense of deep love, intimacy, includes the whole 
being)

2. AGAP- (recognizing that love is always a choice or stems from the 
volition, love based on
careful reflection and assessment)

3. PIL-2 (used of friendships and non-intimate affection or delight)

We use the same senses in our language:

I love (PILEW2) apple pie and I love (PILEW1) my mother.

It would be true that I love (AGAPAW) my mother, but it would not be 
complete, since
my love for my mother would encompass my whole being (it would include an 
exceedingly
stong affection). I think this kind of love (when one
loves another with his ENTIRE SOUL) is better represented by PILEW2, not 
AGAPAW.

But then again, I am working from a hunch and can easily be persuaded 
otherwise
with supporting data.

My thoughts,

Mark Wilson

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