Plato › Greek Lexicon › ἐξουσία

ἐξουσία

exousia

power, authority

Appears 31 times across Plato's dialogues.

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Dictionary (LSJ)

ἐξουσία, ἡ, (ἔξεστι) A. power, authority to do a thing, c. inf., χαίρειν καὶ νοσεῖν ἐ. πάρεστι S. Fr. 88.11 codd.; αὐτῷ ἐ. ἦν σαφῶς εἰδέναι Antipho 1.6, cf. Th. 7.12; ἐξουσίαν ὁ νόμος δέδωκε permission to do . ., Pl. Smp. 182e; ἐ. ποιεῖν Id. Cri. 51d, etc.; ἐ. λαβεῖν And. 2.28, X. Mem. 2.6.24, etc.; λαβὼν ἐ. ὥστε . . Isoc. 3.45; ἐπὶ τῇ τῆς εἰρήνης ἐ. with the freedom permitted by peace, D. 18.44: c. gen. objecti, ἐ. ἔχειν θανάτου power of life and death, Poll. 8.86; πρᾶγμα οὗ τὴν ἐ. ἔχουσιν ἄλλοι control over . ., Diog.Oen. 57; ἐ. τινός power over, licence in a thing, τοῦ λέγειν Pl. Grg. 461e; ἐν μεγάλῃ ἐ. τοῦ ἀδικεῖν ib.526a, cf. R. 554c; κατὰ τὴν οὐκ ἐ. τῆς ἀγωνίσεως from want of qualification for . ., Th. 5.50: abs., power, authority, E. Fr. 784. 2. abuse of authority, licence, arrogance, ὕβρις καὶ ἐ. Th. 1.38, cf. 3.45, D. 19.200; ἡ ἄγαν ἐ. ib.272; ἄμετρος ἐ. OGI 669.51 (i A.D.). 3. Lit. Crit., ἐ. ποιητική poetic licence, Str. 1.2.17, Jul. Or. 1.10b. II. office, magistracy, ἀρχαὶ καὶ ἐ. Pl. Alc. 1.135b; οἱ ἐν ταῖς ἐ. Arist. EN 1095b21; οἱ ἐν ἐ. ὄντες Id. Rh. 1384a1; οἱ ἐπʼ ἐξουσιῶν LXXDa. 3.2; ἡ ὑπατικὴ ἐ. the consulate, D.S. 14.113, etc.; also ἡ ὕπατος ἐ. D.H. 7.1; ἡ ταμιευτικὴ ἐ. the quaestorship, Id. 8.77; δημαρχικὴ ἐ., v. δημαρχικός; ἡ τοῦ θαλάμου ἐ., in the Roman empire, lordship of the bedchamber, Hdn. 1.12.3. 2. concrete, body of magistrates, D.H. 11.32; αἱ ἐ. (as we say) the authorities, Ev.Luc. 12.11,al., Plu. Phil. 17. b. ἡ ἐ. as an honorary title, POxy. 1103 (iv A.D.), etc. III. abundance of means, resources, ἐξουσίας ἐπίδειξις Th. 6.31; πλοῦτος καὶ ἐ. Id. 1.123, cf. D. 21.138; ἐνδεεστέρως ἢ πρὸς τὴν ἐ. Th. 4.39; τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐ. Pl. Lg. 828d; excessive wealth, opp. οὐσία, Com.Adesp. 25a.5D. IV. pomp, Plu. Aem. 34.
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