μάταιος

mataios

vain, empty, idle

Appears 12 times across Plato's dialogues.

Frequency by work

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Laws 6
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Book II 1
Chapter ?

654e5
Book V 2
Chapter ?

742e4
735b6
Book XII 3
Chapter ?

957d4
967c8
968d5
Republic 2
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Book V 1
Chapter ?

452d6
Book VIII 1
Chapter ?

554a8
Epinomis 1
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Chapter ?

991c6
Letters 1
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Chapter ?

331d1
Sophist 1
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Chapter ?

231b6
Timaeus 1
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Chapter ?

40d3

Dictionary (LSJ)

μάταιος [μᾰ], α, ον A. Pr. 331, Th. 442, Ag. 422 (lyr.), etc.; also ος, ον ib.1151, Ch. 82, Eu. 337 (all lyr.), S. OC 780, E. IT 628, Pl. Sph. 231b, D. 1.18: (μάτη):—I. vain, empty, idle: 1. of words, acts, etc., μάταια νομίζομεν Thgn. 141, cf. 487,492, etc.; μ. λόγοι idle tales or words, Hdt. 7.10.ηʹ; μ. ἔπεα ib.11; δόξαι φέρουσαι χάριν μ. A. Ag. 422 (lyr.); μ. ὑλάγματα, ποιφύγματα, ib.1672, Th. 281; μ. εὐχή E.l.c.; μάταια βάζειν τινά Id. Hipp. 119; μ. τι δρᾶσαί τινα Id. Cyc. 662 (lyr.); μ. ἂν εἴη πόνος Pl. Ti. 40d; μ. ἡδονή S.l.c.; δοξοσοφία Pl. Sph. l.c.; ὄρεξις Arist. EN 1094a21; τὰ μ. ἀναλώματα useless expenses, POxy. 58.20 (iii A.D.); but also, μ. ἔπος a word of offence, Hdt. 3.120. 2. of persons, empty, foolish, ματαιότεροι νόον Thgn. 1025, cf. Hdt. 2.173, S. Tr. 863,888 (lyr.), Ar. V. 338, Amips. 9 (Sup.); φῦλον ματαιότατον Pi. P. 3.21; worthless, S. Ant. 1339 (lyr.). II. rash, irreverent, profane, freq. in A., μ. γλῶσσα Pr.l.c., Ag. 1662 (troch.); φρονήματα Th. 438; αὐτουργίαι μ., of matricide and the like, Eu.l.c.; χαρὰ μ. mad merriment, Th. 442; μ. ἀνοσίων τε κνωδάλων Supp. 762; τὸ μὴ μ. seriousness, gravity, ib.198; ψαύειν ματαίαις χερσί S. Tr. 565. III. Adv. -ως idly, without ground, ib.940, Emp. 39.2, E. Fr. 908.4; ὀχλεῖν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις Aen.Tact. 6.1; μ. ἐρεῖν to no purpose, Pl. Ep. 331d; ταλαιπωρῆσαι Polystr.p.31 W.

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