ψυχαγωγέω

psychagogeo

lead departed souls to the nether world

Appears 3 times across Plato's dialogues.

Frequency by work

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Laws 2
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Book X 2
Chapter ?

909b2
909b3
Timaeus 1
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Chapter ?

71a6

Dictionary (LSJ)

ψυχαγωγέω, (ψυχαγωγός) A. lead departed souls to the nether world, esp. of Hermes, Luc. D Deor. 7.4, 24.1. II. evoke or conjure up the dead by sacrifice; hence metaph., lead or attract the souls of the living, win over, persuade, allure, ψ. μὲν πολλοὺς τῶν ζώντων, τοὺς δὲ τεθνεῶτας φάσκοντες ψυχαγωγεῖν Pl. Lg. 909b; ψ. διὰ τῆς ὄψεως τοὺς ἀνθρώπους X. Mem. 3.10.6; διὰ τῆς μελῳδίας D.S. 4.4; of speakers, ψ. τοὺς ἀκούοντας Phld. Rh. 1.148S.; τὰ μέγιστα, οἷς ψυχαγωγεῖ ἡ τραγῳδία Arist. Po. 1450a33:—Pass., ἐκ τῆς μουσικῆς ψ. Ael. VH 2.39; ὑπό τινων D.S. 2.53. 2. in bad sense, lead away, inveigle, delude, ψ. τοὺς ἀκροωμένους Isoc. 2.49, cf. 9.10; τινὰς λόγοις ψ. Lycurg. 33; ψ. τινα ὥστε . . , c. inf., Plb. 13.8.3:—Pass., ὑπὸ εἰδώλων καὶ φαντασμάτων Pl. Ti. 71a; κολακείαις, θεραπείᾳ ψ., D. 44.63, 59.55; ὁ νοῦς . . πρὸς ἀλλοτρίῳ ψυχαγωγηθεὶς πάθει beguiled by contemplating anotherʼs sufferings, Timocl. 6.6:—with a play upon these senses, λίμνη τις . . , οὗ ψυχαγωγεῖ Σωκράτης where Socrates evokes (beguiles) souls, Ar. Av. 1555 (lyr.). III. = τὸ ἐξαπατῶντα πιπράσκειν, AB 116.

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