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CARL W. CONRAD, C25001CC@WUVMD.BITNET OR C25001CC@WUVMD.WUSTL.EDU
Classics, Washington University, One Brookings Dr., St. Louis, MO 63130
Phone: (314) 935-4018


----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Date:         Wed, 16 Feb 94 14:40:03 CST
From:         Carl Conrad <C25001CC@WUVMD.Wustl.Edu>
Subject:      swphronizw
To:           nt-greek@virginia.edu

In its context in Titus 2:4 the verb swphronizw can mean nothing other than
"be chaste." To be sure, the verb always means fundamentally "control one's
self", "be temperate," "be continent"--or, when putting greater emphasis on
the intellectual side, "be sound-minded," "be healthy-minded." Even though
there is an intellectual aspect to the roots *phren-/*phron-, the emphasis
is usually not on being rational but rather on exercising one's rationality
in a morally self-preserving manner.

For all that, however, whenever this verb or its cognate adjective and
noun swphrwn, swphrosune is used with reference to women, the emphasis is
on sexual restraint. I've never seen an exception to this in Greek of any
period. If someone else has, I'd like to see the passage.

CARL W. CONRAD, C25001CC@WUVMD.BITNET OR C25001CC@WUVMD.WUSTL.EDU
Classics, Washington University, One Brookings Dr., St. Louis, MO 63130
Phone: (314) 935-4018