ἀναρχία γάρ ἐστιν ἡ πλεισταρχία → the rule of the widest sway of opinion is the same as no rule at all (Gregory Nazianzenus, De vita sua 1744)

spiros

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Saint Gregory of Nazianzus, who remarks in his autobiographical poem (De vita sua 1744), ἀναρχία γάρ ἐστιν ἡ πλεισταρχία ("the rule of the widest sway of opinion is the same as no rule at all).  He's complaining here about the mindless procedures of the majority of the synod, who are opposed to his opinions (see http://books.google.com/books?id=7jervOqijlwC&pg=PA356&lpg=PA356&dq=De+vita+sua+1744&source=bl&ots=BV_lJZ601C&sig=ufelBKulqbHBYfLfY86FA4KDKr8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4-MGUf_-GMjFigLt6YHgAg&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=De%20vita%20sua%201744&f=false, p. 356).  Gregory is the first and, as far as we know, the only writer to use the word πλεισταρχία.  He apparently derives it from the noun πλείσταρχος, meaning "one holding the widest sway."  So go ahead and use it, if you don't mind its extreme rarity.

οἱ σύλλογοι μὲν ἦσαν, ὧν ἦσαν τότε (ὀκνῶ γὰρ εἰπεῖν αὖθις, οἷς αἰσχύνομαι), ἦσαν δὲ πάντων, ἶσον εἰπεῖν οὐδενός· ἀναρχία γάρ ἐστιν ἡ πλεισταρχία.
Ἐμοῦ δὲ καλῶς ἡ νόσος προεστάτει, ἥ μ' εἶργεν οἴκοι πολλὰ δὴ καὶ πολλάκις πρὸς ἓν μόνον βλέποντα, τὴν ἐκδημίαν, ἣ πάντων εἶχε τῶν κακῶν ἀπαλλαγήν.
« Last Edit: 09 Feb, 2013, 11:18:05 by spiros »


 

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