Horses for courses: Plato’s vocabulary and authority in the <i>Onomasticon</i>

Abstract The Onomasticon by Julius Pollux is more than just a word-hoard: Pollux’s work actively mediates, through lexicographic appraisal, the cultural assets and anxieties of Second Sophistic. In light ongoing debate among Imperial intellectuals specifically Platonists about value style diction as ingredients Platonic text, numerous references to Plato’s vocabulary from across bespeak an essentially coherent yet ambivalent attitude. cites words both appreciatively (at times, demonstrating reasonable awareness philosophical content) critically; there tendency characterize lexical choices strained cavalier. As case study how deals with famous passage that was held dear Middle pepaideumenoi at large, his handling epithets used in description two horses Chariot Allegory (Phdr. 253d–e) examined.