The eleutheros-doulos distinction -- and the political analogy of "freewill"

by JLS
for the GC

Plato's idea, perhaps not too bright, is that someone can self-enslave. The epithumia can enslave the logos. Etc. It's all political analogy, so beware.

From Liddell/Scott:

δοῦλος (A), Cret. δῶλος Leg.Gort.1.1, al., ὁ:—prop.

A. born bondman or slave, opp. one made a slave,

τὰ ἀνδράποδα πάντα καὶ δοῦλα καὶ ἐλεύθερα

Th.8.28, cf. E.IA330:

then, generally, bondman, slave, opp.

δεσπότης (q. v.): not in Hom., who twice has fem. δούλη , ἡ, bondwoman, Il.3.409, Od.4.12, cf. A.Ag.1326, X.Cyr.5.1.4, Pl.R. 395e, etc.: freq. of Persians and other nations subject to a despot, Hdt., etc.;

οὔ τινος δοῦλοι κέκληνται,

of the Greeks, A.Pers.242: metaph.,

χρημάτων δoulos
slaves to money, E.Hec.865; so

γνάθου δoulos” Id.Fr. 282.5;

τῶν αἰεὶ ἀτόπων” Th.3.38;

λιχνειῶν, λαγνειῶν, X.Oec.1.22, cf. Mem.1.3.11.

II. Adj. (not in A.), δοῦλος, η, ον,

slavish, servile, subject,

δoulos πόλις” S.OC917, X.Mem.4.2.29;

γνώμαισι δούλαις” S.Tr.53;

δ. ἔχειν βίον ib.302;

σῶμα δoulon, opp. the body is a slave
νοῦς ἐλεύθερος, -- the soul is free.

Id.Fr.940;

τοὺς τρόπους δούλους παρασχεῖν

E.Supp.877;

δoulos θάνατος, ζυγόν, πούς, Id.Or. 1170, Tr.678,507;

δoulos καὶ τυραννουμένη πόλις” Pl.R.577d;

oulos ἡδοναί, = δουλοπρεπεῖς, ib.587c, etc.: Comp.

δουλότερος

more enslaved, “Αἴγυπτον δ. ποιεῖν” Hdt.7.7.

2. τὸ δ., = οἱ δοῦλοι, E.Ion983, etc.; also, slavery, a slavish life, ib.556 (troch.).

3. ancillary,

δ. ἐπιστῆμαι” Arist. Metaph.996b11.