فى التراجيديا اليونانية (ايسخولوس - سوفوکليس - يوريبيديس) αγαθος مفهوم المصطلح

Abstract

This paper deals with the concept of αγαθός in the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides in terms of Arabic and English translations of ancient greek terms related to drama. The reason for this concern with such terms is that their concepts change according to political, social, economic and ethical changes. For example, the term αρετshould not be translated only as "virtue" because the kind of virtue intended should be specified as being a competitive value (e.g. wealth, noble birth, social status, power, courage, or honour), or a cooperative value (e.g. justice, self-control, or patriotism). Similarly, the term αγαθός, which is the subject of the present paper, is one of the most important terms used by Homer to convey an aristocratic concept. It follows that the term should not be translated only as "man of virtue" or "good man". The aspect of "goodness" intended to be conveyed by means of the term should be adopted in our translations of the term according to the category of virtue that is emphasized in the source text. The term αγαθός, during Homer' time, first referred to a political concept related to the class system. Homer often used it to refer to the nobility and the royalty regardless of moral values. This way, the term was used to speak highly of humans who had the above competitive values. However, the meaning of the term later, in greek tragedy, came to be expanded as result of political changes (democracy) and economic changes (emergence of coins). Thus, the term was expanded to the cooperative moral values (e.g. justice, self-control, patriotism, wisdom and good advice), particularly in the age of democracy. Such values made it possible for democracy to achieve its goals. However, the term continued to refer to competitive values as well, since such values enabled human to implement their principles.