λῦσαι (τὸν) πόλεμον

Greek Learning Greek
1

In Greek: An Intensive Course, I’ve seen several instances of παύω being used with πόλεμον to mean “stop the war” or “bring an end to the war.” What does it mean, though, when he says in one of the exercises there: ἐκελεύομεν γὰρ τοῦς ἐν τῇ νήσῳ ἀνθρώπους τὸν πόλεμον λῦσαι? What does it mean to λῦσαι a war? What can it mean to loose or release the war? Is this another way of saying τὸν πόλεμον παῦσαι?

Similarly, I have been translating λῦσαι τὴν εἰρήνην as “disturb the peace” and λῦσαι τὴν δημοκρατίαν as “disrupt (the) democracy.” Are these reasonable? Does the former carry the idea of breaking a peace agreement or treaty?

Thanks.

2

λύω can mean “undo” (probably arising from the sense of “loosen”) or “break” in contexts such as those:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dlu%2Fw

3

I’m aware of that. But, “undo a war” doesn’t make sense either. When λῦσαι is used with a war, does it refer to beginning a war (as if you were releasing an army to fight) or to ending a war (as in, undoing the war itself)? There’s nothing in LSJ to tell us.

4

I would say it means “to begin a war”, litterally “untie, unbind”. There is a similar expression in Slavonic languages.

5

LSJ λύω A.II.4:

generally, put an end to, “νείκεα” Il.14.205; “μελεδήματα” 23.62; “ἔριν” E.Ph.81, AP9.316.12 (Leon.); “πόλεμον” Th.5.31;

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dlu%2Fw

καταλύω A.3.c:

c. more commonly, κ. τὸν πόλεμον end the war, make peace, Ar.Lys.112, Th.7.31, X.An.5.7.27, etc.; δίκας settle disputes, IG5(2).357.15 (Stymphalus, iii B.C.): abs. (sc. τὸν πόλεμον), Foed. ap. Th.5.23; πρός τινα Foed.ib.8.58:—more freq. in Med., καταλύσασθαι τὰς ἔχθρας, componere inimicitias, Hdt.7.146; “τὸν πόλεμον” And.3.17, Th.6.36; “στάσιν” Ar.Ra.359: abs., make peace, Hdt. 8.140.ά, Th.1.81, X.HG6.8.6, etc.; καταλύεσθαί τινι come to terms with one, Hdt.9.11, etc.

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dkatalu%2Fw

6

Similarly, I have been translating λῦσαι τὴν εἰρήνην as “disturb the peace” and λῦσαι τὴν δημοκρατίαν as “disrupt (the) democracy.” Are these reasonable? Does the former carry the idea of breaking a peace agreement or treaty?

λῦσαι τὴν εἰρήνην – end the peace, e.g., by breaking a treaty

λῦσαι τὴν δημοκρατίαν – abolish democratic rule

The first time I hit URL instead of Quote.

7

Excellent. Thanks.

8

More cites to Th. for καταλύειν τὸν πόλεμον courtesy of Bétant:

1.24.6; 2.29.5; 2.95.2; 4.108.8; 5.47.3,4; 7.31.4; 6.36.4; 3.115.4

9

εἰρήνη frequenly refers to a specific peace established by a treaty between two warring sides, for example, the “Peace of Philocrates” (346 BCE). In that case λῦσαι τὴν εἰρήνην means to break a treaty or declare that the treaty is over.

Another phrase that’s common in Thucydides: τὰς σπονδὰς λύειν:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/searchresults?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0199&inContent=true&target=greek&all_words=spondh%2F+lu%2Fw&all_words_expand=on&phrase=&any_words=&exclude_words=&search=Search