ἕξις
Τὸ νικᾶν αὐτὸν αὑτὸν πασῶν νικῶν πρώτη τε καὶ ἀρίστη. Τὸ δὲ ἡττᾶσθαι αὐτὸν ὑφ' ἑαυτοῦ πάντων αἴσχιστόν τε ἅμα καὶ κάκιστον. → Τo conquer yourself is the first and best victory of all, while to be conquered by yourself is of all the most shameful as well as evil
English (LSJ)
εως, ἡ, (ἔχω): I (ἔχω trans.) having, being in possession of, possession, ἐπιστήμης ἕ., opp. κτῆσις, Pl.Tht.197b; νοῦ Id.Cra. 414b; ἡ τῶν ὅπλων Id.Lg.625c, cf. R.433e, Sph.247a, al., Arist. Metaph.1022b4; opp. στέρησις, ib.1055b13, S.E.P.3.49. 2 in surgery, posture, Hp.Off.3; ἕ. ἢ θέσις ib.15. II (ἔχω intr.) a being in a certain state, a permanent condition as produced by practice (πρᾶξις), diff. from σχέσις (which is alterable) (v. infr.): 1 state or habit of body, Id.Aph.2.34, cf. Pl.Tht.153b; ἕ. ὑγιεινή (so also X.Mem.1.2.4), opp. διάθεσις ἀθλητική, Hp.Alim.34; σχέσις καὶ ἕ. καὶ ἡλικίη Id.Mochl.41; ἡ φύσις καὶ ἡ ἕ. Id.Acut.43: pl., Thphr. Sens.69: generally, condition, ἐν ἕξει τοῦ δρᾶν D.H.Comp. 25; ἕ. λεπτὴ κατὰ τοῦτο τὸ μέρος Hp.Art.12; τῷ θερμὴν ἕ. ἔχοντι Polystr. p.26W.; outward appearance, ἡ ἕ. τοῦ σώματος κρείσσων LXXDa. 1.15, cf. 1 Ki.16.7, Sm.La.4.7; habit of a vine, Thphr.CP3.14.5; of material objects, ὑπὸ μιᾶς ἕξεως συνέχεσθαι S.E.M.7.102, cf. Ph.2.511, Stoic.2.124,al. b medic., the system, Ath.2.45e, Mnesith. ib.54b, Paul.Aeg.3.59. 2 state or habit of mind, ἕ. κακίης Democr. 184; τὰς φύσεις τε καὶ ἕξεις τῶν ψυχῶν Pl.Lg.650b, etc.; ἡ ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ ἕ., opp. ἡ τῶν σωμάτων ἕ., Id.Tht.l.c.; πονηρᾶς ψυχῆς ἕξει ib.167b; λαμβάνειν ἕξιν τιμιωτέραν Id.R.591b. b esp. acquired habit, opp. ἐνέργεια, Arist.EN1098b33,al. 3 trained habit, skill, Pl.Phdr. 268e, Arist.Pr.955b1, Plb.10.47.7, D.S.2.29; τέχνη defined as ἕ. ἢ διάθεσις ἀπὸ παρατηρήσεως Phld.Rh.1.69S.; ἄκρα ἕ. D.H.Comp.11: c. gen., τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαϊκῶν γραμμάτων ἕξιν Aristeas 121; ἕ. πολιτικῶν λόγων Phld.Rh.2.35 S. (Almost confined to Prose, but cf. Orph.A. 391.)
German (Pape)
[Seite 882] ἡ (ἔχω), 1) das Haben, Besitzen; τῆς ἐπιστήμης Plat. Theaet. 197 a; ὅπλων Legg. I, 625 c; καὶ παρουσία δικαιοσύνης Soph. 247 a; vgl. Arist. Categ. 10; Ggstz von στέρησις, S. Emp. Pyrrh. 3, 50. – 2) Gew. der Zustand, die Beschaffenheit; τῶν σωμάτων Plat. Theaet. 153 b; ἀνδραπόδου Legg. XII, 966 b; bes. gute, kräftige Körperkonstitution, Xen. Mem. 1, 2, 4; Hippoer.; oft auf das Geistige übertr., nach Plat. Def. 414 c διάθεσις ψυχῆς καθ' ἣν ποιοί τινες λεγόμεθα, wie Phil. 11 d ἕξις ψυχῆς καὶ διάθεσις verbunden ist; φύσεις καὶ ἕξεις τῶν ψυχῶν Legg. I, 650 b; Arist. sagt Eth. 2, 5, neben δυνάμεις u. πάθη, ἕξεις δὲ λέγω, καθ' ἃς πρὸς τὰ πάθη ἔχομεν εὖ ἢ κακῶς; bes. im Ggstz gegen πρᾶξις u. ἐνέργεια, ein passiver Zustand der Seele. S. Emp. adv. math. 8, 81 unterscheidet ἕξις von φύσις u. ψυχή. – Geschicklichkeit, Erfahrung, ἐν ἀστρολογίᾳ μεγίστην ἕξιν ἔχειν D. Sic. 3, 31; vgl. Pol. 1, 51, 4. 21, 7, 3; Arist. probl. 30, 2, Schäfer zu D. Hal. C. V. p. 7; firma illa facilitas, quam Graeci ἕξιν vocant, Quinct. I. O. 10 prooem. Von Dichtern nur Sp., wie Orph. Arg. 389.