Sophrosyne Sophrosyne Sophrosyne () is an ancient Greek concept of an ideal of excellence of character and soundness of mind, which when combined in one well-balanced individual leads to other qualities, such as temperance, moderation, prudence, purity, decorum and self-control. In other languages there is no equivalent word. In Greek literature sophrosyne is considered an important quality, and is sometimes expressed in opposition to the concept of hubris. A noted example of this occurs in Homer's "The Iliad". When Agamemnon decides to take the queen, Briseis, away from Achilles, it is seen as Agamemnon behaving with hubris and lacking sophrosyne. In
Ancient Greek literature themes originating in ancient Greece. The ideas expressed in Aristotle's "Poetics", in particular, have influenced generations of Western writers and literary critics. A Latin translation of an Arabic version of the "Poetics" by Averroes was available during the Middle Ages. Common Greek literary terms still used today include: "catharsis", "ethos", "anagnorisis", "hamartia", "hubris", "mimesis", "mythos", "nemesis", and "peripeteia". Ancient Greek literature Ancient Greek literature refers to literature written in the Ancient Greek language from the earliest texts until the time of the Byzantine Empire. The earliest surviving works of ancient Greek literature, dating back to the early Archaic period, are