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value

τιμή

timē

Honor, value, the worth assigned by gods and community

Etymology

From tiō ("to pay, to honor"). In Homer, timē is the social currency that defines a hero's worth — Achilles' wrath is triggered by the theft of his timē (Il. 1.163). In the NT, timē becomes the honor owed to God and to one another.

Why timē matters

In the Homeric world, timē is not merely reputation but a quasi-material substance — quantifiable in prizes, territory, and the deference of other men. When Agamemnon seizes Briseis, he does not insult Achilles' feelings; he diminishes his actual being, removing something that was objectively his (Il. 1.163-171). The shame-culture framework identified by E.R. Dodds in The Greeks and the Irrational (1951) rests on this externality: worth is constituted socially, and its theft is ontological, not merely psychological. By the time Paul writes that honor (timē) is owed to God (Romans 13:7), the term has been redirected inward, value located in the divine relationship rather than in competitive standing among peers.

timē in the corpus

1412 instances
1387 passages
49% in direct speech

Which characters in Homer use timē most?

Related terms

Distribution by work

Meditations
356
Republic
276
Nicomachean Ethics
116
Discourses
96
Gorgias
81
Timaeus
75
Phaedo
62
Rhetoric
60
Phaedrus
53
Symposium
52
Meno
31
Apology
25
Theogony
14
The Iliad
13
The Odyssey
8
Acts
5
Romans
5
1 Timothy
5
Matthew
4
John
4
Hebrews
4
Revelation
4
Pythian Odes
4
Mark
3
1 Corinthians
3
1 Peter
3
Shield of Heracles
3
Hymn to Hermes
3
Olympian Odes
3
Nemean Odes
3
Hymn to Demeter
2
Isthmian Odes
2
Luke
1
Ephesians
1
Colossians
1
1 Thessalonians
1
2 Timothy
1
Works and Days
1
Hymn 22: To Poseidon
1
Hymn 25: To the Muses and Apollo
1
Hymn 30: To Earth
1

Key passages

Showing 30 of 1387 passages containing τιμή.

The Iliad 1.173–187 Agamemnon

φεῦγε μάλʼ εἴ τοι θυμὸς ἐπέσσυται, οὐδέ σʼ ἔγωγε λίσσομαι εἵνεκʼ ἐμεῖο μένειν· πάρʼ ἔμοιγε καὶ ἄλλοι οἵ κέ με τιμήσουσι, μάλιστα δὲ μητίετα Ζεύς. ἔχθιστος δέ μοί ἐσσι διοτρεφέων βασιλήων· αἰεὶ γάρ τοι...

Most hateful to me are you of all the kings that Zeus nurtures, for always strife is dear to you, and wars and battles. If you are very strong, it was a god, I think, who gave you this gift. Go hom...

The Iliad 1.503–510 Thetis

Ζεῦ πάτερ εἴ ποτε δή σε μετʼ ἀθανάτοισιν ὄνησα ἢ ἔπει ἢ ἔργῳ, τόδε μοι κρήηνον ἐέλδωρ· τίμησόν μοι υἱὸν ὃς ὠκυμορώτατος ἄλλων ἔπλετʼ· ἀτάρ μιν νῦν γε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων ἠτίμησεν· ἑλὼν γὰρ ἔχει γέρα...

yet now Agamemnon, king of men, has dishonoured him, for he has taken and keeps his prize by his own arrogant act. But honour him, Olympian Zeus, lord of counsel; and give might to the Trojans, until...

The Iliad 2.190–197 Odysseus

δαιμόνιʼ οὔ σε ἔοικε κακὸν ὣς δειδίσσεσθαι, ἀλλʼ αὐτός τε κάθησο καὶ ἄλλους ἵδρυε λαούς· οὐ γάρ πω σάφα οἶσθʼ οἷος νόος Ἀτρεΐωνος· νῦν μὲν πειρᾶται, τάχα δʼ ἴψεται υἷας Ἀχαιῶν. ἐν βουλῇ δʼ οὐ πάντες ἀ...

Good Sir, it beseems not to seek to affright thee as if thou were a coward, but do thou thyself sit thee down, and make the rest of thy people to sit. For thou knowest not yet clearly what is the min...

The Iliad 3.276–291 Agamemnon

Ζεῦ πάτερ Ἴδηθεν μεδέων κύδιστε μέγιστε, Ἠέλιός θʼ, ὃς πάντʼ ἐφορᾷς καὶ πάντʼ ἐπακούεις, καὶ ποταμοὶ καὶ γαῖα, καὶ οἳ ὑπένερθε καμόντας ἀνθρώπους τίνυσθον ὅτις κʼ ἐπίορκον ὀμόσσῃ, ὑμεῖς μάρτυροι ἔστε,...

be ye witnesses, and watch over the oaths of faith. If Alexander slay Menelaus, then let him keep Helen and all her treasure; and we will depart in our seafaring ships. But if so be fair-haired Menela...

The Iliad 4.404–410 Sthenelus

Ἀτρεΐδη μὴ ψεύδεʼ ἐπιστάμενος σάφα εἰπεῖν· ἡμεῖς τοι πατέρων μέγʼ ἀμείνονες εὐχόμεθʼ εἶναι· ἡμεῖς καὶ Θήβης ἕδος εἵλομεν ἑπταπύλοιο παυρότερον λαὸν ἀγαγόνθʼ ὑπὸ τεῖχος ἄρειον, πειθόμενοι τεράεσσι θεῶν...

We declare ourselves to be better men by far than our fathers: we took the seat of Thebe of the seven gates, when we twain had gathered a lesser host against a stronger wall, putting our trust in the ...

The Iliad 9.32–49 Diomedes

Ἀτρεΐδη σοὶ πρῶτα μαχήσομαι ἀφραδέοντι, ἣ θέμις ἐστὶν ἄναξ ἀγορῇ· σὺ δὲ μή τι χολωθῇς. ἀλκὴν μέν μοι πρῶτον ὀνείδισας ἐν Δαναοῖσι φὰς ἔμεν ἀπτόλεμον καὶ ἀνάλκιδα· ταῦτα δὲ πάντα ἴσασʼ Ἀργείων ἠμὲν νέο...

and saidst that I was no man of war but a weakling; and all this know the Achaeans both young and old. But as for thee, the son of crooked-counselling Cronos hath endowed thee in divided wise: with t...

The Iliad 9.308–429 Achilles

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ χρὴ μὲν δὴ τὸν μῦθον ἀπηλεγέως ἀποειπεῖν, ᾗ περ δὴ φρονέω τε καὶ ὡς τετελεσμένον ἔσται, ὡς μή μοι τρύζητε παρήμενοι ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος. ἐχθρὸς γάρ μοι κεῖνος ὁμῶς Ἀΐδα...

and as it shall be brought to pass, that ye sit not by me here on this side and on that and prate endlessly. For hateful in my eyes, even as the gates of Hades, is that man that hideth one thing in h...

The Iliad 9.607–619 Achilles

Φοῖνιξ ἄττα γεραιὲ διοτρεφὲς οὔ τί με ταύτης χρεὼ τιμῆς· φρονέω δὲ τετιμῆσθαι Διὸς αἴσῃ, ἥ μʼ ἕξει παρὰ νηυσὶ κορωνίσιν εἰς ὅ κʼ ἀϋτμὴ ἐν στήθεσσι μένῃ καί μοι φίλα γούνατʼ ὀρώρῃ. ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ...

abideth in my breast and my knees are quick. And another thing will I tell thee, and do thou lay it to heart; seek not to confound my spirit by weeping and sorrowing, to do the pleasure of the warrio...

The Iliad 12.310–328 Sarpedon

Γλαῦκε τί ἢ δὴ νῶϊ τετιμήμεσθα μάλιστα ἕδρῃ τε κρέασίν τε ἰδὲ πλείοις δεπάεσσιν ἐν Λυκίῃ, πάντες δὲ θεοὺς ὣς εἰσορόωσι, καὶ τέμενος νεμόμεσθα μέγα Ξάνθοιο παρʼ ὄχθας καλὸν φυταλιῆς καὶ ἀρούρης πυροφόρ...

Glaucus, wherefore is it that we twain are held in honour above all with seats, and messes, and full cups in Lycia, and all men gaze upon us as on gods? Aye, and we possess a great demesne by the ban...

The Iliad 15.185–199 Poseidon

ὢ πόποι ἦ ῥʼ ἀγαθός περ ἐὼν ὑπέροπλον ἔειπεν εἴ μʼ ὁμότιμον ἐόντα βίῃ ἀέκοντα καθέξει. τρεῖς γάρ τʼ ἐκ Κρόνου εἰμὲν ἀδελφεοὶ οὓς τέκετο Ῥέα Ζεὺς καὶ ἐγώ, τρίτατος δʼ Ἀΐδης ἐνέροισιν ἀνάσσων. τριχθὰ δὲ...

Out upon it, verily strong though he be he hath spoken overweeningly, if in sooth by force and in mine own despite he will restrain me that am of like honour with himself. For three brethren are we, b...

The Iliad 17.248–255 Menelaus

ὦ φίλοι Ἀργείων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες οἵ τε παρʼ Ἀτρεΐδῃς Ἀγαμέμνονι καὶ Μενελάῳ δήμια πίνουσιν καὶ σημαίνουσιν ἕκαστος λαοῖς· ἐκ δὲ Διὸς τιμὴ καὶ κῦδος ὀπηδεῖ. ἀργαλέον δέ μοί ἐστι διασκοπιᾶσθαι ἕκασ...

drink at the common cost, and give commands each one to his folk—ye upon whom attend honour and glory from Zeus—hard is it for me to discern each man of the chieftains, in such wise is the strife of w...

The Iliad 22.233–237 Hector

Δηΐφοβʼ ἦ μέν μοι τὸ πάρος πολὺ φίλτατος ἦσθα γνωτῶν οὓς Ἑκάβη ἠδὲ Πρίαμος τέκε παῖδας· νῦν δʼ ἔτι καὶ μᾶλλον νοέω φρεσὶ τιμήσασθαι, ὃς ἔτλης ἐμεῦ εἵνεκʼ, ἐπεὶ ἴδες ὀφθαλμοῖσι, τείχεος ἐξελθεῖν, ἄλλοι...

but now I deem that I shall honour thee in my heart even more, seeing thou hast dared for my sake, when thine eyes beheld me, to come forth from out the wall, while the others abide within.

The Iliad 24.65–76 Zeus

Ἥρη μὴ δὴ πάμπαν ἀποσκύδμαινε θεοῖσιν· οὐ μὲν γὰρ τιμή γε μίʼ ἔσσεται· ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἕκτωρ φίλτατος ἔσκε θεοῖσι βροτῶν οἳ ἐν Ἰλίῳ εἰσίν· ὣς γὰρ ἔμοιγʼ, ἐπεὶ οὔ τι φίλων ἡμάρτανε δώρων. οὐ γάρ μοί ποτε βωμὸ...

Hera, be not thou utterly wroth against the gods; the honour of these twain shall not be as one; howbeit Hector too was dearest to the gods of all mortals that are in Ilios. So was he to me at least, ...

The Odyssey 7.48–77 Athena-maiden

οὗτος δή τοι, ξεῖνε πάτερ, δόμος, ὅν με κελεύεις πεφραδέμεν· δήεις δὲ διοτρεφέας βασιλῆας δαίτην δαινυμένους· σὺ δʼ ἔσω κίε, μηδέ τι θυμῷ τάρβει· θαρσαλέος γὰρ ἀνὴρ ἐν πᾶσιν ἀμείν...

feasting at the banquet. Go thou within, and let thy heart fear nothing; for a bold man is better in all things, though he be a stranger from another land. The queen shalt thou approach first in the p...

The Odyssey 11.301–315

τοὺς ἄμφω ζωοὺς κατέχει φυσίζοος αἶα· οἳ καὶ νέρθεν γῆς τιμὴν πρὸς Ζηνὸς ἔχοντες ἄλλοτε μὲν ζώουσʼ ἑτερήμεροι, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε τεθνᾶσιν· τιμὴν δὲ λελόγχασιν ἶσα θεοῖσι. τὴν δὲ μετʼ Ἰφιμέδειαν, Ἀλωῆος π...

“And after her I saw Iphimedeia, wife of Aloeus, who declared that she had lain with Poseidon. She bore two sons, but short of life were they, godlike Otus, and far-famed Ephialtes—men whom the earth,...

The Odyssey 11.336–341 Arete

Φαίηκες, πῶς ὔμμιν ἀνὴρ ὅδε φαίνεται εἶναι εἶδός τε μέγεθός τε ἰδὲ φρένας ἔνδον ἐίσας; ξεῖνος δʼ αὖτʼ ἐμός ἐστιν, ἕκαστος δʼ ἔμμορε τιμῆς· τῷ μὴ ἐπειγόμενοι ἀποπέμπετε, μηδὲ τὰ δῶρα οὕτω χρηίζοντι κολ...

stint your gifts to one in such need; for many are the treasures which lie stored in your halls by the favour of the gods.” Then among them spoke also the old lord Echeneus, who was an elder among...

The Odyssey 14.56–71 Eumaeus

ξεῖνʼ, οὔ μοι θέμις ἔστʼ, οὐδʼ εἰ κακίων σέθεν ἔλθοι, ξεῖνον ἀτιμῆσαι· πρὸς γὰρ Διός εἰσιν ἅπαντες ξεῖνοί τε πτωχοί τε· δόσις δʼ ὀλίγη τε φίλη τε γίγνεται ἡμετέρη· ἡ γὰρ δμώων δίκη ἐστὶν αἰεὶ δειδιότω...

ever in fear when over them as lords their masters hold sway—young masters such as ours. For verily the gods have stayed the return of him who would have loved me with all kindness, and would have giv...

The Odyssey 14.115–120 Odysseus-beggar

ὦ φίλε, τίς γάρ σε πρίατο κτεάτεσσιν ἑοῖσιν, ὧδε μάλʼ ἀφνειὸς καὶ καρτερὸς ὡς ἀγορεύεις; φῆς δʼ αὐτὸν φθίσθαι Ἀγαμέμνονος εἵνεκα τιμῆς. εἰπέ μοι, αἴ κέ ποθι γνώω τοιοῦτον ἐόντα. Ζεὺς γάρ που τό γε οἶδ...

“Friend, who was it who bought thee with his wealth, a man so very rich and mighty, as thou tellest? Thou saidest that he died to win recompense for Agamemnon; tell me, if haply I may know him, being ...

The Odyssey 15.352–379 Eumaeus

τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι, ξεῖνε, μάλʼ ἀτρεκέως ἀγορεύσω. Λαέρτης μὲν ἔτι ζώει, Διὶ δʼ εὔχεται αἰεὶ θυμὸν ἀπὸ μελέων φθίσθαι οἷς ἐν μεγάροισιν· ἐκπάγλως γὰρ παιδὸς ὀδύρεται οἰχομένοιο κουριδίης τʼ ἀλόχοιο δαΐφρο...

For wondrously does he grieve for his son that is gone, and for the wise lady, his wedded wife, whose death troubled him most of all, and brought him to untimely old age. But she died of grief for her...

The Odyssey 20.129–133 Telemachus

μαῖα φίλη, τὸν ξεῖνον ἐτιμήσασθʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ εὐνῇ καὶ σίτῳ, ἦ αὔτως κεῖται ἀκηδής; τοιαύτη γὰρ ἐμὴ μήτηρ, πινυτή περ ἐοῦσα· ἐμπλήγδην ἕτερόν γε τίει μερόπων ἀνθρώπων χείρονα, τὸν δέ τʼ ἀρείονʼ ἀτιμήσασʼ ...

with bed and food, or does he lie all uncared for? For such is my mother's way, wise though she is: in wondrous fashion she honours one of mortal men, though he be the worse, while the better she send...

The Odyssey 24.24–34 Ghost Of Achilles

Ἀτρεΐδη, περὶ μέν σʼ ἔφαμεν Διὶ τερπικεραύνῳ ἀνδρῶν ἡρώων φίλον ἔμμεναι ἤματα πάντα, οὕνεκα πολλοῖσίν τε καὶ ἰφθίμοισιν ἄνασσες δήμῳ ἔνι Τρώων, ὅθι πάσχομεν ἄλγεʼ Ἀχαιοί. ἦ τʼ ἄρα καὶ σοὶ πρῶϊ παραστή...

above all other heroes wast all thy days dear to Zeus, who hurls the thunderbolt, because thou wast lord over many mighty men in the land of the Trojans, where we Achaeans suffered woes. But verily on...

Matthew 15:1–8 Jesus

Τότε προσέρχονται τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων Φαρισαῖοι καὶ γραμματεῖς λέγοντες διά τί οἱ μαθηταί σου παραβαίνουσιν τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων οὐ γὰρ νίπτονται τὰς χεῖρας ὅταν ἄρτον ἐσθίωσιν ὁ δὲ ἀποκ...

Matthew 19:17–24 Jesus

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ τί με ἐρωτᾷς περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ εἷς ἐστιν ὁ ἀγαθός εἰ δὲ θέλεις εἰς τὴν ζωὴν εἰσελθεῖν τήρησον τὰς ἐντολάς ποίας φησίν ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν τὸ οὐ φονεύσεις οὐ μοιχεύσεις οὐ κλέψεις οὐ ψευδομ...

Matthew 27:1–8 Jesus

Πρωΐας δὲ γενομένης συμβούλιον ἔλαβον πάντες οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τοῦ λαοῦ κατὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὥστε θανατῶσαι αὐτόν καὶ δήσαντες αὐτὸν ἀπήγαγον καὶ παρέδωκαν Πειλάτῳ τῷ ἡγεμόνι Τότε ἰδὼν Ἰούδας ...

Matthew 27:9–16 Jesus

τότε ἐπληρώθη τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἰερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος καὶ ἔλαβον τὰ τριάκοντα ἀργύρια τὴν τιμὴν τοῦ τετιμημένου ὃν ἐτιμήσαντο ἀπὸ υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ καὶ ἔδωκαν αὐτὰ εἰς τὸν ἀγρὸν τοῦ κεραμέως καθὰ συνέτα...

Mark 7:1–8 Unknown Speaker

Καὶ συνάγονται πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι καί τινες τῶν γραμματέων ἐλθόντες ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων καὶ ἰδόντες τινὰς τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ὅτι κοιναῖς χερσίν τοῦτ’ ἔστιν ἀνίπτοις ἐσθίουσιν τοὺς ἄρτους οἱ γὰρ Φαρισα...

Mark 7:9–17 Moses

καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς καλῶς ἀθετεῖτε τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἵνα τὴν παράδοσιν ὑμῶν τηρήσητε Μωϋσῆς γὰρ εἶπεν τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου καί ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα θανάτῳ τελευτάτω ὑμεῖς δὲ ...

Mark 10:17–24 Jesus

Καὶ ἐκπορευομένου αὐτοῦ εἰς ὁδὸν προσδραμὼν εἷς καὶ γονυπετήσας αὐτὸν ἐπηρώτα αὐτόν διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ τί ποιήσω ἵνα ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μ...

Luke 18:17–24 Jesus

ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὃς ἂν μὴ δέξηται τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ ὡς παιδίον οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθῃ εἰς αὐτήν Καὶ ἐπηρώτησέν τις αὐτὸν ἄρχων λέγων διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ τί ποιήσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦ...

John 4:41–48 Jesus

καὶ πολλῷ πλείους ἐπίστευσαν διὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ τῇ τε γυναικὶ ἔλεγον ὅτι οὐκέτι διὰ τὴν σὴν λαλιὰν πιστεύομεν αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀκηκόαμεν καὶ οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου Μετὰ δὲ τὰς δύο...

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Explore timē in the texts

1387 passages across Homer, Hesiod, Pindar, and the New Testament contain timē.

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