ΑΥΤΟΠΑΘΕΙΑ (autopatheia) — Lexarithmos 877 · Etymology, Meanings

Definition

According to the Liddell-Scott-Jones Lexicon, autopatheia (αὐτοπάθεια, ἡ) primarily means "suffering from oneself" or "being affected by one's own passions." It is a compound word derived from "αὐτός" (self, the same) and "πάθος" (suffering, experience, emotion, affection). The concept extends beyond mere physical or mental distress, referring specifically to a state where an individual is both the subject and object of their own pain or emotional turmoil.

The term is predominantly found in philosophical and medical texts of the Hellenistic and Roman periods. In Stoic philosophy, autopatheia is linked to the lack of apatheia and the subjugation to one's emotions. The wise person, striving for ataraxia (tranquility), must overcome autopatheia, which is the condition where their passions (fear, desire, grief, pleasure) influence them and divert them from reason.

Galen, the eminent physician and philosopher, employs the term to describe a condition in which an organ or part of the body suffers from its own inherent cause, without external influence, or when the soul is afflicted by its own internal disorders. Autopatheia, therefore, emphasizes the endogenous nature of suffering or an emotional state, whether it be psychological or physiological.

Etymology

autopatheia ← autos + pathos (Ancient Greek roots)

The word autopatheia is a compound, originating from the Ancient Greek adjective/pronoun "αὐτός" (self, the same) and the noun "πάθος" (derived from the verb πάσχω, meaning "to suffer, experience, feel"). Both components, "αὐτός" and "πάθος," belong to the oldest stratum of the Greek language, and their etymology is internal to Greek. This compound creates a concept that focuses on the inherent nature of an experience or suffering.

From the root of "αὐτός" derive words such as "αὐτονομία" (self-governance), "αὐτάρκεια" (self-sufficiency), and "αὐτοματικός" (self-moving). From the root of "πάθος" (πάσχω) come words like "παθητικός" (passive, susceptible to suffering), "πάθημα" (that which is suffered or experienced), and "ἀπάθεια" (freedom from passion). Autopatheia combines these two concepts, denoting a state where the "πάθος" originates from the "αὐτός."

Main Meanings

Suffering from oneself — The primary and literal meaning, distress caused by internal factors.
The state of being affected by one's own passions — A philosophical meaning, especially in Stoicism, where passions (emotions) are considered internal disturbances.
Internal disorder or disease — Medical usage, as in Galen, where an organ suffers from its own inherent cause.
The individual's inability to control their emotions — Synonymous with a lack of apatheia and subjugation to feelings.
The quality of being passive towards oneself — The condition where the subject is simultaneously the object of its own influence.
Self-inflicted suffering — The concept of distress that does not arise from external factors but from the soul or body itself.

Word Family

aut- (from autos, "self") and path- (from pascho, "to suffer, feel")

The word family of autopatheia is formed from the compound of two fundamental Ancient Greek roots: "aut-," which denotes autonomy, identity, and reference to the self, and "path-," which expresses experience, suffering, emotion, or affection. This compound emphasizes the endogenous nature of conditions where the subject is simultaneously the source or object of its own action or experience. The root "aut-" conveys the idea of self-sufficiency, while the root "path-" conveys the idea of passive receptivity or suffering, creating a rich semantic field around the internal state of human beings.

αὐτός pronoun · lex. 971

The basic pronoun meaning "self, the same." It forms the first component of autopatheia, highlighting the internal, self-referential nature of the concept. Widely used throughout ancient Greek literature, from Homer to the philosophers.

πάθος τό · noun · lex. 360

The noun derived from the verb πάσχω, meaning "suffering, emotion, affection, experience." It forms the second component of autopatheia, referring to the state of being affected. In Platonic and Aristotelian philosophy, passions are the affections of the soul.

πάσχω verb · lex. 1681

The verb from which πάθος is derived, meaning "to suffer, undergo, experience, feel." It is the active form of the experience that leads to πάθος. In Homer, it primarily means "to suffer," while in philosophers it acquires the broader meaning of receptivity.

παθητικός adjective · lex. 698

One who suffers, susceptible to influences, passive. It describes the quality of undergoing something, in contrast to acting. In grammar, the passive voice indicates that the subject receives the action.

ἀπάθεια ἡ · noun · lex. 107

The absence of passion, tranquility, mental calmness. It is the opposite concept of autopatheia in Stoic philosophy, where the wise person seeks apatheia as an ideal state of freedom from emotions.

αὐτοματικός adjective · lex. 1412

That which moves or acts by itself, without external intervention. Derived from "αὐτός" and the root "mat-" (from μαίνομαι, "to desire, rush"). Although not directly connected to "πάθος," it reinforces the concept of self-sufficiency implied by "αὐτός."

αὐτάρκεια ἡ · noun · lex. 1050

Self-sufficiency, independence, the ability to live without external aid. An important concept in Greek philosophy (e.g., Aristotle, Epicurus, Stoics), it emphasizes the autonomy of the self.

αὐτονομία ἡ · noun · lex. 942

Autonomy, self-governance, the ability to set one's own laws. Derived from "αὐτός" and "νόμος." A significant political and ethical concept, it underscores the sovereignty of the self.

Philosophical Journey

Autopatheia, as a technical philosophical and medical term, follows a specific trajectory in ancient literature, primarily associated with Hellenistic thought and medical science.

1st C. BCE - 1st C. CE

Stoic Philosophy

The term is used by Stoic philosophers, such as Posidonius, to describe the state of being affected by one's own passions, in contrast to apatheia.

1st-2nd C. CE

Plutarch

Plutarch, though a Platonist, uses the term in works like his "Moralia," often in the sense of internal disturbance or self-inflicted mental anguish.

2nd C. CE

Galen

Galen, the eminent physician, develops the medical meaning of autopatheia, describing ailments that arise from internal causes within the body or soul, without external intervention.

3rd C. CE

Plotinus and Neoplatonism

In Neoplatonism, the term may refer to the soul suffering from its own imperfections or its separation from the One, emphasizing the internal source of disharmony.

4th-5th C. CE

Church Fathers

Although not as frequently as "apatheia," the term occasionally appears in patristic texts, usually to describe the spiritual condition of a person suffering from their own sins or weaknesses.

In Ancient Texts

Autopatheia, as a technical term, appears in specific philosophical and medical contexts, highlighting the internal source of suffering.

«τῶν παθῶν αὐτοπάθειαν ἔχειν»

"to have autopatheia of the passions" (i.e., to suffer from one's own passions)

Plutarch, De virtute morali 441B

«τὴν αὐτοπάθειαν τῆς ψυχῆς»

"the autopatheia of the soul"

Galen, De animi cuiuslibet peccatorum dignotione et curatione 5.1

«οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοπάθεια, ἀλλὰ πάθος ἐκ τῆς ὕλης»

"it is not autopatheia, but passion from matter"

Porphyry, Ad Marcellam 34

Lexarithmic Analysis

The lexarithmos of the word ΑΥΤΟΠΑΘΕΙΑ is 877, from the sum of its letter values:

Α = 1

Alpha

Υ = 400

Upsilon

Τ = 300

Tau

Ο = 70

Omicron

Π = 80

Pi

Α = 1

Alpha

Θ = 9

Theta

Ε = 5

Epsilon

Ι = 10

Iota

Α = 1

Alpha

= 877

Total

1 + 400 + 300 + 70 + 80 + 1 + 9 + 5 + 10 + 1 = 877

877 is a prime number — indivisible, a quality the Pythagoreans considered the mark of pure essence.

The 18 Methods

Applying the 18 traditional lexarithmic methods to the word ΑΥΤΟΠΑΘΕΙΑ:

Method	Result	Meaning
Isopsephy	877	Prime number
Decade Numerology	4	8+7+7=22 → 2+2=4 — Tetrad, the number of stability and completion, but also of the four elements, indicating the complexity of the internal state.
Letter Count	10	10 letters — Decad, the number of perfection and return to unity, suggesting the search for harmony within autopatheia.
Cumulative	7/70/800	Units 7 · Tens 70 · Hundreds 800
Odd/Even	Odd	Masculine force
Left/Right Hand	Right	Divine (≥100)
Quotient	—	Comparative method
Notarikon	A-Y-T-O-P-A-Θ-E-I-A	Autos Yields To Own Passions, Acquiring Inner Distress, Its Own Affliction.
Grammatical Groups	6V · 0S · 4C	6 vowels, 0 semivowels, 4 consonants. The dominance of vowels suggests fluidity and internal movement, characteristic of emotional states.
Palindromes	No
Onomancy	—	Comparative
Sphere of Democritus	—	Divination with lunar day
Zodiacal Isopsephy	Venus ♀ / Taurus ♉	877 mod 7 = 2 · 877 mod 12 = 1

Isopsephic Words (877)

Words from the Liddell-Scott-Jones lexicon with the same lexarithmos (877) as autopatheia, but from different roots, offering a glimpse into the numerical diversity of the Greek language.

μοναρχεία

Monarchy, rule by a single sovereign. Represents external authority, contrasting with the internal state of autopatheia, but also the idea of self-rule (αὐτός) on a political level.

εὐσθενής

Robust, strong, possessing good strength. Opposes the concept of suffering, implying physical and mental resilience, in contrast to the weakness suggested by autopatheia.

φιλομειδής

Fond of smiling, cheerful. Expresses an external, positive emotional state, in contrast to the internal distress of autopatheia, though both concern mental disposition.

ταραξικάρδιος

Heart-troubling, disturbing. Describes a state of mental agitation, similar to the effect of passions in autopatheia, but with a different etymological origin.

δειπνοσύνη

Dinner, banquet. A word referring to a social, pleasant experience, in contrast to the internal and often negative experience of autopatheia.

λάτρευμα

Object of worship, service. Implies an external relationship of devotion, contrasting with the internal, self-referential nature of autopatheia.

The LSJ lexicon contains a total of 63 words with lexarithmos 877. For the full catalog and AI semantic filtering, see the interactive tool.

Sources & Bibliography

Liddell, H. G., Scott, R., Jones, H. S. — A Greek-English Lexicon, with a Revised Supplement. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1996.
Plutarch — De virtute morali.
Galen — De animi cuiuslibet peccatorum dignotione et curatione.
Porphyry — Ad Marcellam.
Long, A. A., Sedley, D. N. — The Hellenistic Philosophers, Vol. 1: Translations of the Principal Sources with Philosophical Commentary. Cambridge University Press, 1987.
Inwood, B. — Ethics and Human Action in Early Stoicism. Oxford University Press, 1985.
Annas, J. — The Morality of Happiness. Oxford University Press, 1993.