# λειτουργέω
## Ancient Greek
### Alternative forms

* λητουργέω (lētourgéō) — earlier Attic
* (perform religious service, minister): λῑτουργέω (lītourgéō)

### Etymology

λειτουργός (leitourgós, “one who performs a λειτουργία, a public servant”) +‎ -έω (-éō, denominative suffix)

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /leː.tuːr.ɡé.ɔː/ → /li.turˈʝe.o/ → /li.turˈʝe.o/
* (5th BCE Attic) IPA: /leː.tuːr.ɡé.ɔː/
* (1st CE Egyptian) IPA: /li.turˈɡe.o/
* (4th CE Koine) IPA: /li.turˈʝe.o/
* (10th CE Byzantine) IPA: /li.turˈʝe.o/
* (15th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA: /li.turˈʝe.o/

### Verb

λειτουργέω • (leitourgéō)
* (at Athens, construed with a cognate accusative) serve public offices at one’s own cost
** 436 BCE – 338 BCE, Isocrates, Antidosis 145:πρὸς δὲ τούτοις οὕτως ἰδίοις οὖσι καὶ περιττοῖς κἀκεῖνο λέγεις, ὡς τῶν μὲν ἀρχῶν καὶ τῶν ὠφελιῶν τῶν ἐντεῦθεν γιγνομένων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων τῶν κοινῶν ἐξέστηκας, εἰς δὲ τοὺς διακοσίους καὶ χιλίους τοὺς εἰσφέροντας καὶ λειτουργοῦντας οὐ μόνον αὑτὸν παρέχεις ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν υἱόν, καὶ τρὶς μὲν ἤδη τετριηραρχήκατε, τὰς δ’ ἄλλας λειτουργίας πολυτελέστερον λελειτουργήκατε καὶ κάλλιον ὧν οἱ νόμοι προστάττουσι.pròs dè toútois hoútōs idíois oûsi kaì perittoîs kakeîno légeis, hōs tôn mèn arkhôn kaì tôn ōpheliôn tôn enteûthen gignoménōn kaì tôn állōn hapántōn tôn koinôn exéstēkas, eis dè toùs diakosíous kaì khilíous toùs eisphérontas kaì leitourgoûntas ou mónon hautòn parékheis allà kaì tòn huión, kaì trìs mèn ḗdē tetriērarkhḗkate, tàs d’ állas leitourgías polutelésteron leleitourgḗkate kaì kállion hôn hoi nómoi prostáttousi.1980 translation by George NorlinAnd to these peculiarities and idiosyncrasies you add another, namely, that you have held aloof from the public offices and the emoluments which go with them, and from all other privileges of the commonwealth as well, while you have enrolled not only yourself but your son among the twelve hundred who pay the war-taxes and bear the liturgies, and you and he have three times discharged the trierarchy, besides having performed the other services more generously and handsomely than the laws require.
** 4th century BC, Isaeus, Philoctemon 60:καὶ Φανόστρατος μὲν τετριηράρχηκεν ἑπτάκις ἤδη, τὰς δὲ λῃτουργίας ἁπάσας λελῃτούργηκε καὶ τὰς πλείστας νίκας νενίκηκεν: οὑτοσὶ δὲ Χαιρέστρατος τηλικοῦτος ὢν τετριηράρχηκε, κεχορήγηκε δὲ τραγῳδοῖς, γεγυμνασιάρχηκε δὲ λαμπάδι: καὶ τὰς εἰσφορὰς εἰσενηνόχασιν ἀμφότεροι πάσας ἐν τοῖς τριακοσίοις.kaì Phanóstratos mèn tetriērárkhēken heptákis ḗdē, tàs dè lēitourgías hapásas lelēitoúrgēke kaì tàs pleístas níkas neníkēken: houtosì dè Khairéstratos tēlikoûtos ṑn tetriērárkhēke, kekhorḗgēke dè tragōidoîs, gegumnasiárkhēke dè lampádi: kaì tàs eisphoràs eisenēnókhasin amphóteroi pásas en toîs triakosíois.1962 translation by Edward Seymour ForsterPhanostratus has already been trierarch seven times, and he has performed all the public services and has generally been victorious. Chaerestratus here, young as he is, has been trierarch; he has been choregus in the tragic competitions; he has been gymnasiarch at the torch-races. Both of them have paid all the special war-taxes, being numbered among the three hundred.
** 440 BCE – 390 BCE, Andocides, On the Mysteries 132
** 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Aphobus 1 64
** 4th century BC, Isaeus, Philoctemon 61:λ. τὰ προσταττόμεναl. tà prostattómena
** 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Polycles 9:δύο λειτουργίαςdúo leitourgías
** 445 BCE – 380 BCE, Lysias, Against Simon 47
** 4th century BC, Isaeus, Pyrrhus 80:λ. ὑπέρ τινοςl. hupér tinosserve these offices for another
** 4th century BC, Isaeus, Philoctemon 64
* (generally) perform public duties, serve the state
** 445 BCE – 380 BCE, Lysias, On the Confiscation of the Property of the Brother of Nicias 7:συνῄδεσαν γὰρ ἅπασιν αὐτοῖς ὑπὸ τῆς πόλεως τιμωμένοις, καὶ πολλαχοῦ μὲν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν κεκινδυνευκόσι, μεγάλας δ’ εἰσφορὰς εἰσενηνοχόσι καὶ λελῃτουργηκόσι κάλλιστα, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων οὐδενὸς πώποτ’ ἀποστᾶσιν ὧν ἡ πόλις αὐτοῖς προσέταξεν, ἀλλὰ προθύμως λῃτουργοῦσι.sunḗidesan gàr hápasin autoîs hupò tês póleōs timōménois, kaì pollakhoû mèn hupèr humôn kekinduneukósi, megálas d’ eisphoràs eisenēnokhósi kaì lelēitourgēkósi kállista, kaì tôn állōn oudenòs pṓpot’ apostâsin hôn hē pólis autoîs prosétaxen, allà prothúmōs lēitourgoûsi.1930 translation by Walter Rangeley Maitland LambFor they were conscious of the honor in which the whole family were held by the city, and how they had faced danger on your behalf in many places, and had made many large contributions to your funds, and had most nobly performed their public services; how they had never once evaded any of the other duties enjoined on them by the State, but had eagerly discharged them all.
** 266/5 B.C.E., Inscriptiones Graecae 22.665.7–13:ἐπειδ[ὴ οἱ ἔφηβοι οἱ ἐ]φηβεύσαντες ἐπὶ Μεν- / [εκ]λέους ἄρχοντος πο[λέμου κατέ]χοντος τὴν πόλιν διέμει- / [ναν] πάντες εὐτακτο[ῦντες καὶ πε]ιθόμενοι τοῖς τε νόμο[ις] / [κα]ὶ τῶι κοσμητε[ῖ κ]αὶ [διετέλεσα]ν τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν τὰς [φυλ]- / [ακ]ὰς λειτου[ρ]γοῦντες κ[αὶ ἅπαντ]α τὰ παρανγελλόμενα ὑπὸ / [τοῦ σ]τρατηγοῦ εἰς τὴν το̣ῦ Μ[ουσ]είου φυλακήν, καθάπερ ἐτά- / [χθησαν ὑ]πὸ τοῦ δήμου·epeid[ḕ hoi éphēboi hoi e]phēbeúsantes epì Men- / [ek]léous árkhontos po[lémou katé]khontos tḕn pólin diémei- / [nan] pántes eutakto[ûntes kaì pe]ithómenoi toîs te nómo[is] / [ka]ì tôi kosmēte[î k]aì [dietélesa]n tòn eniautòn tàs [phul]- / [ak]às leitou[r]goûntes k[aì hápant]a tà parangellómena hupò / [toû s]tratēgoû eis tḕn tọû M[ous]eíou phulakḗn, katháper etá- / [khthēsan hu]pò toû dḗmou;2015 translation by Sean Byrnesince all the ephebes who served in the archonship of Menekles (267/6) when war was gripping the city maintained good order and obedience to the laws and the superintendent and continued for the year to fulfil their guard duties and the other orders issued by the general in the guarding of the Mouseion, where they were stationed by the People;
** 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Memorabilia 2.7.6:τῇ πόλειtêi pólei
** 436 BCE – 338 BCE, Isocrates, On the Peace 13:ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας οὐσίας ὑμῖν λ.ek tês idías ousías humîn l.
** 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Politics 1291a.34:τὸ ταῖς οὐσίαις λειτουργοῦν, ὃ καλοῦμεν εὐπόρουςtò taîs ousíais leitourgoûn, hò kaloûmen eupórous
** 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians 29.5:τοῖς σώμασιν καὶ τοῖς χρήμασιν λ.toîs sṓmasin kaì toîs khrḗmasin l.
** 361 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Midias 165:λ. τοῖς σώμασινl. toîs sṓmasin
** 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Politics 1291a.35:τὸ περὶ τὰς ἀρχὰς λ.tò perì tàs arkhàs l.
** 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Politics 1291a.37:λ. τῇ πόλει ταύτην τὴν λειτουργίανl. têi pólei taútēn tḕn leitourgían
** 200 BCE – 118 BCE, Polybius, The Histories 6.33.6
** 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Politics 1335b.28:λ. πρὸς τεκνοποιΐανl. pròs teknopoiḯan
** C.E. 3rd century, Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1119.16:ἄρχειν καὶ λ.árkhein kaì l.
* (generally, construed with a dative) serve (a master)
** 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Politics 1278a.12:οἱ ἑνὶ λειτουργοῦντες τὰ τοιαῦτα δοῦλοι [εἰσι]hoi henì leitourgoûntes tà toiaûta doûloi [eisi]
** 3rd century B.C.E., Papiri greci e latini (Pubblicazioni della Società italiana per la ricerca dei Papiri greci e latini in Egitto) 4.361.15
** c. 64 BC – p. AD 4, Nicolaus Damascenus, Fragmenta 7–8:καὶ ἅμα καλέσας τὸν εὐνοῦχον τὸν τὰς μουσουργοὺς πεπιστευμένον, Τοῦτον, ἔφη, ἄπαγε, καὶ ξυρήσας τὸ ὅλον σῶμα καὶ κισηρίσας πλὴν κεφαλῆς δὶς τῆς ἡμέρας λοῦε καὶ σμῆχε ἀπὸ λεκίθου, καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑπογραφέσθω καὶ τὰς κόμας ἐμπλεκέσθω, ὥσπερ αἱ γυναῖκες· μανθανέτω δὲ ᾄδειν καὶ κιθαρίζειν καὶ ψάλλειν, ἵνα μοι μετὰ τῶν μουσουργῶν λειτουργῇ γυναικὶ ὡμοιωμένος, μεθ’ ὧν καὶ δίαιταν ἕξει λεῖος ὢν τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὴν ἐσθῆτα τὴν αὐτὴν καὶ τὴν τέχνην ἔχων.kaì háma kalésas tòn eunoûkhon tòn tàs mousourgoùs pepisteuménon, Toûton, éphē, ápage, kaì xurḗsas tò hólon sôma kaì kisērísas plḕn kephalês dìs tês hēméras loûe kaì smêkhe apò lekíthou, kaì toùs ophthalmoùs hupographésthō kaì tàs kómas emplekésthō, hṓsper hai gunaîkes; manthanétō dè ā́idein kaì kitharízein kaì psállein, hína moi metà tôn mousourgôn leitourgêi gunaikì hōmoiōménos, meth’ hôn kaì díaitan héxei leîos ṑn tò sôma kaì tḕn esthêta tḕn autḕn kaì tḕn tékhnēn ékhōn.
** 〃 8.9–14
    καὶ οὐ πολλοῦ χρόνου γίγνεται ἀνθρωπός τε λευκὸς καὶ ἁπαλὸς καὶ γυναικώδης, ᾖδέ τε καὶ ἐκιθάριζε πολὺ κάλλιον τῶν μουσουργῶν, οὐδείς τε ἂν ἰδὼν αὐτὸν λειτουργοῦντα ἐν συμποσίῳ Νανάρῳ οὐχὶ γυναῖκα ὑπέλαβε, καὶ πολύ γε ἐκείνων εὐπρεπέστερον, μεθ’ ὧν ἑκάστοτε ἐλειτούργει.kaì ou polloû khrónou gígnetai anthrōpós te leukòs kaì hapalòs kaì gunaikṓdēs, êidé te kaì ekithárize polù kállion tôn mousourgôn, oudeís te àn idṑn autòn leitourgoûnta en sumposíōi Nanárōi oukhì gunaîka hupélabe, kaì polú ge ekeínōn euprepésteron, meth’ hôn hekástote eleitoúrgei.(please add an English translation of this quotation)
** Palatine Anthology 5.48, (Gallus, of a prostitute):λ. τρισὶν ἀνδράσινl. trisìn andrásin
** perform religious service, minister
*** 60 BCE – 7 BCE, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities 2.22:ἐπὶ τῶν ἱερῶνepì tôn hierôn
*** New Testament, Acts of the Apostles 13:2:τῷ Κυρίῳtôi Kuríōi
*** 1st century B.C.E., Revue des Études Anciennes 32.5.6–18, (Athens):Ἐκ τοῦ Μητρώου· ἀγαθὴ τύχη, ἐπὶ Παμμένου, Μουνιχίωνος τετράδι, Ξενοφῶν Θριάσιος εἶπεν· ἐπειδὴ πρόσοδον ποιησάμενος Ζήνων Ͻ Ἀντιοχεὺς ἐμφανίζει λελιτουργηκέναι ἐν τῶι ἱερῶι τῶ[ι ἐ]ν Ῥαμνοῦντι τῆς Ἀγδίστεως, ἔτι δὲ καὶ οἷς αὐτὸς ἱεροῦται θεοῖς ἐπὶ χρόνους καὶ πλείονας, τὰ δὲ νῦν ἐπ[ι]βαρούμενος ὑπό τινων εἴργεσθαι παρὰ τὸ καθῆκον καὶ διὰ ταῦτα παρακαλεῖ τὴν βουλὴν προνοουμένη[ν] τῆς τῶν θεῶν εὐσεβείας τὴν καθήκουσαν φρ[ον]τίδα ποιήσασθαι αὐτοῦ· τύχῃ ἀγαθῆι· δε[δόχθαι] τῆι βουλῆι ἐξεῖναι Ζήνωνι Ͻ Ἀντιοχεῖ [λιτουρ]γεῖν τοῖς θεοῖς τ[οῖς ἐ]ν Ῥαμνοῦν[τι καθάπερ ἀ]πὸ τὴς ἀρχῆς ὑπὸ [μηδ]ενὸς κωλ[υομένωι] ‒ ‒Ek toû Mētrṓou; agathḕ túkhē, epì Pamménou, Mounikhíōnos tetrádi, Xenophôn Thriásios eîpen; epeidḕ prósodon poiēsámenos Zḗnōn Zḗnōnos Antiokheùs emphanízei lelitourgēkénai en tôi hierôi tô[i e]n Rhamnoûnti tês Agdísteōs, éti dè kaì hoîs autòs hieroûtai theoîs epì khrónous kaì pleíonas, tà dè nûn ep[i]baroúmenos hupó tinōn eírgesthai parà tò kathêkon kaì dià taûta parakaleî tḕn boulḕn pronoouménē[n] tês tôn theôn eusebeías tḕn kathḗkousan phr[on]tída poiḗsasthai autoû; túkhēi agathêi; de[dókhthai] têi boulêi exeînai Zḗnōni Zḗnōnos Antiokheî [litour]geîn toîs theoîs t[oîs e]n Rhamnoûn[ti katháper a]pò tḕs$^{[sic]}$ arkhês hupò [mēd]enòs kōl[uoménōi] ‒ ‒

#### Derived terms

* ἀντῐλειτουργέω (antĭleitourgéō, verb)
* ἀπολειτουργέω (apoleitourgéō, verb)
* ἐκλῃτουργέω (eklēitourgéō, verb)
* κᾰτᾰλειτουργέω (kătăleitourgéō, verb)
* λειτούργημᾰ n (leitoúrgēmă)
* λειτουργησῐ́ᾱ f (leitourgēsĭ́ā)
* λελειτουργημένᾰ n pl (leleitourgēménă)
* προσλειτουργέω (prosleitourgéō, verb)
* σῠλλειτουργέω (sŭlleitourgéō, verb)

#### Descendants

* Greek: λειτουργώ (leitourgó)

### Further reading

* “λειτουργέω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press