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Flight.[1]
Also cowardice.
Fear is an expectation of what is bad.[2] The following [affective states] are reduced to fear: terror, hesitancy, shame, consternation, commotion, anguish. Now, terror is a fear producing dread; hesitancy is fear of a future activity; shame is fear of lack of reputation; consternation is fear [coming] from an appearance of an unaccustomed fact; commotion is fear accompanied by a bustling sound; anguish is fear of an uncertain fact.[3]
The disposition to wonder is a genus of consternation, not an excess, for the disposition to wonder is a genus of consternation, but an excess is a difference. For some of those who wonder [at something] wonder on account of an excess, such as those who are in a state of panic; others [wonder at something] with measure. But to wonder in excess is to be in a state of panic.[4]
Φόβος in Homer [means] “flight”.[5]
But when [the Bible] says 'the fear of the Lord is the beginning [ἀρχή ] of wisdom', [this is] because he who wishes to be wise begins with watchfulness. But if this ἀρχή is understood with reference to hegemony, 'fear of the Lord' [is] not the passive sort, that which happens through dread of punishments (for perfect love casts out fear), but watchfulness in accordance with reverence. For this fear of the Lord surpasses everything.[6]

Φόβος: φυγή. καὶ ἡ δειλία. Φόβος δέ ἐστι προσδοκία κακοῦ. εἰς δὲ τὸν φόβον ἀνάγεται ταῦτα: δεῖμα, ὄκνος, αἰσχύνη, ἔκπληξις, θόρυβος, ἀγωνία. δεῖμα μὲν οὖν ἐστι φόβος δέος ἐμποιῶν, ὄκνος δὲ φόβος μελλούσης ἐνεργείας, αἰσχύνη δὲ φόβος ἀδοξίας, ἔκπληξις δὲ φόβος ἐκ φαντασίας ἀσυνήθους πράγματος, θόρυβος δὲ φόβος μετὰ κατεπείξεως φωνῆς: ἀγωνία δὲ φόβος ἀδήλου πράγματος. ἔστι δὲ γένος ἡ θαυμασιότης τῆς ἐκπλήξεως, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὑπερβολή: γένος γὰρ ἐκπλήξεως ἡ θαυμασιότης, ἡ δὲ ὑπερβολὴ διαφορά: τῶν γὰρ θαυμαζόντων οἱ μὲν καθ' ὑπερβολὴν θαυμάζουσιν, ὡς οἱ ἐκπεπληγμένοι, οἱ δὲ μετρίως. τὸ δὲ θαυμάζειν καθ' ὑπερβολήν ἐστιν ἐκπλήττεσθαι. Φόβος, παρ' Ὁμήρῳ ἡ φυγή. ὅτε δὲ λέγει, ἀρχὴ σοφίας φόβος κυρίου: διότι ὁ βουλόμενος σοφὸς εἶναι ἀπὸ εὐλαβείας ἄρχεται. εἰ δὲ τὸ ἀρχὴ ἐπὶ τῆς ἡγεμονίας παραληφθῇ, φόβος κυρίου οὐχ ὁ παθητικός, ὁ δέει κολάσεων προσγινόμενος [ἡ γὰρ τελεία ἀγάπη ἔξω βάλλει τὸν φόβον], ἀλλ' ἡ κατὰ σεβασμὸν εὐλάβεια: οὗτος γὰρ ὁ φόβος κυρίου πάντα ὑπερέβαλε.

[1] Cf. the scholia to Homer, Iliad 6.97, where a version of the headword occurs. See further below, at n.5.
[2] This is the Stoic definition of fear (based on Plato's Protagoras, 358d7-8): see Diogenes Laertius 7. 112. Cf also Aristotle's definition of φόβος : "Let fear be defined as a sort of pain or agitation derived from imagination of a future destructive or painful evil" (Rhetoric 2.51382a22-23; transl. G.A. Kennedy).
[3] These kinds of fear are Stoic distinctions and are largely taken from Diogenes Laertius 7. 112-113 and Stobaeus, Eclogae 2.57.91-92 (ed. Wachsmuth).
[4] Alexander of Aphrodisias, Commentaries on Aristotle's Topica 351.7-11.
[5] From the scholia to Homer, Iliad 5.272 and 6.97; see already above, at n.1.
[6] For the expression "the fear of the Lord" see Proverbs 1:7 and 9:10, where it is said that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"; see also Proverbs, 8:13: "the fear of the Lord hates not only injustice but also insolence, pride and the ways of perverse men".

David Whitehead (modified translation; augmented notes and keywords; cosmetics) on 28 July 2003@05:37:42.
Catharine Roth (modified translation) on 28 July 2003@19:54:12.
Catharine Roth (fixed my typo) on 28 July 2003@19:54:57.
David Whitehead (typo) on 29 July 2003@02:53:45.
Marcelo Boeri on 20 September 2003@19:07:38.
Marcelo Boeri (Expanded note 2.) on 20 September 2003@19:09:01.
Marcelo Boeri (Expanded note 6.) on 21 May 2004@13:17:25.
Marcelo Boeri on 21 May 2004@13:58:01.
Catharine Roth (modified translation) on 21 May 2004@15:47:21.

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