Bible Lexicons

";am a busybody"; (2 Thessalonians 3:11 : cf. Sirach 3:23 [3:24]); cf. PSI V. 494.7 (B.C. 258–7) περὶ δὲ τῶν. . . Ἀρ ̣χ ̣ίου περιειργασάμην εἴς σε ἀπο. . ω ̣ι δῶις ἢ γράψηις, the letter of the Emperor Claudius to the Alexandrines P Lond 1912.90 (A.D. 41) καὶ Ἰουδέοις δὲ ἄντικρυς κελεύωι μηδὲν πλήωι ὧν πρότερον ἔσχον περιεργάζεσθαι ";and, on the other side, I bid the Jews not to busy themselves about anything beyond what they have held hitherto"; (Bell), and P Giss I. 57.5 (vi/vii A.D.) καταξιώσῃ οὖν περιεργάσασθ ̣α ̣ι καὶ ποιῆσαι ἀποδοθῆναι τὰ γράμματα.

Very noteworthy from the inscrr. is Syll 633 (=.31042 ).15 (ii/iii A.D.) ὃς ἂν δὲ πολυπραγμονήσῃ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ἢ περιεργάσηται, ἁμαρτίαν ὀφιλέτω Μηνὶ Τυράννωι. See also the magical citation s.v. περίεργος.

As illustrating the meaning of the verb it is customary to quote Plato Apol. 19 B, where it is said of Socrates in an accusatory sense, περιεργάζεται ζητῶν τά τε ὑπὸ γῆς καὶ οὐράνια : cf. M. Anton. x. 2 τούτοις δὴ κανόσι χρώμενος, μηδὲν περιεργάζου, ";apply these criteria to life, and do so without fuss"; (Rendall). See also Test. xii. patr. Reub. iii. 10 μήτε περιεργάζεσθε πρᾶξιν γυναικῶν, ";nor meddle with the affairs of womankind."; In Aristeas 15 the verb is used in a good sense καθὼς περιείργασμαι, ";as my research (into God’s dealings) has taught me"; : but contrast 315.