μέσα

τέλειος and [full] τέλεος, α, ον, in Trag., [dialect] Att., and [dialect] Dor.also ος, ον, A.Eu. 382 (lyr.), Pl.Phlb. 67a, Arist.EN 1153b16, SIG265 (Delph., iv B.C.), etc.: the form τέλειος is alone used by Hom., neither form in Hes.; τέλεος is alone used by Hdt., exc. in 9.110; in Trag. and [dialect] Att. both forms occur; [dialect] Att. Inscrr. up to the end of iii B.C. have only τέλεος, IG 12.76.39, al., and τέλεος, τελέως, τελεῶ are recommended by Thom. Mag.p.358R.; τέλειος first in IG22.2314.51, al. (early ii B.C.), freq. in Papyri (PCair.Zen.429.13, al. (iii B.C.), etc.), but the neut. used as Adv. is sts. τέλεον ( BGU903.12 (ii A.D.), etc.,

A

τέλειον POxy.707.31

(ii A.D.), etc.): the form [full] τέλεως, acc. τέλεων, with pl. τέλεῳ, is found in SIG1025.61, 1026.14 (Cos, iv/iii B.C.), dub. in Schwyzer 734 ([place name] Zeleia ) and Herod.7.20: the form [full] τέληον in GDI 4963 ([place name] Crete): ([etym.] τέλος):— perfect, of victims, entire, without spot or blemish,

ἀρνῶν αἰγῶν τε τελείων Il.1.66

, cf. 24.34; βοτὸν τ. Riv.Fil.56.265 ([place name] Cyrene); τὸνς ϝεξήκοντα τελέονς ὄϝινς (acc. pl.) SIG56.30 (Argos, v. B.C.); of sacrifices, ἱερὰ τ. perfect, of full tale or number, or performed with all rites, Th.5.47, Lexap.And.1.97, D.59.60;

τελέους ἀεὶ τελετὰς τελούμενος τέλεος ὄντως.. γίγνεται Pl.Phdr. 249c

; in Il.8.247, 24.315, αἰετὸς τελειότατος πετεηνῶν is prob. the surest bird of augury (cf. τελήεις).

b in Dialects, = κύριος, fully constituted, valid,

ἐν ἀγορᾷ τελείῳ Schwyzer 324.1

(Delph., iv B.C.), SIG265 (ibid.), etc.; ἀλιαίᾳ ἔδοξε τελείᾳ ib.594.3 (Mycenae, ii B.C.); authoritative, final,

ἁ δέ κα ϝράτρα ἁ δαμοσία τελεία εἴε ¯ δικάδο ¯ σα Schwyzer412

([place name] Elis);

τὸ θέθμιον.. τέλεον εἶμεν IG9(1).334.47

([dialect] Locr., v B.C.); so in Trag., τελεία ψῆφος a final decision, A.Supp. 739, S.Ant. 632.

2 of animals, full-grown,

τέλεον νεαροῖς ἐπιθύσας A.Ag. 1504

(anap., and so perh. αἶγες τ. in Il. ll.cc.); ἐπ' οὗ θύεται τὰ τ. τῶν προβάτων, opp. γαλαθηνά, Hdt.1.183, cf. SIG1015.31 (Halic.), Pherecr.44, PCair.Zen.429.13, al. (iii B.C.), Sammelb.5277.5 (iii A.D.), etc.; τ. ζῷον defined in Gal.7.677; as Subst.,

τέλειον καὶ δέκα ἄρνες SIG1024.35

(Myconus, iii/ii B.C.); τ. ἵππος, opp. πῶλος, Pl.Lg. 834c; τ. ἅρμα a chariot drawn by horses, opp. ἅρμα πωλικόν, CIG2758 111.D2 ([place name] Aphrodisias), SIG840 (Olympia, ii A.D.), Luc.Tim.50;

τελέᾳ συνωρίδι IG5(2).549.2

, al. (Arc., iv B.C.); τελέῳ τεθρίππῳ ib.5; κέλητι τελέῳ ib.550.29; κέλητι τελείῳ ib.7.1772.14, cf. 16; of trees, Thphr.CP3.7.5, POxy.909.18 (iii A.D.); εἰκὼν τελεία life-sized, GDI4942b7 (Crete, ii B.C.); of a torsionengine, full-sized, opp. to the model of one, Ph.Bel.55.30: of human beings, full-grown, adult, Pl.Lg. 929c, X.Cyr.1.2.4, 12, 14, BGU1100.10 (i B.C.), POxy.485.30 (ii A.D.), Sor.1.10, al.

b married,

τέλειοι οἱ γεγαμηκότες Paus.Gr.Fr.306

; Ἥρα Τελεία is so expld. at Stymphalus, Paus.8.22.2, cf. Aristocl.Hist.5 (ap.Sch.Theoc.15.64); v. infr. 11.

3 of persons, accomplished, perfect in his kind, in relation to quality, Isoc. 12.32,242;

ἱστοριῶν συγγραφέα τέλειον Supp.Epigr.1.400

(Samos, ii A.D.);

τ. σοφιστής Pl.Cra. 403e

;

τ. εἴς τι Id.Phdr. 269e

([comp] Sup.);

κατὰ πάντα Id.Ti. 30d

;

πρός τι Id.Lg. 647d

, 678b, Isoc.12.9, etc.;

ἔν τινι Id.Ep.4.3

([comp] Sup.);

οἱ τ. δογματικοί Gal.15.60

; but ἡ τελεία μαῖα the trained or qualified midwife, distd. from ἡ ἀρίστη (the trained and experienced midwife), Sor.1.4.

b of things,

φάρμακον τελεώτατον Pl.Criti. 106b

; τ. ἀρετή, φιλία, etc., Arist.EN 1129b30, 1156b34, al.; of a syllogism in the [ per.] 1st figure, the other figures being ἀτελεῖς, Id.APr. 27a1, etc.;

τὸ τελεώτατον ἐκεῖνο γυμνάσιον, ὂ δὴ καὶ κατασκευὴν ὀνομάζουσι Gal.6.169

, cf. 208: even of evils, τ. νόσημα a serious, dangerous illness, Hp.Prorrh.2.30;

τελειοτάτη κακία Gal.16.500

; ἀδικία τελέα, τελεωτάτη, absolute, Pl.R. 348b, 344a; συνθέσεις λευκὰς τελείας δέκα τρεῖς thirteen complete white suits, PHamb.10.14 (ii A.D.); τ. ἀποζυγή complete divorce, PGrenf. 2.76.19 (iv A.D.); ὕνις τελεία, κράβακτος ξύλινος τ., etc., PTeb.406.19, al. (iii A.D.); of land, fully inundated, opp. ἀβροχικός, PMasp. 107.13, al. (vi A.D.), prob. in PFlor.286.23 (vi A.D.).

4 of prayers, vows, etc., fulfilled, accomplished,

εὐχωλαί Pi.Fr.122.15

;

τέλειον ἐπ' εὐχᾷ ἐσλόν Id.P.9.89

;

τελεία γένεος Οἰδίπου τ' ἀρά A.Th. 832

(lyr.);

μὰ τὴν τ. τῆς ἐμῆς παιδὸς Δίκην Id.Ag. 1432

;

τέλεα εὔγματα Ar. Th. 353

(lyr.); of omens or predictions, ὄψις ὀνείρου οὐ τελέη a vision which imported nothing, Hdt.1.121;

τ. σύμβολον h.Merc. 526

(s. v.l.);

τ. τὸ ἐνύπνιον ἀποτετέλεσται Pl.R. 443b

.

5 of numbers, full, complete,

τελέους ἑπτὰ μῆνας Ar.Lys. 104

; τ. ἐνιαυτός the great year, Pl. Ti. 39d.

b in Arithm., of perfectnumbers, which are equal to the sum of their divisors, as 6 = 3+2+1; 28 = 14+7+4+2+1, Id.R. 546b, Euc.7 Def.23, Theo Sm.p.45 H., Nicom.Ar.1.16:—but 9 is τ. ὅτι ἐκ τελείου τοῦ γ ¯ γίνεται, Theol.Ar. 58 (3 is τ. because it has ἀρχή, μέσον, τέλος, ib. 14).

6 τ. κρατήρ, i.e. the third bowl offered to Ζεὺς Σωτήρ, Ar.Fr. 526, E.Fr. 148.

II of the gods, having power to fulfil prayer, all-powerful (as implied in A.Ag. 973, Ζεῦ Ζεῦ τέλειε, τὰς ἐμὰς εὐχὰς τέλει) , Ζεὺς τ. Pi.O.13.115, P.1.67;

τ. ὕψιστον Δία A.Eu.28

;

τελέων τελειότατον κράτος, Ζεῦ Id.Supp. 526

(lyr.); of Hera ζυγία, the presiding goddess of marriage (v. supr. 1.2 b,

τέλος 1.6

), Pi.N.10.18, A.Eu. 214, Fr. 383, Ar.Th. 973 (lyr.); of Apollo, Theoc.25.22 ([comp] Sup.); of the Eumenides, A.Eu. 382 (lyr.);

Μοῖραι Supp.Epigr.3.400.9

(Delph., iii B.C.): generally,

θεοὶ τέλειοι τέλειαί τε A.Th. 167

(lyr.);

πῦρ τέλεον ἄρρητον Lyr.Alex.Adesp.36.14

: also ἀνὴρ τ. the head or lord of the house, A.Ag. 972.

III = τελευταῖος, last, S.Tr. 948 (lyr.).

IV τέλειον, τό, a royal banquet, as a transl. of the Pers. τυκτά, Hdt.9.110.

V ἡ τελεία (sc. στιγμή ) the full point, D.T.630.6; so

τελείαν δεῖ στίξαι Herm. in Phdr.p.84

A.

2 ἡ τελεία (sc. ἀντίδοτος ) the perfect antidote, effective against all poisons, Scrib. Larg.177.

VI Τέλεος (sc. μήν(, ὁ, name of a month at Epidaurus, IG42(1).109 ii 114.

VII Adv. τελέως finally, absolutely, with full authority, A.Eu. 320, 953 (both anap.).

2 completely, absolutely, thoroughly,

τ. ἐς ἀσθενὲς ἔρχεται Hdt.1.120

; τ. ἐκκλησιάσαιμεν perfectly, Ar.Th. 329 (lyr.);

τ. ἄφρων Is.12.4

;

ἔρια τ. ῥυπαρά PCair.Zen. 287

(iii B.C.); τ. μ' ὑπῆλθε completely deceived me, Epicr.9; τ. ἑστιᾶν perfectly, X.Smp.2.2; τ. κινήσεται absolutely, Pl.Tht. 182c; τ. γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἐνώχλει he was a perfect nuisance to us, PCair.Zen.637.4 (iii B.C.); τ. γυμνάζειν put a person through the τέλειον γυμνάσιον, Gal. 6.286; μέσα τ. completely neutral, Id.18(2).59, cf. 79, al.--This is the only form of the Adv. allowed by Thom.Mag.p.358 R., but τελείως is found in Gorg.Hel.18, Isoc.13.18, Pl.Def. 411d, Arist.Metaph. 1021b26, PPetr.3p.114 (iii B.C.), LXX Ju.11.6, Gal.16.639, etc.

3 the neut. τέλεον is also used as Adv. in later Prose, Luc.Merc.Cond. 5, App.BC1.8, Sor.2.56, etc.

VIII [comp] Comp. and [comp] Sup.: Hom. uses only τελειότατος: in Prose τελεώτερος, -ώτατος prevail, though the other forms occur in Arist.EN 1097a30, 1174b22. [comp] Comp. Adv.

τελεώτερον Pl.R. 520b

( τελειοτέρως Sch.Il.2.350, v.l. in Procl.Inst.18);

τελεώτατα Pl.R. 351b

.

τροχαῖος, α, ον, ([etym.] τρόχος)

A running, spinning, πανία ( spools) AP6.288 (Leon.).

II τροχαῖος (sc. πούς), ὁ, a trochee or foot consisting of a long and a short syllable (also called χορεῖος), Pl.R. 400b, etc.; used in quick time, Arist.Rh. 1408b36, cf. Po. 1452b24, and v. τροχερός :—hence,

2 in Music, οἱ σαλπικταὶ τροχαῖόν τι συμβοήσαντες playing a brisk march, D.C.56.22; τ. νόμος a tune in trochaic time, invented by Terpander, Plu.2.1132d, cf. Poll.4.65.

3 tribrach (?τροχαῖοςX ?τροχαῖοςX ?τροχαῖοςX), Quint.Inst.9.4.82.

4 τ. σημαντὸς ὁ ἐξ ὀκτασήμου θέσεως καὶ τετ ρασήμου ἄρσεως (<*> [pron. full] ¯ ¯ ) Aristid.Quint.1.16; τ. ἀπὸ ἰάμβου ([pron. full] ?τροχαῖοςX ¯ |[pron. full] ¯ ?τροχαῖοςX ¯ ?τροχαῖοςX ¯ ?τροχαῖοςX) ibid.

III τροχαῖα· μέσα ἐν κύβοις, ἢ ὁδός, ὡς Ῥίνθων (Fr.26), Hsch. (perh. τρόχια and τροχιά).

ψάκελον· μέγα, Hsch. (cod. μέσα), Suid.

ἀριθμ-ητικός, ή, όν,

A of or for reckoning, skilled therein,

ἄνθρωπος Id.Grg. 453e

.

II arithmetical,

μέσα Archyt.2

;

ἀναλογία Arist.EN 1106a35

;

τὸ ἓν ἁπλῶς οὐκ ἦν ἀ. Dam.Pr. 117

; ἡ ἀριθμητική (sc. τέχνη) arithmetic, Pl.R. 525a, al.; as a subject of competition, Inscr.Magn.107;

ἡ ἀ. ἐπιστήμη Plu. 2.979e

. Adv. - κῶς ib.643c, Theo Sm.p.116H.

III -κόν, τό, land-tax in Egypt,

τὸ τέλειον ἀ. Sammelb.4415.14

(ii A. D.), etc.;

ἡμιτέλειον ἀ. BGU330.6

(ii A. D.).

Ἁρμον-ικός, ή, όν,

A skilled in music, Pl.Phdr. 268d;

ἁ. οὐ μάγειρος

musician,

Damox.2.49

codd.

II musical:

τὰ -κά

theory of music,

Pl.Phdr. 268e

, Arist.Metaph. 1077a5; ἡ ἐν τοῖς μαθήμασιν -κή (sc. ἐπιστήμη ) mathematical theory of music, ib. 997b21; ἁ. πραγματεία a treatise thereon, Plu.2.1142f; ἁρμονικὰ στοιχεῖα, title of work by Aristoxenus; ἁρμονικοί, οἱ, students of

-κή, οἱ κατὰ τοὺς ἀριθμοὺς ἁ. Arist.Top. 107a16

; with play on (b), Aristox. Harm.p.I M.

b of or in the enharmonic scale,

νόμος Plu.2.1133e

.

c ἁ. κίνησις, of the pulse, in harmony with physical state, Gal.19.376.

III Arith., harmonic,

μέσα Archyt.2

;

ἁ. ἀναλογία Ph.1.27

, Nicom.Ar.2.22, Theo Sm.p.114H.;

μεσότης Arist.Fr.47

;

λόγοι Ph.1.22

([comp] Sup.);

λόγοι κατ' ἀριθμὼς ἁ. συγκεκραμένοι Ti.Locr. 96a

, cf. Arist.de An. 406b29.

IV ἁ. γυμνάσιον training by rule of thumb, Philostr.Gym.53.

V metaph., capable of harmonizing,

τακτικοὶ καὶ ἁ. Plu.2.618c

; of God, ib.946f.

VI Adv. - κῶς ib.1138e, Iamb.Comm.Math.32.

ἰσχῡρο-ποιέω,

A strengthen,

τὴν δύναμιν D.S.17.65

;

τὰς ἐπικρατείας τινός Plb.28.20.7

;

τόπον J.AJ15.8.5

; στόμαχον [Gal.]14.752; establish,

τὰς διατριβὰς τῶν ῥητορικῶν Phld.Rh.1.192S.

:—[voice] Med., Onos.21.2:—[voice] Pass.,

ἰσχυροποιεῖται τὰ μέσα Ascl.Tact.10.16

;

τῆς δυναστείας -ουμένης D.S.14.9

, cf. Arr.Epict.2.18.7; of assertions, Vett.Val.333.7; to be valid,

ἡ ἀναλογία οὐκ -εῖται S.E.M.1.201

.

Grammatical information: n.

Meaning: `strap, fixing the plough-beam to the middle of the yoke' - ος? Hes. Op. 469 in gen. pl. - ων, pl. μεσσαβα (Call.); μεσάβοιον, v.l. - ό- (Poll. 1, 252).

Other forms: See below.

Derivatives: μεσσαβόω `put (to the horses)' (Lyc.).

Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin]

Etymology: Hypostasis from (ἐν) μέσῳ βοῶν `in the middle between the oxen' with thematic reshaping as in ἑκατόμ-βη ( μεσάβοιον after ἐννεάβοιον a.o.); though with unexplained - α- for - ο-. So μεσα- for μετα- ( μετὰ βοῶν)? doubting Schwyzer 438 n. 4; morphologically acceptable. - But cf. also μέσοψ `strip', μεσόπα ἱμάντα τὸν περὶ τὸν ζυγὸν καὶ τὸ ἄροτρον δεδεμένον H.; also μεσσαῖον τό ὑπὸ τοὺς τραχήλους ὑποτιθέμενον H.(?); alo μεσάτιον ( μεσάντιον I Reg 17, 7); note also σ(σ). Fur. 107, 148, 149; so the word is Pre-Greek.

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Grammatical information: f.

Meaning: `midday', as direction `south' (Att. A.);

Other forms: - ίη (Archil., Hecat.), μεσαμβρίη (Hdt.)

Derivatives: μεσημβρινός (Att.), Dor. (Theoc.) μεσαμβρινός `of the midday, southern' (after the adj. of time in - ινός; cf. Risch Mus. Helv. 2, 17); μεσήμβριος `southern' (Ruf. ap. Orib.), f. μεσημβριάς (Nonn.); also (after Dor. ἀμέρα) τὸ μεσᾱμέριον `on the midday' (Theoc.). Denomin.: μεσημβρ-ιάζω (Pl.), - ίζω (Str.), ptc. - ιάων, - ιόων (AP, A. R.) `pass the midday, culminate', of sun and stars.

Origin: GR [a formation built with Greek elements]

Etymology: Abstract formation in - ία from μέσον ἆμαρ or from a (supposed) adj. PGr. *μέσ-ᾱμ(β)ρ-ος, - ιος `of the middle of the day' to the zero grade of ἆμαρ `day'; from this with PGr. shortening μεσ-ᾰμβρ-ία, - ίη (Schwyzer 279) and, with analogical η after ἦμαρ, ἡμέρα, μεσ-ημβρ-ία.

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μέσος, η, ον (Hom.+). The distinction between ‘middle’ and ‘among’ for μ. is sometimes rather fluid, and some of the passages here cited may fit equally well under 1 or 2.

① pert. to a middle position spatially or temporally, middle, in the middle.

ⓐ as adj. (of intermediate terms: Pla., Rep. 330b, Pol. 303a) ὁ μέσος αὐτῶν ἀνήρ the man in their midst, apparently surrounded by them Hs 9, 12, 7. μέσης νυκτός at midnight (3 Km 3:20.—B-D-F §270, 2; Rob. 495; Lobeck, Phryn. p. 53; 54; 465) Mt 25:6. ἡμέρας μέσης at midday (Jos., Bell. 1, 651, Ant. 17, 155) Ac 26:13. εἰς μέσην τὴν οἰκοδομήν into the middle of the building Hs 9, 7, 5; cp. 9, 8, 2; 4; 6 (cp. Philo, Fuga 49 εἰς μέσον τὸν ποταμόν; Jos., Ant. 4, 80 εἰς μέσον τὸ πῦρ). ἐσταύρωσαν … μέσον τὸν Ἰησοῦν they crucified Jesus between (them) J 19:18. ἐσχίσθη τὸ καταπέτασμα μέσον the curtain was torn in two Lk 23:45 (cp. Artem. 4, 30 τὸ ἱμάτιον μέσον ἐρρωγέναι). ἐλάκησεν μέσος Ac 1:18 (cp. Aristoph., Ran. 955). ἐν μέσοις τοῖς ὀργάνοις τοῦ διαβόλου in the midst of the tools of the devil 2 Cl 18:2 (for the syntax cp. Gen 2:9 ἐν μέσῳ τῷ παραδείσῳ).

ⓑ as subst. neut. τὸ μ. the middle (on the absence of the art. s. B-D-F §264, 4; cp. Rob. 792) ἀνὰ μέσον τινός (s. ἀνά 1) ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ὁρίων within or through the region Mk 7:31. ἀνὰ μ. αὐτῶν between them GPt 4:10; Hs 9, 2, 3; 9, 15, 2. ἀνὰ μ. ἐκκλησίας ἁγίων B 6:16; 4:10; διακρῖναι ἀνὰ μ. τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ between one (congregation) member and another 1 Cor 6:5 (s. ἀνά 1b. Perh. μέσος prompted a shortening of the sentence tending to obscurity; cp. the Stoic expr. μέσα καθήκοντα = καθήκοντα ἃ ἐν μέσῳ ἐστὶ κατορθωμάτων κ. ἁμαρτημάτων: MPohlenz, D. Stoa II ’49, 73f). τὸ ἀρνίον τὸ ἀ. μ. τοῦ θρόνου the lamb who is (seated) on the center of the throne Rv 7:17. ἀνὰ μ. τῆς ὁδοῦ (they made) half their journey GJs 17:3.—διὰ μέσου αὐτῶν through the midst of them (X., An. 1, 4, 4; Aesop. Fab. 147 P.=247 H./201a Ch./152 [I, II] H-H.; Am 5:17; Jer 44:4; Jdth 11:19; 1 Macc 5:46; Ath. 18, 3 ‘between’) Lk 4:30; J 8:59 v.l. διὰ μέσον Σαμαρείας καὶ Γαλιλαίας Lk 17:11 prob. can only mean through Samaria and Galilee; but this raises a practical difficulty, since we should expect to find the provinces mentioned in the opposite order. Perh. the text is damaged (cp. the vv.ll. διὰ μέσου and μέσον; s. B-D-F §222; Rob. 648; JBlinzler, AWikenhauser Festschr. ’54, 46ff. If the v.l. διὰ μέσου Σ. καὶ Γ. should be correct, we could compare Maximus Tyr. 28, 4a διὰ μέσου πίστεως κ. ἀπιστίας=throughout between). For the view that μέσον signifies the area betw. S. and G. s. the comm. Cp. δια B1.—εἰς τὸ μέσον into the middle or center (X., Cyr. 3, 1, 6; Dio Chrys. 19 [36], 24; 3 Km 6:8; Jos., Ant. 9, 149) Mk 3:3; Lk 4:35; 5:19; 6:8; J 20:19, 26 (ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον as Vi. Aesopi G 82 P.); Hs 9, 8, 5; also in the middle 9, 6, 1. W. gen. (X., An. 1, 5; 14a; Jer 21:4; 48:7; Sb 6270, 13) εἰς τὸ μ. αὐτῶν in the midst of them 9, 11, 7. Without the art. (LXX; Jos., Vi. 334; SibOr 3, 674) εἰς μ. τοῦ πεδίου in the middle of the plain Hs 9, 2, 1 (εἰς μ.=‘in the middle’, as Ps.-Clem., Hom. 3, 30 p. 44, 21 Lag.). τί … τὸ ἔριον εἰς μ. τῶν ἀκανθῶν τιθέασιν; Why do they place the wool in the middle of the thorns? 7:11. ἀναστὰς εἰς μ. he arose (and came) forward Mk 14:60 (cp. Theocr. 22, 82 ἐς μέσον=into the middle; Himerius, Or. 63 [=Or. 17], 2 εἰς μέσον ἔρχεσθαι=come into the open; X., Cyr. 4, 1, 1 στὰς εἰς τὸ μ.).—ἐν τῷ μ. among, before (more closely defined by the context, or = in public [so Clearch., Fgm. 45 οἴκοι καὶ μὴ ἐν τῷ μέσῳ; Appian, Liby. 15 §63]) Mt 14:6 (Dio Chrys. 30 [79], 39 ὀρχεῖσθαι ἐν τῷ μέσω; Lucian, Pereg. 8) and into the middle, before (them) (Vi. Aesopi W c. 86 στὰς ἐν τῷ μέσῳ ἔφη) Ac 4:7. Without the art. (LXX) ἐν μέσῳ (on the spelling ἐμ μέσῳ, which occurs several times as v.l., s. B-D-F §19, 1; Mlt-H. 105) abs. into the middle, before (someone) (Appian, Hann. 16 §67, Liby. 14 §59; Jos., Ant. 7, 278) J 8:3; MPol 18:1 and in the middle (Pla., Rep. 558a; Herm. Wr. 4, 3; PLille 1 recto, 5 [259 B.C.]; GrBar 13:4) J 8:9. W. gen. of place (Aeneas Tact. 1529; 1532; TestAbr A 12 p. 90, 21 [Stone p. 28], B 8 p. 113, 3 [St. p. 74]; ParJer 1:2; GrBar 10:2) τῆς θαλάσσης (En 97:7) in the middle of the lake Mk 6:47. τῆς πλατείας through the middle of the street Rv 22:2. ἐν μ. τῆς αὐλῆς in the middle of the courtyard Lk 22:55a; τοῦ τάφου GPt 13:55. ἐν μ. αὐτῆς within it (the city of Jerusalem) Lk 21:21; cp. Dg 12:3; MPol 12:1; 12:2(?). ἐν μ. τοῦ θρόνου καὶ τῶν τεσσάρων ζῴων on the center of the throne and among the four living creatures Rv 5:6a (w. double gen. also between: Appian, Hann. 14 §60, Bell. Civ. 5, 23 §92; Arrian, Anab. 1, 20, 2; 3, 28, 8 al.; Lucian, Fugit. 10 ἐν μ. ἀλαζονείας κ. φιλοσοφίας). ἐν μέσῳ τ. θρόνου around (on every side of) the throne 4:6 (but between the throne and a more remote point: RBrewer, JBL 71, ’52, 227–31).—ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας Hb 2:12 (Ps 21:23); cp. Ac 17:22. κατὰ μέσον (Jos., Bell. 5, 207; SibOr 3, 802 κατὰ μέσσον=‘in the middle’ [of the day]) κατὰ μ. τῆς νυκτός about midnight Ac 16:25 D; 27:27.

ⓒ The neut. μέσον serves as adv. (e.g., Appian, Bell. Civ. 3, 43 §175 μ.=meanwhile) ἦν μέσον ὡς he was in the center of it as MPol 15:2; and is used as prep. w. gen. (B-D-F §215, 3; Rob. 644. Cp. Hdt. 9, 107, 2; Polyb. 8, 25, 1; Epict. 2, 22, 10; LXX, TestSol; TestAbr A 4 p. 80, 31 [Stone p. 8]; JosAs 24:21; Jos., Ant. 6, 65; SibOr 3, 319) μ. τῆς θαλάσσης in the middle of the lake Mt 14:24 v.l.; μ. γενεᾶς σκολιᾶς in the midst of a crooked generation Phil 2:15 (cp. Maximus Tyr. 36, 5a ἐν μέσῳ τῷ σιδηρῷ τούτῳ γένει).

② pert. to a position within a group, without focus on mediate position, among.

ⓐ as adj. ἐκάθητο ὁ Πέτρος μέσος αὐτῶν Peter was sitting among them Lk 22:55 (the point being not as center of attention but inconspicuously in the group; cp. Jos., Ant. 9, 107). μέσος ὑμῶν ἕστηκεν J 1:26 (Jos., Ant. 14, 23). τοῦ πύργου μέσου Hs 9, 8, 2. εἶδον … μέσον αὐτῶν τὸν Παῦλον AcPl Ha 11, 14.

ⓑ as subst. neuter ἀνὰ μέσον τινός (s. ἀνά 1) among someth. Mt 13:25. W. gen. pl. (TestJob 32:6 ἐν μέσῳ τῶν τέκνων σου) in the midst of, among in answer to the questions where and whither (B-D-F §215, 3 app.) Mt 18:2, 20; Mk 9:36; Lk 2:46; 24:36; Ac 1:15; 2:22; 6:15 D; 27:21; Rv 5:6b; cp. 6:6. Of close personal relationship ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν among you = in communion with you Lk 22:27; 1 Th 2:7.—ἐν μ. λύκων among wolves Mt 10:16; Lk 10:3; 2 Cl 5:2.—W. gen. pl. of things (Alciphron 3, 24, 3) Lk 8:7; Rv 1:13; 2:1. ἐκ (τοῦ) μ. from among (X., An. 1, 5, 14b; oracular response in Diod S 9, 3, 2; LXX=מִתּוֹךְ): αἴρειν τι (or τινά) ἐκ (τοῦ) μέσου (τινῶν) Col 2:14; 1 Cor 5:2 (s. αἴρω 3). ἁρπάσαι αὐτὸν ἐκ μ. αὐτῶν Ac 23:10 (s. ἁρπάζω 2a). ἀφορίζειν τοὺς πονηροὺς ἐκ μ. τῶν δικαίων Mt 13:49 (s. ἀφορίζω 1). γίνεσθαι ἐκ μ. 2 Th 2:7 (s. γίνομαι 6b). ἐξέρχεσθαι ἐκ μ. αὐτῶν from among them Ac 17:33; cp. 2 Cor 6:17 (cp. Is 52:11). κύριος λαμβάνει ἑαυτῷ ἔθνος ἐκ μ. ἐθνῶν 1 Cl 29:3 (cp. Dt 4:34).—B. 864. DELG. M-M. EDNT. TW. Sv.

ἀρχή, ῆς, ἡ (Hom.+)

① the commencement of someth. as an action, process, or state of being, beginning, i.e. a point of time at the beginning of a duration.

ⓐ gener. (opp. τέλος; cp. Diod S 16, 1, 1 ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς μέχρι τοῦ τέλους; Ael. Aristid. 30, 24 K.=10 p. 123 D.: ἐξ ἀ. εἰς τέλος; Appian, Bell. Civ. 5, 9, §36; Wsd 7:18) B 1:6; IEph 14:1; IMg 13:1; IRo 1:2, cp. vs. 1. W. gen. foll. (OGI 458, 10 life) ἡμέρας ὀγδόης B 15:8; ἡμερῶν (2 Km 14:26) Hb 7:3; τῶν σημείων first of the signs J 2:11 (ἀ. τοῦ ἡμετέρου δόγματος Orig., C. Cels. 2, 4, 20; cp. Isocr., Paneg. 10:38 Blass ἀλλʼ ἀρχὴν μὲν ταύτην ἐποιήσατο τ. εὐεργεσιῶν, τροφὴν τοῖς δεομένοις εὑρεῖν=but [Athens] made this the starting point of her benefactions: to provide basic needs for livelihood; Pr 8:22; Jos., Ant. 8, 229 ἀ. κακῶν); ὠδίνων Mt 24:8; Mk 13:8; κακῶν ISm 7:2. As the beginning, i.e. initial account, in a book (Ion of Chios [V B.C.] 392 Fgm. 24 Jac. [=Leurini no. 114] ἀρχὴ τοῦ λόγου; Polystrat. p. 28; Diod S 17, 1, 1 ἡ βύβλος τὴν ἀ. ἔσχε ἀπὸ …; Ael. Aristid. 23, 2 K.=42 p. 768 D.: ἐπʼ ἀρχῇ τοῦ συγγράμματος; Diog. L. 3, 37 ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς Πολιτείας; cp. Sb 7696, 53; 58 [250 A.D.]) ἀ. τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Ἰ. Χ. Beginning of the gospel of J. C. Mk 1:1 (cp. Hos 1:2 ἀ. λόγου κυρίου πρὸς Ὡσηέ; s. RHarris, Exp. 8th ser., 1919, 113–19; 1920, 142–50; 334–50; FDaubanton, NThSt 2, 1919, 168–70; AvanVeldhuizen, ibid., 171–75; EEidem, Ingressen til Mkevangeliet: FBuhl Festschr. 1925, 35–49; NFreese, StKr 104, ’32, 429–38; AWikgren, JBL 61, ’42, 11–20 [ἀρχή=summary]; LKeck, NTS 12, ’65/66, 352–70). ἀ. τῆς ὑποστάσεως original commitment Hb 3:14. ἀρχὴν ἔχειν w. gen. of the inf. begin to be someth. IEph 3:1. ἀρχὴν λαμβάνειν begin (Polyb.; Aelian, VH 2, 28; 12, 53; Diog. L., Prooem. 3, 4; Sext. Emp., Phys. 1, 366; Philo, Mos. 1, 81) λαλεῖσθαι to be proclaimed at first Hb 2:3; cp. IEph 19:3.—W. prep. ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς from the beginning (Paus. 3, 18, 2; SIG 741, 20; UPZ 160, 15 [119 B.C.]; BGU 1141, 44; JosAs 23:4; Jos., Ant. 8, 350; 9, 30) J 6:64 v.l.; 15:27; 1J 2:7, 24; 3:11; 2J 5f; Ac 26:4; MPol 17:1; Hs 9, 11, 9; Dg 12:3. οἱ ἀπʼ ἀ. αὐτόπται those who fr. the beginning were eyewitnesses Lk 1:2. Also ἐξ ἀρχῆς (Diod. Sic. 18, 41, 7; Appian, Bell. Civ. 5, 45 [189]; SIG 547, 9; 634, 4; UPZ 185 II 5; PGen 7, 8; BGU 1118, 21; Jos., Bell. 7, 358) J 6:64; 16:4; 1 Cl 19:2; Pol 7:2; Dg 2:1. πάλιν ἐξ ἀ. (Ael. Aristid. 21, 10 K.=22 p. 443 D.; SIG 972, 174) again fr. the beginning (=afresh, anew; a common expr., Renehan ’75, 42) B 16:8. ἐν ἀρχῇ (Diod S 19, 110, 5; Palaeph. p. 2, 3; OGI 56, 57; PPetr II, 37, 2b verso, 4; PTebt 762, 9; POxy 1151, 15; BGU 954, 26; ViHab 14 [p. 87, 4 Sch.]) at the beginning, at first Ac 11:15; AcPlCor 2:4. ἐν ἀ. τοῦ εὐαγγελίου when the gospel was first preached Phil 4:15; sim., word for word, w. ref. to beg. of 1 Cor: 1 Cl 47:2.—τὴν ἀ. J 8:25, as nearly all the Gk. fathers understood it, is emphatically used adverbially=ὅλως at all (Plut., Mor. 115b; Dio Chrys. 10 [11], 12; 14 [31], 5; 133; Lucian, Eunuch. 6 al.; Ps.-Lucian, Salt. 3; POxy 472, 17 [c. 130 A.D.]; Philo, Spec. Leg. 3, 121; Jos., Ant. 1, 100; 15, 235 al.; as a rule in neg. clauses, but the negation can inhere in the sense: 48th letter of Apollonius of Tyana [Philostrat. I 356, 17]; Philo, Abrah. 116, Decal. 89; Ps.-Clem., Hom. 6, 11; without art. ApcSed 10:3; cp. Hs 2:5 cj. by W., endorsed by Joly; s. Field, Notes, 93f) τὴν ἀ. ὅτι καὶ λαλῶ ὑμῖν (how is it) that I even speak to you at all? But s. B-D-F §300, 2. More prob. the mng. is somewhat as follows: What I said to you from the first (so NT in Basic English; sim. REB et al.; cp. τὴν ἀρχήν ‘at the beginning’ Thu 2, 74, 2; s. also RFunk, HTR 51, ’58, 95–100; B-D-F §300, 2, but appeal to P⁶⁶ is specious, s. EMiller, TZ 36, ’80, 261).

ⓑ beginning, origin in the abs. sense (ἀ. τῆς τῶν πάντων ὑποστάσεως Orig. C. Cels. 6, 65, 4) ἀ. πάντων χαλεπῶν Pol 4:1; ἀ. κακῶν ISm 7:2 (cp. 1 Ti 6:10, which has ῥίζα for ἀ., and s. e.g. Ps 110:10; Sir 10:13); ἀ. κόσμου B 15:8; ἀ. πάντων PtK 2, p. 13, 21. ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς fr. the very beginning (Is 43:13; Wsd 9:8; 12:11; Sir 24:9 al.; PsSol 8:31; GrBar 17:2) Mt 19:4, 8; J 8:44; 1J 1:1 (of the Hist. beg. of Christianity: HWendt, D. Johannesbriefe u. d. joh. Christent. 1925, 31f; HWindisch, Hdb. ad loc.; difft. HConzelmann, RBultmann Festschr., ’54, 194–201); 3:8; 2 Th 2:13; ὁ ἀπʼ ἀ. 1J 2:13f; Dg 11:4; οἱ ἀπʼ ἀ. those at the very beginning, the first people 12:3; τὰ ἀπʼ ἀ. γενόμενα 1 Cl 31:1; ἀπʼ ἀ. κτίσεως Mk 10:6; 13:19; 2 Pt 3:4 (on ἀ. κτίσεως cp. En 15:9); ἀπʼ ἀ. κόσμου Mt 24:21. Also ἐξ ἀ. (X., Mem. 1, 4, 5; Ael. Aristid. 43, 9 K.=1 p. 3 D. [of the existence of Zeus]; TestAbr A 15 p. 96, 11 [Stone p. 40]; B 4 p. 109, 7 [St. p. 66]; Ath., R. 16, p. 67, 18; Philo, Aet. M. 42, Spec. Leg. 1, 300; Did., Gen. 50, 1) Dg 8:11; ἐν ἀ. in the beginning (Simplicius in Epict. p. 104, 2; Did., Gen. 29, 25 al.) J 1:1f; ἐν ἀ. τῆς κτίσεως B 15:3. κατʼ ἀρχάς in the beg. Hb 1:10 (Ps 101:26; cp. Hdt. 3, 153 et al.; Diod S; Plut.; Philo, Leg. All. 3, 92, Det. Pot. Insid. 118; Ps 118:152; Just., D. 2, 3).

② one with whom a process begins, beginning fig., of pers. (Gen 49:3 Ῥουβὴν σὺ ἀρχὴ τέκνων μου; Dt 21:17): of Christ Col 1:18. W. τέλος of God or Christ Rv 1:8 v.l.; 21:6; 22:13 (Hymn to Selene 35 ἀ. καὶ τέλος εἶ: Orphica p. 294, likew. PGM 4, 2836; 13, 362; 687; Philo, Plant. 93; Jos., Ant. 8, 280; others in Rtzst., Poim. 270ff and cp. SIG 1125, 7–11 Αἰών, … ἀρχὴν μεσότητα τέλος οὐκ ἔχων, expressed from the perspective of historical beginning).

③ the first cause, the beginning (philos. t.t. ODittrich, D. Systeme d. Moral I 1923, 360a, 369a;—Ael. Aristid. 43, 9 K.=1 p. 3 D.: ἀρχὴ ἁπάντων Ζεύς τε καὶ ἐκ Διὸς πάντα; Jos., C. Ap. 2, 190 God as ἀρχὴ κ. μέσα κ. τέλος τῶν πάντων [contrast SIG 1125, 10f]) of Christ ἡ ἀ. τῆς κτίσεως Rv 3:14; but the mng. beginning=‘first created’ is linguistically probable (s. above 1b and Job 40:19; also CBurney, Christ as the Ἀρχή of Creation: JTS 27, 1926, 160–77). [ὁ γὰ]ρ π̣̄ρ̣̄ (=πατὴρ) [ἀρ]|χή ἐ[ς]τ̣[ιν τῶν μ]ελλόν|των for the Father is the source of all who are to come into being in contrast to the προπάτωρ, who is without a beginning Ox 1081, 38f (SJCh 91, 1 ἀρχή; on the context, s. WTill, TU 60/5, ’55 p. 57).

④ a point at which two surfaces or lines meet, corner (from the perspective of an observer the object appears to begin at that point), pl. corners of a sheet Ac 10:11; 11:5 (cp. Hdt. 4, 60; Diod S 1, 35, 10).

⑤ a basis for further understanding, beginning τὰ στοιχεῖα τῆς ἀ. elementary principles Hb 5:12 (perh. w. an element of gentle satire: ‘the discrete items or ABC’s that compose the very beginning [of divine instructions]’; cp. MKiley, SBLSP 25, ’86, 236–45, esp. 239f). ὁ τῆς ἀ. τοῦ Χ. λόγος elementary Christian teaching 6:1.

⑥ an authority figure who initiates activity or process, ruler, authority (Aeschyl., Thu. et al.; ins; pap, e.g. PHal 1, 226 μαρτυρείτω ἐπὶ τῇ ἀρχῇ καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ δικαστηρίῳ; Gen 40:13, 21; 41:13; 2 Macc 4:10, 50 al., s. Magie 26; so as a loanw. in rabb. ἀ. = νόμιμος ἐπιστασία Did., Gen. 60, 9) w. ἐξουσία Lk 20:20; pl. (Oenomaus in Eus., PE 6, 7, 26 ἀρχαὶ κ. ἐξουσίαι; 4 Macc 8:7; Jos., Ant. 4, 220) Lk 12:11; Tit 3:1; MPol 10:2 (αἱ ἀρχαί can also be the officials as persons, as those who took part in the funeral procession of Sulla: Appian, Bell. Civ. 1, 106 §497.—The same mng. 2, 106 §442; 2, 118 §498 al. Likewise Diod S 34+35 Fgm. 2, 31).—Also of angelic or transcendent powers, since they were thought of as having a political organization (Damascius, Princ. 96 R.) Ro 8:38; 1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21; 3:10; 6:12; Col 1:16; 2:10, 15; AcPl Ha 1, 7. Cp. TestJob 49, 2; Just., D. 120, 6 end.

⑦ the sphere of one’s official activity, rule, office (Diod S 3, 53, 1; Appian, Bell. Civ. 1, 13 §57; Jos., C. Ap. 2, 177, Ant. 19, 273), or better domain, sphere of influence (Diod S 17, 24, 2; Appian, Syr. 23 §111; Arrian, Anab. 6, 29, 1; Polyaen. 8:55; Procop. Soph., Ep. 139) of angels Jd 6. Papias (4 v.l. for ἄρχω).—S. the lit. on ἄγγελος and HSchlier, Mächte u. Gewalten im NT: ThBl 9, 1930, 289–97.—144–50 (‘Archai’). EDNT. DELG s.v. ἄρχω D. M-M. TW. Sv.