A.wrestling against: hence, antagonist, rival, “κράτος ἀ.” A.Pr.528 (lyr.); “ἀ. θεοῖς” E.Ba.544 (lyr.): c.gen., “μένος γήραος ἀντίπαλον” Pi.O.8.71; “γοητείας φάρμακον ἀ.” AP10.50 (Pall.):—Subst. ἀντίπαλος, ὁ, antagonist, rival, adversary, Pi.N.11.26, S.Ant.126 (lyr.): mostly in pl., Hdt.7.236, Ar.Ra.365.1027, Pl. Alc.1.119e, al.; cf. “φθόνος πρὸς τὸ ἀ.” Th.2.45, etc.; “ὁ δ᾽ ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τἀντίπαλον” E.Ba.278 (dub.).
2. of things, nearly matched, nearly balanced, “ἀπὸ ἀ. παρασκευῆς” Th.1.91; “ἀ. τριήρης” equally large, Id.4.120; “ἀ. τινι” Id.1.11, Pl.Mx.240a; “γνῶμαι μάλιστα ἀ. πρὸς ἀλλήλας” Th.3.49; ἀ. δέος fear caused by the balance of the power of the parties, mutual fear, ib.11; ἀ. ποιναί adequate punishment, E.IT446; ἤθεα ἀ. [τῇ πόλει] habits corresponding to . ., Th.261; “ὑμεναίων γόος ἀ.” E. Alc.922; ἀντίπαλόν τι τῆς ναυμαχίας a point where the action was evenly balanced, Th.7.71, cf. 38, Lys.2.38; ἀντίπαλα καταστῆσαι bring to a state of balance, Th.4.117; εἰς ἀ. καταστῆναι to be in such state, Id.7.13. Adv. “-λως” Id.8.87: also neut. pl., “ναυμαχήσαντες ἀντίπαλα” Id.7.34.