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κάλα^μος [κα^], ὁ,
A.reed, used for thatching or wattling, Hdt.5.101, al., Th.2.76; for wreaths, “κ. λευκός” Ar.Nu.1006 (anap.); for bedding, Plu.Lyc.16; for fuel, PCair.Zen.85 (iii B.C.); various species, κ. εὐώδης, ἀρωματικός, sweet flag, Acorus Calamus, Thphr.HP4.8.4, 9.7.1, Od.33, Dsc.1.18; κ. αὐλητικός pole-reed, Arundo Donax, Thphr.HP4.11.1, 9; κ. εἰλετίας marram, Ammophila arundinacea, ib.13; κ. ἐπίγειος bush-grass, Calamagrostis epigeios, ibid.; κ. Ἰνδικός bamboo, Bambusa arundinacea, ibid., Dsc.5.92, PLond.2.191.11 (ii A.D.), Gp.2.6.23, cf. Hdt.3.98; κ. Ἰνδικὸς ὁ ἄρρην male bamboo, Dendrocalamus strictus, Thphr.HP4.11.13; κ. κύπριος, = δόναξ, Asclep. ap.Gal.12.414; κ. πλόκιμος spear-grass, Phragmites communis, Thphr.HP4.11.1; κ. Χαρακίας, Arundo Donax, ibid.
II. applied to various uses,
1. reed-pipe, flute, Pi.O.10(11).84, N.5.38, E. El.702 (lyr.), IT1126 (lyr.).
2. fishing-rod, Pl.Com.11, Theoc. 21.43, Luc.DMort.27.9; “κ. ἁλιευτικός” Arist.PA693a23.
3. limed twig used by fowlers, BionFr.10.5, Aesop.171, 296.
4. shaft of an arrow, Ptol.Alm.7.5; made of κ. τοξικός, or Κρητικός, Thphr.HP4.11.11.
5. reed-pen, LXXPs.44(45).1, 3 Ep.Jo.13, Plu.Dem.29, Luc. Hist.Conscr.38; “κάλαμοι γραφικοί” PGrenf.2.38.7 (i B.C.); “κ. γραφεῖς” Poll.10.61.
6. measuring-rod, Apoc.11.1, al.: hence, a definite measure, IG9(1).61.50 (Daulis, ii A.D.); = 5 πήχεις, Hero *Geom.4.11; = 6 2/3 πήχεις, ib.23.13.
7. Medic., tube for insufflation, Aret. CA1.9, Asclep. ap. Gal.12.985; for fumigation, Dsc.Eup.1.56; for extraction, Cels.7.5.2; also, splint, Pall.in Hp.Fract.12.282 C.
8. ornament of female dress, AP6.292 (Hedyl.).
9. stake to which vines were tied, PFlor.369.4 (ii A.D.), Jul.Or.3.125b, etc.
III. collectively,
1. reed, i.e. reeds, Arist.Mete.359b1, POxy.742.2 (i B.C.), etc.: in pl., reed-beds, Plb.3.71.4.
2. of plants, which are neither shrub nor bush (ὕλη), nor tree (δένδρον), X.An.1.5.1.
3. mat of reeds, Pl.R.372b; roof of reeds (Coan), Hsch.
IV. = καλάμη, stalk of wheat, X.Oec.18.2.
V. ὁ κ. τοῦ σκέλους the shinbone, Sch.Luc.VH1.23.
VI. ticket for obtaining corn-rations, = tessera frumentaria, Gloss. (Cf. Lat. culmus, OHG. halm, etc.)
Henry George Liddell. Robert Scott. A Greek-English Lexicon. revised and augmented throughout by. Sir Henry Stuart Jones. with the assistance of. Roderick McKenzie. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1940.

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  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (16):
    • Euripides, Electra, 702
    • Euripides, Iphigeneia in Taurus, 1126
    • Herodotus, Histories, 5.101
    • Herodotus, Histories, 3.98
    • Plato, Republic, 372b
    • Thucydides, Histories, 2.76
    • Xenophon, Anabasis, 1.5.1
    • Xenophon, Economics, 18.2
    • Polybius, Histories, 3.71.4
    • Aristophanes, Clouds, 1006
    • Aretaeus, De curatione acutorum morborum libri duo, 1.9
    • Plutarch, Demosthenes, 29
    • Plutarch, Lycurgus, 16
    • Lucian, Quomodo historia conscribenda sit, 38
    • Lucian, Dialogi mortuorum, 27.9
    • Bion of Phlossa, Fragmenta, 10.5
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