A.herald, pursuivant: generally, public messenger, envoy, “κ. λιγύφθογγοι” Il.2.50, al.; “κηρύκων, οἳ δημιοεργοὶ ἔασιν” Od.19.135; “κ. Διῒφίλοι” Il.8.517; “κ., Διὸς ἄγγελοι ἠδὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν” 1.334; θεῶν κ., of Hermes, Hes.Op.80, cf.Th.939, A.Ag. 515, Ch.124: distd. from πρέσβεις, as being messengers between nations at war, Sch.Th.1.29, cf. A.Supp.727, Pl.Lg.941a, D.12.4: used interchangeably with ἀπόστολος, Hdt.1.21: as pr.n.of a family at Athens, Th.8.53, And.1.116, Paus.1.38.3, Poll.8.103; functioning as μάγειροι at festivals, Clidem.3, 17; “Κηρυκίδαι” Phot.
b. as fem., Pi.N.8.1, Nonn.D.4.11.
2. crier, who made proclamation and kept order in assemblies, etc., Ar.Ach.42 sq.; “ὁ κ. ἀνεῖπεν” And.1.36, etc.; ὁ τῶν μυστῶν κ., at Eleusis, X.HG2.4.20, cf. SIG845 (Eleusis, iii A.D.), Philostr.VS2.33.4.
3. auctioneer, “ὑπὸ κήρυκος πωλεῖν” Thphr.Fr.97; “ἀπέδοτο πάντα τὰ ἔργα ὑπὸ κήρυκα” IPE12.32B35 (Olbia, iii B.C.), cf. PHib.1.29.21 (iii B.C.); “ἀποδίδοσθαι ὑπὸ κήρυκι” Ammon. Diff.p.81 V. (v.l. ὑπὸ κήρυκα Ptol.Asc.p.399 H.).
4. generally, messenger, herald, “θεοὶ κήρυκες ἀγγέλλουσι” S.OC1511, cf. E.El.347; of the cock, Ar.Ec.30; of writing, Id.Th.780 (anap.); “κ. καὶ τάφος εἰμὶ βροτοῦ” IG14.1618; of Homer, ἡρώων κάρυκ᾽ ἀρετᾶς ib.1188: metaph., “κ. καὶ ἀπόστολος” 1 Ep.Ti.2.7, al.
II. trumpet-shell, e.g. Triton nodiferum, and smaller species, Arist.HA528a10, al., Hp.Vict.2.48, Diocl.Fr.133, Macho ap.Ath.8.349c, Gal.4.670, Alciphr.1.7, Alex. Trall.3.7. [υ_ exc. acc. pl. “κήρυ^κας” Antim.19 (s.v.l.), cf. κηρυ^κιον AP 11.124 (Nicarch.): but accented κῆρυξ, Hdn.Gr.1.44, etc.] (Cf. Skt. kārús 'poet', kīrtis 'fame'.)