A.missile, esp. arrow, dart, freq. in Hom.; of the piece of rock hurled by the Cyclops, “τόντονδε βαλὼν β.” Od.9.495; of an ox's leg thrown by one of the suitors at Ulysses, 20.305; of a stool, 17.464; ὑπὲκ βελέων out of the reach of darts, out of shot, Il.4.465; “ἐκ βελέων” 11.163; “ἔξω βελῶν” X.Cyr.3.3.69, etc.; “ἔξω βέλους” Arr.An. 2.27.1, Luc.Hist.Conscr.4; opp. ἐντὸς βέλους, D.S.20.6, Arr.An. 1.2.5; εἴσω β. παρελθεῖν ib.1.6.8.
2. used of any weapon, as a sword, Ar.Ach.345, cf. S.Aj.658; an axe, E.El.1159; the sting of a scorpion, A.Fr.169; of the gad-fly, Id.Supp.556.
3. ἀγανὰ βέλεα of Apollo, Il.24.759, Od.3.280, and of Artemis, ib.5.124, denote sudden, easy death of men and women respectively; βέλος ὀξύ, of Ilithyia, pangs of childbirth, Il.11.269, cf. Theoc.27.29.
4. after Hom. of anything swift-darting, Διὸς βέλη the bolts of Zeus, lightnings, Pi.N.10.8, cf. Hdt.4.79, etc.; “Ζηνὸς ἄγρυπνον β.” A.Pr.360; πύρπνουν β. ib.917; βέλεσι πυρπνόου ζάλης, of a storm, ib.373; “πάγων δύσομβρα β.” S.Ant.358: metaph., ὀμμάτων β. glance of the eye, A.Ag. 742; φίλοικτον β. a piteous glance, ib. 241 (lyr.); ἱμέρου β. the shaft of love, Id.Pr.649; “θυμοῦ βέλη” S.OT893 (s.v.l.); of arguments, “πᾶν τετόξευται β.” A.Eu.679, cf. Pl.Phlb.23b; β. τὰ ἀπὸ τοῦ στόματος, of invective, Lib.Or.51.8; of mental anguish or fear, “ἄτλατον β.” Pi.N. 1.48 (v.l. δέος)“ ὁ φθόνος αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἑοῖς βελέεσσι δαμάζει” AP10.111.