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πλῆθος , εος, τό, Dor. and Arc. πλῆθος Schwyzer 84.8, al. (Argive, found in Crete, v B.C.), IG5(2).6.20 (Tegea, iv B.C.), etc.; Boeot. πλεῖθος ib.7.3171.46 (Orchom. Boeot.); pseudo-Dor. and pseudo-Aeol. πλᾶθος GDI5176.21 (Crete), IGRom.4.1302.18 (Cyme, i B.C./ i A.D.), Hippod. ap. Stob.4.1.93: (πλήθω,
A.v. πίμπλημι):—great number, multitude, esp. of people, Il.17.330, Hdt.7.49, etc.; στρατοῦ π., periphr. for στρατὸς πολύς, Id.9.73; ὡς πλήθει for the mass of men, Pl.R.389d.
2. τὸ π. the greater number, the mass, main body, “τὸ π. τοῦ στρατοῦ” Hdt.1.82, cf. 5.92; τὸ π. τῆς ψυχῆς the largest part of . . , Pl.Lg.689a: as Noun of Multitude with pl. Verb, “Ἀθηναίων τὸ π. οἴονται” Th.1.20; τὸ π. ἐψηφίσαντο πολεμεῖν the majority, ib.125, cf. X.Cyr.2.4.20; τῷ π. by a majority, Berl.Sitzb.1927.8 (Locr., v B.C.): hence, people, population, “σμικρὸν τὸ π. τῆσδε γῆς” E.Ph.715.
b. the commons, Th. 1.9, etc.; “ἡ τοῦ π. ἀρχή, δημοκρατία τοὔνομα κληθεῖσα” Pl.Plt.291d; “ἐς τὸ π. φέρειν τὸ κράτος” Hdt.3.81: freq. of the popular assembly, τὸ ὑμέτερον π., τὸ π. τὸ ὑμέτερον, Lys.12.42, Pl.Ap.31c; Ἐρυθραίων τῷ π., Ἀθηναίων τοῦ π., IG12.10.21, 22; = Lat. plebs, Plb.6.15.11, D.S.12.25, D.H.4.71; also, association, corporation, or guild, “τὸ π. τὸ Ἁλιαδᾶν” IG 12(1).155.6, 156.5 (Rhodes); “τὸ τῶν Πανιαστῶν π.” IGRom.4.1680(Pergam.); “τὸ π. τῶν ἱερέων” OGI56.24 (Canopus, iii B.C.); “π. τῶν ἁλιέων” PSI5.498.2 (iii B.C.); “τὸ π. τῶν μαχαιροφόρων” OGI737 (Memphis, ii B.C.); opp. αἱ ἀρχαί, οἱ ὀλίγοι, Th.5.84; but also, populace, mob, opp. δῆμος (commons), X.Ath.2.18, App.BC1.10: also in pl., πείθειν τὰ π. the masses, Pl.Grg.452e, cf. Sph.268b; “ὃ πᾶσι . . σωτήριον, μάλιστα δὲ τοῖς π. πρὸς τοὺς τυράννους” D.6.24; “φιλόσοφον . . π. ἀδύνατον εἶναι” Pl.R.494a.
II. quantity or number, “πόσον π. ἦν νεῶν Ἑλληνίδων;” A.Pers.334; “τῆς σῆς δυνάμεως τί φῂς π. εἶναι;” X.Cyr.2.1.6; “ὅμιλος πλήθει φοβερώτατος” Th.2.98; “ἰσχύϊ καὶ πλήθει προέχων” Id.3.74; “τῷ π. αὐτῶν καταπλαγέντες” Id.4.10; “πλήθεϊ πολλοί” Hdt.3.11, cf. 6.44; “σὺν πλήθει χερῶν” S.OT123; “πλήθει παρόντες” in force, Th.8.22: abs. in acc., “κόσοι πλῆθος” Hdt.1.153; “πόσοι τὸ π.;” Diph.17.1; “ἐρέται . . π. ἀνάριθμοι” A.Pers.40 (anap.); “π. ὡς δισχίλιοι” X.An.4.2.2; “ἄπειρα τὸ π.” Id.Mem.1.1.14; “ἄπειρα καὶ π. καὶ σμικρότητα” Anaxag.1; “π. τι πάμπολυ φθειρῶν” IG42(1).122.45, cf. 32 (Epid., iv B.C.).
III. magnitude, size, or extent, [“ὄρος] πλήθεϊ μέγιστον καὶ μεγάθεϊ ὑψηλότατον” Hdt.1.203; πεδίον πλῆθος ἄπειρον ib.204; “ἡ ἐρῆμος . . ἐοῦσα πλῆθος ἑπτὰ ἡμερέων ὁδοῦ” Id.4.123; “π. χώρας καὶ ἀνθρώπων” X.An.1.5.9.
2. in Att., of quantity or amount, “διὰ π. τῆς ζημίας” Th.3.70; “χρημάτων π.” Id.1.9; “διὰ πλῆθος οὐσίας” Pl.R.591e, cf. Arist.Pol.1279a19; “ταῦτα οὐδέν ἐστι πλήθει οὐδὲ μεγέθει πρὸς ἐκεῖνα” Pl.R.614a; “μετὰ πλήθους ἱδρῶτος” multa sudans, Id.Ti.84e; “τὸ π. τοῦ ῥεύματος” Plb.1.75.5; τὸ παρακείμενον π. the amount entered against each, Ostr.Bodl.i 252 (ii B.C.); of money, “τὸ ἴσον π.” TAM2.526 (Pinara): in pl., quantities, “ἐμβρύων” Cratin.326; “θαυμαστὸν ὅσ᾽ ἐστ᾽ ἀγαθῶν π.” Mnesim.4.51 (anap.); “οἰκοδομημάτων πλήθεσι ἢ μεγέθεσι” D.C.52.30, cf. 10.
3. more than enough, “π. φέρειν” LXXEx.36.5.
4. plurality, opp. ἕν, Dam.Pr.45.
IV. of Time, length, “χρόνου” Th.1.1, Pl.Tht.158d, Isoc.12.180; “π. ἐτῶν” Ar.Nu.855; “πλήθει πολλῶν μηνῶν” S.Ph.722(lyr.).
V. with Preps., or Advbs., “ἐς π.” in great numbers, Th.1.14; κατὰ πλῆθος a large number at a time, IG12.6.112; “ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ π.” usually, mostly, Pl.Phdr.275b; “ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ π. εἰπεῖν” Arist.GA786a35; “κατὰ π.” D.H.6.67.
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 (57):
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