A.wild animal, esp. of such as are hunted, μάλα γὰρ μέγα θηρίον ἦεν, of a stag, Od.10.171, 180 (never in Il.); in Trag. only in Satyric drama, S.Ichn.147 (dub. in A.Fr.26): used in Prose for θήρ, X.An.1.2.7, Isoc.12.163, etc.; of the spider's prey, Arist.HA623a27; freq. of elephants, Plb.11.1.12, al.: pl., beasts, opp. men, birds, and fishes, h.Ven.4, Hdt.3.108.
2. generally, animal, Id.1.119; “νενόμισται πῦρ θ. εἶναι ἔμψυχον” Id.3.16; of men, “ἄνθρωπος πάντων θ. θεειδέστατον” Antipho Soph.48; “εἰς θηρίου βίον ἀφικνεῖσθαι” Pl.Phdr.249b; also “θ. ὕειον” Id.R.535e; of the dog, Theoc.25.79; of fishes, Arist.HA598b1; of eels, Antiph.147.7; of leeches, IG4.951.101 (Epid.); of other small creatures, Arist.HA 552b11, 625b32, Hp. ap. Gal.19.103, Theoc.19.6; “οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν θ. τῶν ἰχθύων ἀτυχέστερον” Antiph.161.1; opp. plants, Pl.Smp.188b: prov., ἢ θηρίον ἢ θεός, either above or below the nature of man, Arist. Pol.1253a29, cf. EN1145a25.
3. beast, esp. as hostile and odious to man, θηρία τε καὶ βοτά carnivora and graminivora, Pl.Mx.237d; monster, creature, of sharks, etc., Hdt.6.44; of Typhon, etc., Pl. Phdr.230a, R.588e; of the Satyrs, S.Ichn. l.c.; ταυτὶ ποδαπὰ τὰ θ.; Ar.Nu.184, cf. Av.93.
b. poisonous animal, Dsc.1.75, Act.Ap. 28.4.
III. as a term of reproach, beast, creature, “ὦ δειλότατον σὺ θηρίον” Ar.Pl.439, cf. Eq.273; “κόλακι, δεινῷ θηρίῳ” Pl.Phdr.240b; “Κρῆτες, κακὰ θ.” Epimenid.1; δυσνουθέτητον θ., of poverty, Men. Georg.78; “ἡ μουσικὴ ἀεί τι καινὸν θηρίον τίκτει” Anaxil.27, cf. Eup.132; τί δέ, εἰ αὐτοῦ τοῦ θηρίου ἠκούσατε; said by Aeschines of Demosthenes, Plin.Ep.2.3.10; θ. συνεστιώμενον, of woman, Secund. Sent.8.
IV. Astron., the constellation Lupus, Eudox. ap. Hipparch. 1.2.20, Vett. Val.6.13.
