A.leg from the hip downwards, only once in Hom., πρυμνὸν σκέλος the ham or buttock, Il.16.314; “κάμηλος ἐν τοῖσι ὀπισθίοισι ς. ἔχει τέσσερας μηροὺς καὶ γούνατα τέσσερα” Hdt.3.103, cf. 7.61,88; “τὰ σκέλη τε καὶ τὰ ἰσχία πρὸς τὴν γῆν ἐρείσας” Pl.Phdr.254e, cf. Arist.HA494a4; of dancers, τὸ ς. ῥίψαντες, αἴρειν, Ar.Pax332, Ec.265; “ς. οὐράνιον ἐκλακτίζων” Id.V.1492, cf. 1526; οὐρανῷ σκέλη προφαίνων, of one thrown head foremost, S.El.753; βαδιοῦνται ἐπὶ δυοῖν σκελοῖν, ἐφ᾽ ἑνὸς πορεύσονται σκέλους, Pl.Smp.190d; ὁ δεινός, ὁ ταλαύρινος, ὁ κατὰ τοῖν σκελοῖν he with the legs, the strider, Ar. Pax 241 (but expld. by Sch. ἀπὸ τῶν διὰ δειλίαν ἀποτιλώντων, cf. Men. Per.18); dual, “τὼ σκέλει” Ar.Pax325,al., cf. Luc.Tim.26, Anach. 1; σκέλε (i.e. prob. σκέλει）“ δύο” IG22.1388.24, cf. 1502.5; but σκέλη (pl.) δύο in Att. Inscrr. from 390 B.C., ib.1425.15, cf. 57, etc.; and so “τὰ ς.” Luc.Ind.9: sg., leg of sacrificial victim, IG12.190.32, al.,42(1).40.10 (Epid., v B.C.).
2. as a military phrase, ἐπὶ σκέλος πάλιν χωρεῖν, ἀνάγειν, retreat with the face towards the enemy, retire leisurely, E.Ph.1400, Ar.Av.383; cf. “πούς” 1.6b.
3. κατὰ σκέλος βαδίζειν, of the lion and the camel, with the hind foot following the fore on the same side (not crosswise), Arist.HA498b7, cf. 629b14.
4. παρὰ σκέλος ἀπαντᾷ it meets one across, i.e. crosses one's path, thwarts one, Arr.Epict.2.12.2 (v.l. π. μέλος).
II. metaph., τὰ ς. the legs, i.e. the two long walls connecting Athens with Piraeus, Str.9.1.15, Plu.Cim.13; τὰ μακρὰ ς. D.S.13.107, Plu.Lys.14; of the long walls between Megara and Nisaea, τὰ Μεγαρικὰ ς. Ar.Lys.1170; between Corinth and Lechaeum, Str.8.6.22.
b. side-wall of a temple, SIG 247 K1 iii 3, 11 (Delph., iv B.C.); of other structures, PPetr.3p.88 (iii B.C.), etc.
2. side-poles or frames of an engine, Orib.49.4.4.
3. tails of a surgical bandage, Heliod. ap. Orib.48.20.5; of the ends of the Persian head-dress, Plu.2.820d.
