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σοφ-ίζω ,
A.make wise, instruct, LXX Ps.18(19).8; “τινὰ εἰς σωτηρίαν” 2 Ep.Ti.3.15.
2. Pass., become or be clever or skilled in a thing, c. gen. rei, ναυτιλίης σεσοφισμένος skilled in seamanship, Hes.Op.649; “Μοίσαι σεσοφισμέναι” Ibyc.Oxy.1790.23; so ἐν τοῖς ὀνόμασι ς. X.Cyn. 13.6: abs., to become or be wise, freq. in LXX, Ec.7.24(23), al.; “βέλτερος ἀλκήεντος ἔφυ σεσοφισμένος ἀνήρ” Ps.-Phoc.130.
3. Med., teach oneself, learn, ἐσοφίσατο ὅτι . . he became aware that . ., LXX 1 Ki.3.8.
II. Med. σοφίζομαι , with aor. Med. and pf. Pass. (v. infr.), practise an art, Thgn.19, IG12.678; play subtle tricks, deal subtly, E.IA744, D.18.227, etc.; οὐδὲν σοφιζόμεσθα τοῖσι δαίμοσι we use no subtleties in dealing with the gods, E.Ba.200; to be scientific, speculate, “περὶ τὸ ὄνομα” Pl.R.509d, cf. Plt.299b, Muson.Fr.3p.12H., etc.; σοφιζόμενος φάναι to say rationalistically, Pl.Phdr.229c; καίπερ οὕτω τούτου σεσοφισμένου though he has dealt thus craftily, D.29.28; σοφίσασθαι πρός τι to use fraud for an end, Plb.6.58.12; οἱ ἰητροὶ σοφιζόμενοι ἔστιν οἳ ἁμαρτάνουσι when they deal in subtleties, Hp.Fract. 1; οἱ μυθικῶς σοφ. Arist.Metaph.1000a18, cf. HA582a35, D.35.56; ς. πρὸς τὸν νόμον evade it, Plu.Dem.27.
2. c. acc. rei, devise cleverly or skilfully, Hdt.2.66, 8.27, cf. 1.80; “καινὰς ἰδέας σοφίζεσθαι” Ar.Nu.547; “χαρίεντα καὶ σοφά” Id.Av.1401; ἀλλότρια ς. meddle with other men's craft, Id.Eq.299; with internal acc., ἀνόητα ς. exercise one's skill without νοῦς, Pl.Hp.Ma.283a, cf. X.Mem.1.2.46; “ὅσα . . σοφίζονται πρὸς τὸν δῆμον” Arist.Pol.1297a14; ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸ τοῦτο δεῖ σοφισθῆναι this is the very thing one must gain by craft, S.Ph.77; οἶνον ἀπὸ τῶν φοινίκων ς. make spurious wine, Philostr.VA2.6; “πορφύραν παρὰ τῆς κόχλου” Id.Her.19.15:—Pass., σεσοφισμένοι μῦθοι craftily devised, 2 Ep.Pet.1.16.
b. ς. νόμον evade it, Philostr.VA2.40, cf. Ael.VH2.41, Palaeph.50, OGI383.208 (Commagene, i B.C.).
3. c. acc. pers., deceive, “τὸν Τίτον” J.BJ4.2.3; “μή με σοφίζου” AP12.25 (Stat. Flacc.); “τὸν δῆμον” Hdn.7.10.7; also “ς. τὴν αἴσθησιν” Aret.SD 1.15.
4. 'counter' by a device, “σοφίζεται τὴν βίαν τοῦ μηχανήματος” J.BJ3.7.20.
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 (31):
    • Aristophanes, Birds, 1401
    • Aristophanes, Knights, 299
    • Demosthenes, On the Crown, 227
    • Demosthenes, Against Aphobus, 28
    • Demosthenes, Against Lacritus, 56
    • Euripides, Bacchae, 200
    • Euripides, Iphigeneia in Aulis, 744
    • Herodotus, Histories, 1.80
    • Herodotus, Histories, 2.66
    • Herodotus, Histories, 8.27
    • Hesiod, Works and Days, 649
    • Flavius Josephus, The Jewish War, 3.7.20
    • Flavius Josephus, The Jewish War, 4.2.3
    • New Testament, 2 Peter, 1.16
    • Old Testament, 1 Samuel, 3.8
    • New Testament, 2 Timothy, 3.15
    • Plato, Republic, 509d
    • Plato, Statesman, 299b
    • Plato, Phaedrus, 229c
    • Plato, Greater Hippias, 283a
    • Xenophon, Memorabilia, 1.2.46
    • Xenophon, On Hunting, 13.6
    • Sophocles, Philoctetes, 77
    • Polybius, Histories, 6.58.12
    • Aristophanes, Clouds, 547
    • Hippocrates, De fracturis, 1
    • Aretaeus, De causis et signis acutorum morborum (lib. 2), 1.15
    • Plutarch, Demosthenes, 27
    • Aelian, Varia Historia, 2.41
    • Philostratus the Athenian, Life of Apollonius of Tyana, 2.40
    • Philostratus the Athenian, Life of Apollonius of Tyana, 2.6
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