A.whole compounded of several parts or members, system, Pl.Epin.991e, Arist.GA740a20; of the composite whole of soul and body, Epicur.Ep.1p.21U.; “τὸ ὅλον ς. τοῦ σώματος” D.H. Rh.10.6.
b. in literary sense, composition, ἐποποιικὸν ς. [πραγμάτων] Arist.Po.1456a11; λυρικὰ ς. SIG660.3 (Delph., ii B.C.); “τέχνη ἐστὶ ς. ἐκ καταλήψεων συγγεγυμνασμένων” Zeno Stoic.1.21, cf. Arr.Epict.1.20.5; of the syllogism, S.E.P.2.173.
2. organized government, constitution, Pl.Lg. 686b, Arist.EN1168b32; “ς. δημοκρατίας” Plb.2.38.6, cf. 6.10.14; τὸ ἐκ θεῶν καὶ σοφῶν ς. Diog.Bab.Stoic.3.241; confederacy, “ς. τῶν Ἀχαιῶν” Plb.2.41.15, cf. 9.28.2; τὸ Ἀμφικτιονικὸν ς. SIG761 A 16 (Delph., i B.C.), Delph.3(1).480.16; band of partisans, J.AJ20.9.4; ς. τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν, of a Jewish community, Id.Ap.1.7:—it seems to have meant also a company or guild, CIG2508 (Cos, Dor. σύστα-μα ), 2562 (Hierapytna), 2699 (Mylasa); or a committee, τῆς γερουσίας ib.2930 (Tralles).
3. body of soldiers, corps, usu. of a definite number, like τάγμα, σύνταγμα, ς. μισθοφόρων, ἱππέων, etc., Plb.1.81.11, 30.25.8, etc.; but τὸ τῆς φάλαγγος ς. the phalanx itself, Id.5.53.3.
b. a boat's crew, Alciphr.1.8.
5. college of priests or magistrates, Id.21.13.11, Str.17.1.29, etc.; of the Roman Senate, Plu. Rom.13, cf. Lib.Or.11.146.
6. in Music, system of intervals, scale, Pl.Phlb.17d; ς. ἐναρμόνια, ὀκτάχορδα, Aristox.Harm.p.2 M., cf. Ph.1.10, Plu.2.1142f, Cleonid.Harm.1.
b. strain, Jul.Caes. 315c.
7. in Metre, metrical system, as in Anapaestics, Heph. Poë.3.
8. Medic., accumulation of sediment, Hp.Epid.7.83; τὰ τῶν ὑδάτων ς. LXX Ge.1.10 (v.l. συστέματα), cf. Ezek.Exag.134, Sotion p.183 W.
9. Medic., the pulse-beats taken collectively, Gal.9.279.
10. machine, apparatus, Apollod.Poliorc.138.13.--The word first occurs in Hp. and Pl., but is chiefly used in later Prose.