A.saviour, deliverer, c. gen. of person etc. saved, ς. ἀνθρώπων, νηῶν, h.Hom.22.5, 33.6; “τῆς Ἑλλάδος” Hdt. 7.139; “ἑστίας πατρός” A.Ch.264; but also c. gen. rei, [νόσου], κακῶν, βλάβης, a preserver from disease, ills, hurt, S.OT304, E. Med.360 (anap.), Heracl.640; c. dat., “ς. τῇ πόλει καὶ νῷν φανείς” Ar.Eq.149; ς. δόμοις. Id.Nu.1161; of a philosopher or guide, “ὁδηγόν . . ὅν φησι σωτῆρα μόνον” Phld.Lib.p.20 O.; esp. of Epicurus, “ὁ ς. ὁ ἡμέτερος” Polystr.Herc.346p.80V.
2. epith. of Ζεύς, Pi.O. 5.17, Fr.30.5, IG22.410.18 (iv B.C.), etc.; to whom persons after a safe voyage offered sacrifice, Diph.43.24; there was often a temple of Ζεὺς Σ. at harbours, e.g. the Piraeus, Str.9.1.15; to Ζεὺς Σωτήρ the third cup of wine was dedicated, “τρίτον Σωτῆρι σπένδειν” Pi.I.6(5).8; “τρίτην Διὸς Σωτῆρος εὐκταίαν λίβα” A.Fr.55; “Ζεῦ σῶτερ” Ar.Th. 1009, Din.1.36; “ὦ Ζεῦ σῶτερ” Philem.79.21, Men.532.2; to drink this cup became a symbol of good luck, and the third time came to mean the lucky time, τρίτος ἦλθέ ποθεν--σωτῆρ᾽ ἢ μόρον εἴπω; A.Ch. 1073 (anap.); whence the proverb τὸ τρίτον τῷ σωτῆρι the third (i.e. the lucky) time, Pl.R.583b, Phlb.66d, Chrm.167a; and Zeus was himself called “τρίτος ς., Παλλάδος καὶ Λοξίου ἕκατι καὶ τοῦ πάντα κραίν οντος τρίτου σωτῆρος” A.Eu.760, cf. Supp.26 (anap.).
b. epith. of other gods, as of Apollo, Id.Ag.512, etc.; of Hermes, Id.Ch.2; of Asclepios, IG4.718 (Hermione), 7.2808 (Hyettus, iii A.D.), BMus. Cat.Coins Pontus p.156 (Nicaea); “ς. εὐρυχόρου Λακεδαίμονος” Isyll. 82; “τὸν ς. τῶν ὅλων Ἀσκληπιόν” Jul.Or.4.153b; “Ζεὺς Ἀσκληπιὸς ς. τῶν ὅλων” Aristid.Or.42(6).4; of the Dioscuri, IG12(3).422 (Thera, iii B.C.), 14.2406.108 (Tarentum), etc.; even with fem. deities, Τύχη σωτήρ, for σώτειρα, A.Ag.664, S.OT81: generally, of guardian or tutelary gods, Hdt.8.138, A.Supp.982, S.Ph.738; “τοῖς ἀποτροπαίοις καὶ σωτῆρσι” X.HG3.3.4.
3. applied to rulers, διὰ σέ, βασιλεῦ (viz. Ptolemy IV Philopator), τὸν πάντων κοινὸν ς. PEnteux. 11.6 (iii B.C.); Πτολεμαῖος Σ. OGI19.1, al.; Ἀντίοχος Σ. ib.233.3, al.; of Roman Emperors or governors, ib.668.3 (Egypt, i A.D.), PLond.1.177.24 (i A.D.), etc.
II. in Poets, as Adj., “ς. ναὸς πρότονος” A.Ag.897, cf. Pi.Fr. 159; with a fem. noun, γονῆς σωτῆρος (as Herm. for γυνή) A. Th. 225; τιμαὶ σωτῆρες the office or prerogative of saving, of the Dioscuri, E.El.993 (anap.).
III. name of a month created by Caligula, BGU1078 (38 A.D.), PRyl.2.149 (39/40 A.D.), etc.
