I.the fulfilment or completion of anything, Lat. effectus, i.e. its consummation, issue, result, end, Hom., etc.; τ. πολέμου its issue, Il.; τ. ἐπιτιθέναι τινί to put a finish to a thing, i. e. give it effect, id=Il.; τ. ἐπιγίγνεται ἀρῇσι one's prayers are accomplished, Od.:— τέλος ἔχειν to have reached the end, to be finished or ready, Il.; τ. ἔχει δαίμων ὅπα θέλει the deity keeps the result in his own power, Eur.:— τ. λαβεῖν to be completed, Plat.
3.periphr. in various phrases, τέλος θανάτου the point or term of death, Lat. exitus mortis, Hom.; so, τ. γάμοιο ῀ γάμος, Od., etc.
4.Adverbial usages:
a.τέλος at last, Hdt., Thuc.: so, εἰς or ἐς τέλος Hdt.:— διὰ τέλους throughout, for ever, completely, Trag.:— τέλει, Lat. omnino, at all, Soph.
3.perfection, full age, ἀνδρὸς τ. man's full age, man hood, Plat.; τέλος ἔχειν or λαμβάνειν to be grown up, id=Plat.
4.a final decision, determination, Aesch.
5.the prize at games, Pind.
III.supreme authority, Eur., etc.
2.a magistracy, office, οἱ ἐν τέλει men in office, magistrates, Soph., Thuc., etc.; οἱ ἐν τέλει βεβῶτες Soph.:—then, τὸ τέλος the government, Aesch.; τὰ τέλη the magistrates, Thuc., Xen., etc.
IV.a body of soldiers, Il.; ἐν τελέεσσιν in squadrons, Il.; so, κατὰ τέλεα Hdt.: —δίρρυμα τέλη troops of chariots, Aesch.; and of ships, τρία τέλη τῶν νεῶν Thuc.
V.that which is paid for state purposes, a toll, tax, duty, Ar., Plat., etc.; ἀγορᾶς τ. a market- due, Ar.; τέλος πρίασθαι, πωλεῖν to farm a tax, or let it, Dem., Aeschin.; for λύειν τέλη, v. λύω V. 2:—generally, outlay, expense, Thuc.:—hence, at Athens, the property at which a citizen was rated for taxation, Lat. census; and then, a class, order, of citizens, Dem., etc.
VI.in pl. offerings or sacred rites due to the gods, Trag.:—esp. of the Eleusinian mysteries, Soph., Eur., etc.
2.of marriage, as the consummation of life, Aesch., Soph.
