A.blossom, bloom, of the youthful beard, “πρὶν . . ὑπὸ κροτάφοισιν ἰούλους ἀνθῆσαι” Od.11.320 (the only place in Hom.), cf. Orph.L.255; of persons, τυτθὸν δ᾽ ἀνθήσαντας ὑπὸ κροτάφοισιν ἴουλον with the young down just showing, IG5(1).1355(Geraneia), cf. APl.5.381.
2. of flowers and plants, first in Hes.Op.582, Alc.39; “στάχυς” S.Fr.395; flourish, “ἀ. κυπάρισσοι” Theoc.27.46: c. dat., “ἄνθεσιν” h.Ap.139; “ῥόδοις” Pi.I.4(3).18: metaph., “ἀνθοῦν πέλαγος Αἰγαῖον νεκροῖς” A.Ag.659; ἀφρὸς ἤνσει (Lacon.) dub.l. in Ar.Lys.1257.
II. metaph.,
1. bloom, be brilliant, shine with colour, etc., “ἤνθει φοιϝικίσι . . ἡ στρατιά” X.Cyr.6.4.1; of linen garments, Plu.2.352d.
2. to be in bloom, blooming, “Ἥβας καρπὸν ἀνθήσαντα” Pi.P.9.110; “ἀνθοῦσαν ἀκμὴν ἔχων” Isoc.5.10; ἐν ὥρᾳ ἀνθεῖν to be in the bloom of youth, Pl.R.475a; “τὰ σὰ λήγει ὥρας, σὺ δ᾽ ἄρχῃ ἀνθεῖν” Id.Alc.1.131e, cf. ib.c.
3. flourish in wealth and prosperity, “λαοί” Hes.Op.227; “ἀνθεύσης Ἐρετρίης” Hdt. 6.127, cf. Th.1.19, etc.; “ὄλβος σμικρὸν ἀνθήσας χρόνον” E.El.944; “ἀνθοῦσα ἐφ᾽ ὥρᾳ πολιτεία” Plu.Per.16; “ἀνθούσης τῆς νέας Ἀκαδημίας” Id.Luc.42; τὸ ἀνθοῦν τῆς δυνάμεως the flower of the force, Id.Cor.39: c. dat., ἀ. τῆς Ἀσίας ἀνδράσι flourish, abound in men, Hdt.4.1.
b. of persons, flourish, be popular, “οὕτως ἤνθησεν ἐκεῖνος” Ar.Eq.530, cf. Nu.897,962; πραπίδεσσι, δόξῃ ἀ., Pi.O.11(10).10, Plu.Dem.5; “Ἕκτορος ἤνθει δόρυ” E.Hec.1210; “σφόδρα γε ἤνθησεν ἐπὶ ταῖς ἐλπίσιν” D.2.10; ἀ. πρὸς δόξαν, πρὸς χάριν, Plu.Sert.18, Phoc.3.
4. to be at the height or pitch, “ἀνθεῖ πάθος τινί” A.Ch.1009(lyr.); of a disease, “ἤνθηκεν” S.Tr.1089, cf. Hp.Epid.1.25; “ὕβρις ἐν νέοις ἀνθεῖ” S.Fr.786; σκωμμάτων ἀνθούντων when they were in full swing, Plu.Ant.32.
5. c. gen., swarm with, “φθειρῶν ἤνθησεν” Paus.9.33.6.