A.bewilderment, infatuation, caused by blindness or delusion sent by the gods, mostly as the punishment of guilty rashness, “τὸν δ᾽ ἄτη φρένας εἷλε” Il.16.805; “Ζεῦ πάτερ, ἦ ῥά τιν᾽ ἤδη . . βασιλήων τῇδ᾽ ἄτῃ ἄασας” 8.237; “Ζεὺς καὶ Μοῖρα καὶ . . Ἐρινὺς . . φρεσὶν ἔμβαλον ἄγριον ἄτην” 19.88 (so ἀλλ᾽ ἐπεὶ ἀασάμην καί μευ φρένας ἐξέλετο Ζεύς ib.137); ἄτην δὲ μετέστενον ἣν Ἀφροδίτη δῶχ᾽ ὅτε μ᾽ ἤγαγε κεῖσε, says Helen, Od.4.261.
2. Ἄτη personified, the goddess of mischief, author of rash actions, “πρέσβα Διὸς θυγάτηρ, Ἄτη, ἣ πάντας ἀᾶται” Il.19.91, cf. 9.504, Hes. Th.230, Pl.Smp.195d; “Ἄτης ἂν λειμῶνα” Emp.121.4; coupled with Ἐρινύς, A.Ag.1433.
II. of the consequences of such visitations, either,
2. Pass., bane, ruin, 24.480, Hdt.1.32; ἐγγύα, πάρα δ᾽ ἄτα prov. in Thales ap.Stob.3.1.172: τὸ πῆμα τῆς ἄτης the anguish of the doom, S.Aj.363 (lyr.); “ὕβρις γὰρ ἐξανθοῦσ᾽ ἐκάρπωσε σταχὺν ἄτης” A.Pers.822; “Πειθὼ προβουλόπαις . . ἄτης” Id.Ag.386 (lyr.): pl., Id.Pers.653 (lyr.), 1037 (lyr.), S.Aj.848, etc.; strokes of fate, “ἀνδρείη τὰς ἄτας μικρὰς ἔρδει” Democr.213.
b. ill-fated person, A.Ag.1268 codd.—Not in Comedy (unless read for αὐτῆς, Ar.Pax605) nor in Att. Prose (exc. as pr.n.and in quotations of “ἐγγύα, πάρα δ᾽ ἄτα” Cratin. Jun.12, Pl.Chrm.165a), but found in Arist.VV1251b20; “κῆρας καὶ ἄτας” D.H.8.61; τοιαύτας κακὰς ἄτας such abominations, of certain Epicurean expressions, Cleom.2.1.