previous next
φύσις [υ^], , gen. φύσεως, poet. φύσεος prob. (metri gr.) in E.Tr. 886, cf. Ar.V.1282 (lyr.), 1458 (lyr.), Ion. φύσιος: dual φύσει (
2. growth, τριχῶν, παιδίου, Hp.Nat.Puer.20,29, cf. 27: pl., “γενειάσεις καὶ φύσεις κεράτωνPlot.4.3.13.
II. the natural form or constitution of a person or thing as the result of growth (“οἷον ἕκαστόν ἐστι τῆς γενέσεως τελεσθείσης, ταύτην φαμὲν τὴν φ. εἶναι ἑκάστουArist.Pol.1252b33): hence,
b. natural place or position of a bone or joint, ἀποπηδᾶν ἀπὸ τῆς φ., ἐς τὴν φ. ἄγεσθαι, Id.Art.61, 62, al.; “ὀστέον μένον ἐν τῇ ἑωυτοῦ φ.Id.VC5, al.; “φύσιες τῶν ἄρθρωνId.Nat.Puer.17.
4. of the mind, one's nature, character,ἦθος ἕκαστον, ὅπῃ φ. ἐστὶν ἑκάστῳEmp.110.5; “εὐγενὴς γὰρ φ. κἀξ εὐγενῶν . . σήS.Ph.874; τὴν αὑτοῦ φ. λιπεῖν, δεῖξαι, ib.902,1310; “φ. φρενόςE.Med.103 (anap.); “ ἀνθρωπεία φ.Th.1.76; “φ. τῆς μορφῆς καὶ τῆς ψυχῆςX.Cyr.1.2.2; “ὀνόματι μεμπτὸν τὸ νόθον, φ. δ᾽ ἴσηE.Fr.168; φ. φιλόσοφος, τυραννική, etc., Pl.R.410e, 576a, etc.; “δεξιοὶ φύσινA.Pr.489; “ἀκμαῖοι φύσινId.Pers.441; “τὸ γὰρ ἀποστῆναι χαλεπὸν φύσεος, ἣν ἔχοι τιςAr.V.1458 (lyr.), cf. 1282 (lyr.); “Σόλων . . ἦν φιλόδημος τὴν φ.Id.Nu.1187; “ἔνιοι ὄντες ὡς ἀληθῶς τοῦ δήμου τὴν φ. οὐ δημοτικοί εἰσιX.Ath.2.19; φύσεως ἰσχύς force of natural powers, Th.1.138; φύσεως κακία badness of natural disposition, D.20.140; “ἀγαθοὶ . . γίγνονται διὰ τριῶν, τὰ τρία δὲ ταῦτά ἐστι φ. ἔθος λόγοςArist. Pol.1332a40; χρῶ τῇ φύσει, i.e. give rein to your natural propensities, Ar.Nu.1078, cf. Isoc.7.38; “τῇ φ. χρώμενοςPlu.Cor.18; “θείας κοινωνοὶ φ.2 Ep.Pet.1.4: pl., Isoc.4.113, v.l. in E.Andr.956; “οἱ ἄριστοι τὰς φ.Pl.R.526c, cf. 375b, al.: prov., “ἔθος, φασί, δευτέρη φ.Jul.Mis.353a.
5. freq. in periphrases, καὶ γὰρ ἂν πέτρου φύσιν σύ γ᾽ ὀργάνειας, i.e. would'st provoke a stone, S.OT335; “χθονὸς φ.A.Ag.633; esp. in Pl., “ τοῦ πτεροῦ φ.Phdr.251b; “ φ. τῶν σωμάτωνSmp.186b; φ. τῆς ἀσθενείας its natural weakness, Phd.87e; “ τοῦ μυελοῦ φ.Ti.84c; “ τοῦ δικαίου φ.Lg.862d, al.; φ., with gen. understood, Smp.191a, Phd.109e.
III. the regular order of nature,τύχη . . ἀβέβαιος, φ. δὲ αὐτάρκηςDemocr.176; “κατὰ φύσινPl.R.444d, etc.; τρίχες κατὰ φύσιν πεφυκυῖαι growing naturally, Hdt.2.38, cf. Alex.156.7 (troch.); “κατὰ φύσιν "νόμος πάντων βασιλεύς"Pi.Fr. 169 (cf. Pl.Grg.488b); “κατὰ φ. ποιεῖνHeraclit.112; opp. παρὰ φύσιν, E.Ph.395, Th.6.17, etc.; “παρὰ τὴν φ.Anaxipp.1.18; προδότης ἐκ φύσεως a traitor by nature, Aeschin.2.165; πρὸ τῆς φ. ἥκειν εἰς θάνατον before the natural term, Plu.Comp.Dem.Cic.5: freq. in dat. φύσει (“ἐν φ.Hp.Aër.14) by nature, naturally, opp. τύχῃ, τέχνῃ, Pl.Lg.889b, cf. R.381b; “φύσει τοιοῦτοςAr.Pl.275, cf. 279, al.; “ ἄνθρωπος φ. πολιτικὸν ζῷόν ἐστιArist.Pol.1253a3; μὴ αὑτοῦ φ. ἀλλ᾽ ἄλλου ἄνθρωπος ὤν, οὗτος φ. δοῦλός ἐστιν ib.1254a15; “φ. γὰρ οὐδεὶς δοῦλος ἐγενήθη ποτέPhilem.95.2; opp. νόμῳ (by convention), Philol.9, Archelaus ap.D.L.2.16, Pl.Grg.482e, cf. Prt.337d, etc.; “τὰ μὲν τῶν νόμων ὁμολογηθέντα, οὐ φύντ᾽ ἐστίν, τὰ δὲ τῆς φύσεως φύντα, οὐχ ὁμολογηθένταAntipho Soph.44Ai32 (Vorsokr.5); “ἅπας τῶν ἀνθρώπων βίος φύσει καὶ νόμοις διοικεῖταιD.25.15; “τοὺς τῆς φ. οὐκ ἔστι λανθάνειν νόμουςMen.Mon.492; “οὐ σοφίᾳ, ἀλλὰ φύσει τινίPl. Ap.22c; “φ. μὴ πεφυκότα τοιαῦτα φωνεῖνS.Ph.79, cf. Pl.Phlb.14c, etc.; “φύσει πάντα πάντες ὁμοίως πεφύκαμεν καὶ βάρβαροι καὶ Ἕλληνες εἶναιAntipho Soph.44Bii10 (Vorsokr.5); φύσιν ἔχει c. inf., it is natural, κῶς φύσιν ἔχει πολλὰς μυριάδας φονεῦσαι (sc. τὸν Ἡρακλέα); Hdt.2.45, cf. Pl.R.473a; οὐκ ἔχει φύσιν it is contrary to nature, ib.489b; “οὔτ᾽ εὔλογον οὔτ᾽ ἔχον ἐστὶ φύσινD.2.26; “τὸ τόλμημα φύσιν οὐκ ἔχειPolem.Call.36.
IV. in Philosophy:
1. nature as an originating power,φ. λέγεται . . ὅθεν κίνησις πρώτη ἐν ἑκάστῳ τῶν φύσει ὄντωνArist.Metaph.1014b16; “ δὲ θεὸς καὶ φ. οὐδὲν μάτην ποιοῦσινId.Cael.271a33; δὲ φ. οὐδὲν ἀλόγως οὐδὲ μάτην ποιεῖ ib.291b13; “ μὲν τέχνη ἀρχὴ ἐν ἄλλῳ, δὲ φ. ἀρχὴ ἐν αὐτῷId.Metaph.1070a8, cf. Mete.381b5, etc.; “φ. κρύπτεσθαι φιλεῖHeraclit.123; “ γοητεία τῆς φ.Plot.4.4.44; φ. κοινή, the principle of growth in the universe, Cleanth.Stoic.1.126; as Stoic t.t., the inner fire which causes preservation and growth in plants and animals, defined as πῦρ τεχνικὸν ὁδῷ βαδίζον εἰς γένεσιν, Stoic.1.44, cf. 35, al., S.E.M.9.81; Nature, personified, “χάρις τῇ μακαρίᾳ Φ.Epicur.Fr.469; “Φ. καὶ Εἱμαρμένη καὶ ἈνάγκηPhld. Piet.12; “ κατωφερὴς Φ.Corp.Herm.1.14.
3. concrete, the creation, 'Nature',ἀθανάτου . . φύσεως κόσμον ἀγήρωνE.Fr.910 (anap.); “περὶ φύσεώς τε καὶ τῶν μετεώρων ἀστρονομικὰ ἄττα διερωτᾶνPl.Prt.315c; περὶ φύσεως, title of works by Xenophanes, Heraclitus, Gorgias, Epicurus, etc.; “[σοφία] ἣν δὴ καλοῦσι περὶ φύσεως ἱστορίανPl.Phd.96a; “περὶ φ. ἀφοριζόμενοι διεχώριζον ζῴων τε βίον δένδρων τε φύσιν λαχάνων τε γένηEpicr.11.13 (anap.); so later, “ φ. τὸ ὑπὸ ψυχῆς τῆς πάσης ταχθένPlot.2.2.1; “τὰ στοιχεῖα τῆς φ.Corp.Herm.1.8; αἱ δύο φ., i.e. heaven and earth, light and darkness, etc., PMag.Leid.W.6.42.
4. Pythag. name for two, Theol.Ar.12.
V. as a concrete term, creature, freq. in collect. sense, θνητὴ φ. mankind, S.Fr.590 (anap.), cf. OT869 (lyr.); πόντου εἰναλία φ. the creatures of the sea, Id.Ant.345 (lyr.); “ πᾶσα φ. διώκειν πέφυκεPl.R.359c, cf. Plt.272c; τῶν θηλειῶν φ. woman-kind (opp. τὸ ἄρρεν φῦλον) X.Lac.3.4: also in pl., S.OT674, Pl.R.588c, Plt.306e, X.Oec.13.9; in contemptuous sense, αἱ τοιαῦται φ. such creatures as these, Isoc.4.113, cf. 20.11, Aeschin.1.191.
b. of plants or material substances,φ. εὐώδεις καρποφοροῦσαιD.S.2.49; “ὑγράν τινα φ. καπνὸν ἀποδιδοῦσανCorp.Herm. 1.4.
VI. kind, sort, species,ταύτην . . ἔχειν βιοτῆς . . φύσινS.Ph.165 (anap.); “ἐκλέγονται ἐκ τούτων χρημάτων μίαν φ. τὴν τῶν λευκῶνPl.R. 429d; φ. [ἀλωπεκίδων] species, X.Cyn.3.1; natural group or class of plants, Thphr.HP6.1.1 (pl.).
2. the characteristic of sex, = αἰδοῖον, Tab.Defix.89a6 (iv B.C.), Nic.Fr.107, D.S.32.10, S.E.M.1.150, etc.: esp. of the female organ, Hp.Mul.2.143, Ant.Lib.41, Artem.5.63, PMag.Osl.1.83,324, Horap. 1.11: pl., τῶν δύοφ., of the testes, Sch.Ar.Lys.92, cf. PMag.Par.1.318.
hide Dictionary Entry Lookup
Use this tool to search for dictionary entries in all lexica.
Search for in
How to enter text in Greek:
hide References (115 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (115):
    • Aeschines, Against Timarchus, 191
    • Aeschines, On the Embassy, 165
    • Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound, 489
    • Aeschylus, Persians, 441
    • Aeschylus, Suppliant Maidens, 496
    • Aristophanes, Plutus, 275
    • Aristophanes, Plutus, 279
    • Aristophanes, Wasps, 1071
    • Aristophanes, Wasps, 1282
    • Aristophanes, Wasps, 1458
    • Demosthenes, Olynthiac 2, 26
    • Demosthenes, On the Crown, 146
    • Demosthenes, Against Leptines, 140
    • Demosthenes, Against Aristogiton 1, 15
    • Euripides, Andromache, 956
    • Euripides, Bacchae, 1358
    • Euripides, Medea, 103
    • Euripides, Phoenician Women, 395
    • Euripides, Trojan Women, 886
    • Herodotus, Histories, 2.38
    • Herodotus, Histories, 8.38
    • Herodotus, Histories, 2.45
    • Herodotus, Histories, 2.5
    • Herodotus, Histories, 7.134
    • Homer, Odyssey, 10.303
    • Isocrates, Against Lochites, 11
    • Isocrates, Panegyricus, 113
    • Isocrates, Evagoras, 75
    • Isocrates, Panathenaicus, 134
    • Isocrates, Nicocles or the Cyprians, 42
    • Isocrates, Areopagiticus, 38
    • Isocrates, Areopagiticus, 74
    • Pseudo Xenophon, Constitution of the Athenians, 2.19
    • Plato, Laws, 770d
    • Plato, Laws, 891c
    • Plato, Laws, 944d
    • Plato, Laws, 862d
    • Plato, Laws, 889b
    • Plato, Laws, 892c
    • Plato, Republic, 359c
    • Plato, Republic, 473a
    • Plato, Republic, 576a
    • Plato, Republic, 375b
    • Plato, Republic, 381b
    • Plato, Republic, 410e
    • Plato, Republic, 429d
    • Plato, Republic, 444d
    • Plato, Republic, 489b
    • Plato, Republic, 525c
    • Plato, Republic, 526c
    • Plato, Republic, 588c
    • Plato, Apology, 22c
    • Plato, Phaedo, 109e
    • Plato, Phaedo, 96a
    • Plato, Phaedo, 87e
    • Plato, Statesman, 272c
    • Plato, Statesman, 306e
    • Plato, Philebus, 14c
    • Plato, Symposium, 191a
    • Plato, Phaedrus, 251b
    • Plato, Symposium, 186b
    • Plato, Gorgias, 488b
    • Plato, Gorgias, 482e
    • Plato, Protagoras, 315c
    • Plato, Protagoras, 337d
    • Plato, Timaeus, 84c
    • Sophocles, Ajax, 1301
    • Sophocles, Antigone, 345
    • Sophocles, Electra, 325
    • Sophocles, Electra, 1125
    • Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, 1295
    • Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, 445
    • Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus, 335
    • Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus, 674
    • Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus, 740
    • Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus, 869
    • Sophocles, Philoctetes, 1310
    • Sophocles, Philoctetes, 874
    • Sophocles, Philoctetes, 902
    • Sophocles, Philoctetes, 165
    • Sophocles, Trachiniae, 379
    • Thucydides, Histories, 1.138
    • Thucydides, Histories, 6.17
    • Xenophon, Cyropaedia, 1.2.2
    • Xenophon, Memorabilia, 1.1.11
    • Xenophon, Constitution of the Lacedaimonians, 3.4
    • Xenophon, On Hunting, 3.1
    • Xenophon, Ways and Means, 1.2
    • Xenophon, On the Art of Horsemanship, 5.5
    • Xenophon, Economics, 16.2
    • Xenophon, Economics, 13.9
    • Sophocles, Philoctetes, 79
    • Sophocles, Ichneutae, 590
    • Sophocles, Trachiniae, 1062
    • Aeschylus, Agamemnon, 633
    • Polybius, Histories, 11.2.2
    • Polybius, Histories, 3.12.3
    • Polybius, Histories, 3.9.6
    • Aristophanes, Clouds, 1078
    • Aristophanes, Clouds, 1187
    • Aristophanes, Clouds, 503
    • Aristophanes, Lysistrata, 92
    • Thucydides, Histories, 2.45
    • Hippocrates, De articulis, 61
    • Hippocrates, De capitis vulneribus, 5
    • Hippocrates, Aphorismi, 3.2
    • Hippocrates, De articulis, 62
    • Hippocrates, De fracturis, 7
    • Diogenes Laertius, Vitae philosophorum, 2.16
    • New Testament, 2 Peter, 1.4
    • Thucydides, Histories, 1.76
    • Plutarch, Comparison of Demosthenes with Cicero, 5
    • Plutarch, Caius Marcius Coriolanus, 18
    • Diodorus, Historical Library, 2.49
    • Julian the Emperor, Misopogon, 353a
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: