View source for σκυτάλη

{{LSJ1
|Full diacritics=σκῠτάλη
|Medium diacritics=σκυτάλη
|Low diacritics=σκυτάλη
|Capitals=ΣΚΥΤΑΛΗ
|Transliteration A=skytálē
|Transliteration B=skytalē
|Transliteration C=skytali
|Beta Code=skuta/lh
|Definition=[<b class="b3">ᾰ], ἡ</b>, <span class="sense"><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">A</span> <b class="b2">staff, cudgel, club</b>, <span class="bibl">D.S.3.8</span>; <b class="b3">σ. ἀγριέλαιος</b>, of Heracles' <b class="b2">club</b>, AP9.237 (Eryc.); cf. [[σκύταλον]]:—Special usages: </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">1</span> at Sparta, <b class="b2">staff</b> or <b class="b2">baton</b>, used as a cypher for writing dispatches, a strip of leather being rolled slantwise round it, on which the dispatches were written lengthwise, so that when unrolled they were unintelligible: commanders abroad had a staff of like thickness, round which they rolled these strips, and so were able to read the dispatches:—hence <b class="b3">σκυτάλη</b> came to mean <b class="b2">a Spartan dispatch</b>, <span class="bibl">Th.1.131</span>, <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">HG</span>3.3.8</span>, <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Lys.</span>991</span>, <span class="bibl">Plu.<span class="title">Lys.</span>19</span>, Gell.17.9.15; and, generally, <b class="b2">dispatch, message</b>, as Pi. calls the bearer of his ode σκυτάλα Μοισᾶν <span class="bibl"><span class="title">O.</span>6.91</span>, where the Sch. quotes <b class="b3">ἀχνυμένη σκυτάλη</b> (dub. sens.) from Archil. (<span class="bibl"><span class="title">Fr.</span>89.2</span>); <b class="b3">ἡ σκυτάλης περιτροπή</b>, of labour in vain (cf. [[ὕπερος]]), <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Tht.</span>209d</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">2</span> <b class="b2">pole</b> or <b class="b2">staff</b>, like those of a sedan-chair, <span class="bibl">LXX <span class="title">Ex.</span>30.4</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">3</span> <b class="b2">strickle for levelling grain</b> piled up in a measure, σ. δικαία <span class="bibl"><span class="title">PTeb.</span>823.15</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">PAmh.</span>2.43.10</span> (both ii B.C.), cf. <span class="bibl">Poll.4.170</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">4</span> <b class="b2">wooden tally</b> or <b class="b2">ticket</b> on a money-bag, etc., <span class="bibl">Diosc.Hist.4</span>, <span class="bibl">D.S.13.106</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">5</span> <b class="b2">strip</b> or <b class="b2">rod of metal</b> or <b class="b2">ivory</b>, κασσιτέρου <span class="title">Inscr.Délos</span> 442 <span class="title">B</span>170 (ii B.C.); <b class="b3">ἐλέφαντος</b> ibid.; cf. <span class="bibl">Hld.9.15</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">6</span> <b class="b2">scourge whip</b>, Moer.<span class="bibl">p.346P.</span> </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">7</span> <b class="b2">handle</b> or <b class="b2">lever</b> in a machine, <span class="bibl">Orib.49.3.3</span>; <b class="b2">handspike</b> for turning a wheel, <span class="bibl">Ph.<span class="title">Bel.</span>68.6</span>, <span class="bibl">85.2</span>, <span class="bibl">Hero <span class="title">Bel.</span>86.12</span> (pl.). </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">II</span> <b class="b2">sucker</b> from a stem, <span class="title">Gp.</span>9.11.4, al. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">III</span> <b class="b2">cylinder</b> or <b class="b2">roller</b> wherewith weights are moved, <span class="bibl">Arist.<span class="title">Mech.</span>852a16</span>, cf. <span class="bibl"><span class="title">CPHerm.</span> 95.16</span> (iii A.D.). </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">IV</span> <b class="b2">a serpent</b>, of uniform roundness and thickness, <span class="bibl">Nic.<span class="title">Th.</span>384</span>, Sor. ap. <span class="bibl">Philum.<span class="title">Ven.</span>27.3</span> (for <span class="bibl">Plu.<span class="title">Crass.</span>32</span> v. [[Σκύλλα]]). </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">2</span> <b class="b2">a fish</b> of like shape, <span class="bibl">Opp.<span class="title">H.</span>1.184</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">V</span> <b class="b2">finger-bone, phalanx</b>, <span class="bibl">Paul.Aeg.6.43</span>, <span class="bibl">Tz.<span class="title">H.</span>9.126</span>.</span>
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