σπέρμα: Difference between revisions

|Definition=ατος, τό, ([[σπείρω]]) <span class="sense"><span class="bld">A</span> [[seed]], only once in Hom., in metaph. sense, v. infr. <span class="bibl">1.2</span>: </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">I</span> mostly, [[seed]] of plants, σ. [[ἀνιέναι]], [[κρύπτειν]], <span class="bibl"><span class="title">h.Cer.</span>307</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">Hdt.3.97</span>: pl., <span class="bibl">Hes.<span class="title">Op.</span>446</span>; <b class="b3">σ. τῇ γῇ διδόναι, ἐμβαλεῖν</b>, <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">Oec.</span>17.8</span>, <span class="bibl">10</span>: [[proverb|prov.]], εἰς πέλαγος σπέρµα βαλεῖν καὶ γράµµατα γράψαι ἀµφότερος µόχθος τε κενὸς καὶ πρᾶξις ἄκαρπος = throwing seeds and writing letters at sea are both a vain and fruitless endeavor <span class="title">Epigr.Gr.</span>1038.8 (Pamphylia); of fruit, <span class="bibl">Antiph.58.4</span>; <b class="b3">τοῖς γαίης σπέρμασι</b> with the [[product]]s of [[earth]], of corn-stalks, <span class="title">AP</span>9.89 (Phil.). </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">2</span> metaph., [[germ]], [[origin]] of anything, σ. πυρός <span class="bibl">Od.5.490</span>; φλογός <span class="bibl">Pi.<span class="title">O.</span>7.48</span>, cf. <span class="bibl"><span class="title">P.</span>3.37</span>; [[σπέρματα]], = [[στοιχεῖα]], [[elements]], Anaxag.4, cf. Epicur.Ep.2p.38 U., <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Fr.</span>250</span>; ὁ τὸ σπέρμα παρασχών, οὗτος τῶν φύντων αἴτιος <span class="bibl">D.18.159</span>; συκοφάντου σ. καὶ ῥίζαν οἴεται δεῖν ὑπάρχειν τῇ πόλει <span class="bibl">Id.25.48</span>; σ. τῆς στάσεως <span class="bibl">Plu. <span class="title">Mar.</span>10</span>; τοῦ ὅρκου Longin.16.3. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">3</span> [[seed-time]], [[sowing]], <span class="bibl">Hes.<span class="title">Op.</span> 781</span>. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">II</span> of animals, [[seed]], [[semen]], <b class="b3">φέροισα σ. θεοῦ</b> pregnant [[by]] the god, <span class="bibl">Pi.<span class="title">P.</span>3.15</span>; but <b class="b3">σ. φέρειν Ἡρακλέους</b> to be pregnant [[of]] Heracles, <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">N.</span>10.17</span>; μυελὸν . . εἰς σ. καὶ γόνον μερίζεσθαι <span class="bibl">Ti.Locr.100b</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">Pl. <span class="title">Ti.</span>86c</span>; σ. παραλαβεῖν <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Or.</span>553</span>; σπέρματος πλῆσαι <span class="bibl">Plu.<span class="title">Lyc.</span> 15</span>: pl., κατ' ἀμφότερα τὰ σ. θεῶν ἀπόγονος <span class="bibl">Hp.<span class="title">Ep.</span>2</span>. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">2</span> [[race]], [[origin]], [[descent]], τοὐμὸν . . σπέρμ' ἰδεῖν βουλήσομαι <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">OT</span>1077</span>; <b class="b3">τίνος εἶ σπέρματος πατρόθεν</b>; <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">OC</span>214</span> (lyr.); γένεθλον σπέρμα τ' Ἀργεῖον <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Supp.</span> 290</span>, cf. <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Ch.</span>236</span>; σ. ἄντασ' Ἐρεχθειδᾶν <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">Ant.</span>981</span> (lyr.), cf. <span class="bibl">Pi.<span class="title">O.</span>7.93</span>, etc. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">3</span> freq. in Poets, [[seed]], [[offspring]], <b class="b3">τὸ βρότειον σπέρμα</b> <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Fr.</span>399</span>; σ. Πελοπιδῶν <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Ch.</span>503</span>; <b class="b3">σ. [τοῦ Ἀβραάμ</b>] <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Ev.Luc.</span>1.55</span>, etc.; sometimes of a single person, <span class="bibl">Pi.<span class="title">O.</span>9.61</span>, <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Pr.</span>705</span>, <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">Ph.</span>364</span>, Orac. ap. <span class="bibl">Th.5.16</span>, <span class="bibl">[[LXX]] <span class="title">Ge.</span>4.25</span>, etc.: pl., <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Eu.</span>803</span>,<span class="bibl">909</span>, <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">OT</span>1246</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">OC</span>600</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Ep.Gal.</span>3.16</span>; once in Pl., ἀνθρώπων σπέρμασι νουθετοῦμεν <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Lg.</span>853c</span>.</span>