κέντρον: Difference between revisions

|Definition=τό, ([[κεντέω]])<br><span class="bld">A</span> any [[sharp]] [[point]]:<br><span class="bld">1</span> [[horse-goad]], [ἵπποι] ἄνευ κέντροιο θέοντες Il.23.387, cf. 430, Ar.''Nu.''1297, [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''7.1.29, etc.; διπλοῖς κέντροισι [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Tyrannus|OT]]''809; [[ὄνειδος]] ἔτυψεν δίκαν διφρηλάτου μεσολαβεῖ κ. A.''Eu.''157 (lyr.): post-Hom., [[ox-goad]] (Hom. [[βουπλήξ]]), used as an [[instrument]] of [[torture]], [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]3.130; κέντροις καὶ μάστιξιν Pl.''Lg.''777a: [[proverb|prov.]], [[πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν]] = [[kick against the pricks]], [[kick against the goads]], [[kick against the goad]], [[offer vain and perilous or ruinous resistance]], [[offer vain and ruinous resistance]], [[resist in vain]] (v. [[λακτίζω]] 2); δεῖ… κέντρου [[πολλάκις]], οὕτω δὲ καὶ χαλινοῦ Longin.2.2; as a [[symbol]] of [[sovereignty]], λαβὼν… χερσὶν κέντρα κηδεύει πόλιν S.''Fr.''683.<br><span class="bld">b</span> metaph., [[goad]], [[spur]], [[incentive]], Pi.''Fr.''124.4, A.''Pr.''691 (lyr.); <b class="b3">ποῦ γὰρ τοσοῦτο κ.</b> ὡς [[μητροκτονεῖν]]; Id.''Eu.''427; κέντροις ἔρωτος E.''Hipp.''39, cf.1303; πόθου κέντρον Pl.''R.''573a; κέντρα καὶ ὠδῖνες Id.''[[Phaedrus|Phdr.]]''251e; κέντρον ἐγερτικὸν θυμοῦ Plu.''Lyc.''21; <b class="b3">κέντρα πτολέμοιο</b>, of the [[Argives]], Orac. ap. Sch.Theoc.14.48; <b class="b3">κέντρον ἐμοῦ</b> [[desire for]] me, S.''Ph.''1039.<br><span class="bld">2</span> metaph., in plural, [[torture]]s, [[pang]]s, Id.''Tr.''840 (lyr.): sg., τὸ κέντρον τοῦ θανάτου ἡ [[ἁμαρτία]] ''1 Ep.Cor.''15.56.<br><span class="bld">3</span> [[point]] of a [[spear]], Plb.6.22.4: pl., of the [[περόναι]] with which [[Oedipus]] [[pierce]]d his [[eye]]s, [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Tyrannus|OT]]''1318.<br><span class="bld">4</span> [[peg]] of a [[top]], Pl.''R.'' 436d.<br><span class="bld">5</span> of animals,<br><span class="bld">a</span> [[sting]] of [[bee]]s and [[wasp]]s, Ar.''V.''225, 407 (lyr.), al.; of scorpions, [[Aristotle|Arist.]]''[[De Partibus Animalium|PA]]''683a12 (so of the [[constellation]] [[Scorpio]], Arat.505): hence, metaph., of [[malicious]] persons, ἐς τοὺς ἔχοντας κέντρ' ἀφιᾶσιν E.''Supp.''242; πορεύεται, ὥσπερ σκορπίος, ἠρκὼς τὸ [[κέντρον]] D.25.52; of Pericles as an orator, τὸ κέντρον ἐγκατέλειπε τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις Eup.94.7; of [[Socrates]], ὥσπερ μέλιττα τὸ κέντρον [[ἐγκαταλιπών]] Pl.''Phd.''91c; οἷον ὀφθαλμῷ κ. ἐνθεῖσα Philostr.''Im.''2.1; <b class="b3">βλέμματος κέντρον</b> Onomarch. ap. Philostr.''VS''2.18.<br><span class="bld">b</span> [[spur]] of a [[cock]], ''Gp.''14.7.17.<br><span class="bld">c</span> [[quill]] of the [[porcupine]], Ael.''NA''12.26.<br><span class="bld">d</span> = [[πόσθη]], Sotad.1.<br><span class="bld">6</span> [[stationary point of a pair of compasses]], Vitr.3.1.3: generally, [[centre]] of a [[circle]], Pl. ''Ti.''54e, Arist.''APr.''41b15, al.; <b class="b3">ἡ ἐκ τοῦ κέντρου</b> (''[[sc.]]'' [[εὐθεῖα]]) [[radius]], Euc.''Opt.'' 34; ὥσπερ κύκλον κέντρῳ περιέγραψαν τὴν πόλιν Plu.''Rom.''11; τὸ κέντρον τᾶς [[σφαίρα]]ς Ti.Locr.100e; τὸ κέντρον τῆς γῆς Ptol.''Tetr.''52; <b class="b3">κέντρον βάρεος</b> [[centre]] of [[gravity]], Archim.''Aequil.''1''Def.''4: metaph., κ. καὶ διαστήματι [[περιγράφειν]] [[circumscribe]], Plu.2.513c, 524f.<br><span class="bld">7</span> [[pin]], [[rivet]], Paus.10.16.1; [[spur]], [[tip]], for [[fix]]ing a [[machine]] in the [[ground]], Apollod ''Poliorc.'' 144.1.<br><span class="bld">8</span> <b class="b3">ῥακτηρίοις κέντροισιν</b>, of [[oar]]s, S.''Fr.''802.<br><span class="bld">9</span> Astron., [[cardinal]] [[point]] on the [[ecliptic]], Ptol.''Tetr.''74, S.E.''M.''5.12, Vett.Val.50.18, etc.<br><span class="bld">10</span> [[hard]] [[knot]] in [[stone]], Thphr.''HP''5.2.3; [[flaw]] in [[crystal]]s, Plin.''HN''37.28.