μέγας: Difference between revisions

|Definition=<b class="b3">μεγάλη [ᾰ], μέγα [ᾰ]</b>, gen. [[μεγάλου]], [[ης]], ου, dat. [[μεγάλῳ]], [[ῃ]], [[ῳ]], acc. <b class="b3">μέγᾰν, μεγάλην, μέγα [ᾰ]</b>; dual [[μεγάλω]], [[α]], [[w]]; pl. [[μεγάλοι]], [[μεγάλαι]], [[μεγάλα]], etc.: the stem [[μεγάλο]]- is never used in sg. nom. and acc. masc. and neut., and only once in voc. masc.,<br><span class="bld">A</span> ὦ μεγάλε Ζεῦ A.''Th.'' 822 (anap.).<br><span class="bld">I</span> [[big]], of bodily size: freq. of stature, εἶδος.. μ. ἦν ὁράασθαι Od.18.4; κεῖτο μ. μεγαλωστί Il.16.776; ἠΰς τε μ. τε Od.9. 508; <b class="b3">φῶτα μέγαν καὶ καλόν</b> ib.513; καλή τε μεγάλη τε 15.418; κάρτα μεγάλη καὶ εὐειδής [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]3.1; <b class="b3">φύσιν τίν' εἶχε φράζε</b>; Answ. μέγας [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Tyrannus|OT]]''742.<br><span class="bld">b</span> [[full-grown]], of age as shown by stature, νῦν δ' ὅτε δὴ μ. εἰμί Od.2.314; μήτε μέγαν μήτ' οὖν νεαρῶν τινα A.''Ag.''358 (anap.); later, [[elder]] of two persons of the same name, Wilcken ''Chr.''305 (iii B. C.); Σκιπίων ὁ μ. Plb.18.35.9.<br><span class="bld">c</span> of animals, <b class="b3">μ. ἵπποι, βοῦς, σῦς</b>, Il.2.839, 18.559, Od.19.439; αἰετός Pi.''I.''6(5).50.<br><span class="bld">2</span> generally, [[vast]], [[high]], [[οὐρανός]], [[ὄρος]], [[πύργος]], Il.1.497, 16.297, 6.386; [[wide]], <b class="b3">πέλαγος, λαῖτμα θαλάσσης</b>, Od.3.179, 5.174; [[long]], [[ἠϊών]], [[αἰγιαλός]], Il.12.31,2.210: sometimesopp. [[ὀλίγος]], κῦμα οὔτε μέγ' οὔτ' ὀ. Od.10.94; but usually opp. [[μικρός]] or [[σμικρός]], πρὸς ἑαυτὸ ἕκαστον καὶ μ. καὶ σμικρόν Anaxag. 3; τὸ ἄπειρον ἐκ μεγάλου καὶ μικροῦ [[Aristotle|Arist.]]''[[Metaphysics|Metaph.]]''987b26, etc.<br><span class="bld">II</span> of quality or degree, [[great]], [[mighty]], freq. [[epithet]] of gods, ὁ μ. Ζεύς A. ''Supp.''1052 (lyr.), etc.; <b class="b3">μεγάλα θεά</b>, of [[Demeter]] and [[Persephone]], S. ''OC''683 (lyr.); <b class="b3">θεοὶ μεγάλοι</b>, of the Cabiri, ''IG''12(8).71 (Imbros), etc.; <b class="b3">Μήτηρ μ.</b>, of Cybele, ''SIG''1014.83 (Erythrae, iii B. C.), 1138.3 (Delos, ii B. C.); Μήτηρ θεῶν μ. ''OGI''540.6 (Pessinus), etc.; Ἴσιδος μ. μητρὸς θεῶν ''PStrassb.''81.14 (ii B.C.); μ. ἡ Ἄρτεμις Ἐφεσίων ''Act.Ap.''19.28; <b class="b3">τίς θεὸς μ. ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν</b>; [[LXX]] ''Ps.''76(77).13; ὁ μ. θεός ''Ep.Tit.''2.13; of men, μ. ἠδὲ κραταιός Od.18.382; ὀλίγος καὶ μ. Callin.1.17, etc.; <b class="b3">μέγας ηὐξήθη</b> rose [[to greatness]], D.2.5; <b class="b3">ἤρθη μ.</b> ib.8; <b class="b3">βασιλεὺς ὁ μ.</b>, i.e. the King of Persia, [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]1.188, etc. (<b class="b3">θεῶν β. ὁ μ.</b>, of [[Zeus]], Pi.''O.'' 7.34); βασιλεὺς μ. [[Aeschylus|A.]]''[[The Persians|Pers.]]''24 (anap.); as a title of special monarchs, Ἀρδιαῖος ὁ μ. [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Republic|R.]]'' 615c; ὁ μ. Ἀλέξανδρος Ath.1.3d; ὁ μ. ἐπικληθεὶς Ἀντίοχος Plb.4.2.7, etc.; μ. φίλος E.''Med.''549; πλούτῳ τε κἀνδρείᾳ μ. Id.''Tr.''674; ἐπὶ μέγα ἦλθεν ἰσχύος Th.2.97.<br><span class="bld">2</span> [[strong]], of the elements, etc., [[ἄνεμος]], [[λαῖλαψ]], [[Ζέφυρος]], Od.19.200, 12.408, 14.458; of properties, passions, qualities, feelings, etc., of men, [[θάρσος]], [[πένθος]], [[ποθή]], etc., 9.381, Il.1.254, 11.471, etc.; ἀρετή Od.24.193, Pi. ''O.''8.5; θυμός Il.9.496, [[Euripides|E.]]''[[Orestes|Or.]]''702; κλέος Il.6.446; ἄχος 9.9; πυρετός ''Ev.Luc.''4.38 (incorrect acc. to Gal.7.275); <b class="b3">ἡ μ. νοῦσος</b> [[epilepsy]], Hp. ''Epid.''6.6.5, cf. Gal.17(2).341.<br><span class="bld">3</span> of sounds, [[great]], [[loud]], <b class="b3">ἀλαλητός, ἰαχή, πάταγος, ὀρυμαγδός</b>, Il.12.138, 15.384, 21.9, 256; [[θόρυβοι]], [[κωκυτός]], [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Ajax|Aj.]]''142 (anap.), E.''Med.''1176; οὐκ ἔστι ὅκως τι νεῖκος ἔσται ἢ μέγα ἢ σμικρόν [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]3.62; μὴ φώνει μέγα S.''Ph.''574.<br><span class="bld">4</span> generally, [[great]], [[mighty]], ὅρκος Il.19.113; [[ὄλβος]], [[τιμά]], Pi.''O.''1.56, ''P.''4.148; <b class="b3">μ. λόγος, μῦθος</b>, a [[great]] story, rumour, [[Aeschylus|A.]]''[[Prometheus Vinctus|Pr.]]''732, [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Ajax|Aj.]]''226 (lyr.); [[ἐρώτημα]] a [[big]], i.e. [[difficult]], question, Pl.''Euthd.''275d, ''Hp.Ma.'' 287b; [[weighty]], [[important]], τόδε μεῖζον Od.16.291; <b class="b3">μέγα ποιέεσθαί τι</b> to esteem [[of great importance]], [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]3.42, cf. 9.111; μέγα γενέσθαι εἴς τι X.''HG''7.5.6; μ. ὑπάρχειν πρός τι Id.''Mem.''2.3.4; μέγα διαφέρειν εἴς τι [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Leges|Lg.]]''78oc; <b class="b3">οὐκ ἂν εἴη παρὰ μέγα τὸ δικολογεῖν</b> not of [[great importance]], Phld.''Rh.''2.85 S.; <b class="b3">τὸ δὲ μέγιστον</b> and what is [[most important]], Th.4.70, cf. 1.142; <b class="b3">οἱ μέγιστοι καιροί</b> the [[most pressing]] emergencies, D.20.44; <b class="b3">μ. ὠνησάμενοι χρημάτων</b> for [[large]] sums, Plb. 4.50.3, etc.<br><span class="bld">5</span> with a bad sense, [[over-great]], <b class="b3">μέγα εἰπεῖν</b> to speak [[big]], and so provoke divine wrath, Od.22.288; λίην μέγα εἶπες 3.227, 16.243; μέγα ἔργον 3.261, Pi.''N.''10.64; ἔργων μ. A.''Ag.''1546 (anap.); ὠμὸν τὸ βούλευμα καὶ μ. Th.3.36; <b class="b3">ἔπος μ., μ. λόγοι</b>, [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Ajax|Aj.]]'' 423 (lyr.), ''Ant.''1350 (anap.); <b class="b3">μ. γλῶσσα</b> ib.127 (anap.); μηδὲν μέγ' εἴπῃς Id.''Aj.''386; μὴ μέγα λέγε [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Phaedo|Phd.]]'' 95b; μὴ μεγάλα λίαν λέγε Ar.''Ra.''835; μέγα φρονεῖν [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Tyrannus|OT]]''1078, E.''Hipp.''6; μεγάλα φρονεῖν [[Aristophanes|Ar.]]''[[Acharnians|Ach.]]''988; <b class="b3">μεγάλα, μεῖζον ἢ δικαίως πνεῖν</b>, E.''Andr.''189, A.''Ag.''376 (lyr.); μέγα τι παθεῖν X.''An.''5.8.17; μὴ μέγα λέγων μεῖζον πάθῃς E. ''HF''1244.<br><span class="bld">6</span> of style. [[impressive]], Demetr.''Eloc.''278; [[μεῖζον]] [[more striking]], ib.103.<br><span class="bld">7</span> of days, [[long]], Gal.12.714.<br><span class="bld">B</span> Adv. [[μεγάλως]] [ᾰ] [[greatly]], [[mightily]], Od.16.432, Hes.''Th.'' 429, [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]1.16,30, al., [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''8.2.10, Parth.28.1, etc.; strengthened, μάλα μ. Il.17.723; δμαθέντες μ. [[Aeschylus|A.]]''[[The Persians|Pers.]]''907 (lyr.); with Adjs., [[Herodotus|Hdt.]] 1.4, 7.190.<br><span class="bld">II</span> more freq. neut. sg. [[μέγα]] as adverb, [[very much]], [[exceedingly]], <b class="b3">μ. χαῖρε</b> [[all]] hail!, [[varia lectio|v.l.]] for [[μάλα]] in Od.24.402; esp. with Verbs expressing strong feeling, μ. κεν κεχαροίατο Il.1.256; μ. κήδεται 2.27, etc.: with Verbs expressing power, might, μ. πάντων… κρατέει 1.78; ὃς μ. πάντων.. ἤνασσε 10.32; πατρὸς μ. δυναμένοιο Od.1.276, cf. Hom.''Epigr.''15.1, A.''Eu.''950 (anap.), E.''Hel.''1358 (lyr.), Ar.''Ra.''141, [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Republic|R.]]'' 366a; μ. δύνασθαι παρά τινι Th.2.29; πλουτέειν μ. [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]1.32; or those expressing sound, [[loudly]], <b class="b3">μ. ἰάχειν, ἀῧσαι, βοῆσαι, εὔξασθαι, ἀμβῶσαι</b>, Il.2.333, 14.147, 17.334, Od.17.239, [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]1.8 (also pl., μεγάλ' εὔχετο Il.1.450; <b class="b3">μ. αὐδήσαντος, μ. ἤπυεν</b>, Od.4.505, 9.399): strengthened, μάλα μ. Il.15.321; μ. δ' ἔβραχε φήγινος ἄξων 5.838, etc.: so in Trag. with all kinds of Verbs, <b class="b3">μ. στένειν, σθένειν, χλίειν</b>, A.''Ag.''711 (lyr.), 938, ''Ch.''137: also in plural, μεγάλα.. δυστυχεῖς Id.''Eu.''791 (lyr.).<br><span class="bld">2</span> of Space, [[far]], μέγα προθορών Il.14.363; <b class="b3">ἄνευθε μέγα</b> [[far]] away, 22.88; οὐκ ἂν μέγα τι τῆς ἀληθείας παρεξέλθοις [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Philebus|Phlb.]]'' 66b.<br><span class="bld">3</span> with Adjs., as <b class="b3">μέγ' ἔξοχος, μέγα νήπιος</b>, Il.2.480, 16.46; <b class="b3">μ. νήπιε</b> Orac. ap. [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]1.85; μ. πλούσιος Id.1.32, 7.190; ὦ μέγ' εὔδαιμον κόρη [[Aeschylus|A.]]''[[Prometheus Vinctus|Pr.]]''647: with Comp. and Sup., [[by far]], <b class="b3">μέγ' ἀμείνονες, ἄριστος, φέρτατος</b>, Il.4.405, 2.82, 16.21.<br><span class="bld">C</span> degrees of Comparison (regul. <b class="b3">μεγαλώτερος, μεγαλώτατος</b> late, ''EM''780.1,2):<br><span class="bld">1</span> Comp. [[μείζων]], [[ον]], gen. ονος, Ep., Att. (also Delph., ''SIG''246 ''H''260 (iv B. C.)); Ion., Arc., Dor., Aeol. [[μέζων]], [[ον]], Heraclit. 25, Hp.''Acut.''44, [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]1.26, ''IG''7.235.16 (Oropus), 5(2).3.18 (Tegea), Epich.62 (also early Att., ''IG''12.22.65, but [με] ίζων ib.6.93, by analogy of [[ὀλείζων]] ib.76,95); dat. pl. μεζόνεσσι Diotog. ap. Stob.4.7.62: written [[μέσδων]] in Sapph.''Supp.''7.6, Plu.''Lyc.''19: cf. μέττον· [[μεῖζον]], [[Hesychius Lexicographus|Hsch.]] (dub.); later μειζότερος ''3 Ep.Jo.''4 (used as title, [[elder]], POxy. 943.3 (vi A. D.), etc.); μειζονώτερος A.''Fr.''434:—[[greater]], [[longer]], [[taller]], Il.3.168, 9.202, etc.; freq. also, [[too great]], γέρας Pl.''Sph.''231a; <b class="b3">Μηνόφιλος μείζων</b> M. [[the elder]], Ostr.Bodl.v''C'' 2 (ii A. D.); as title, μειζων [[κώμης]] [[headman]] of a village, ''[[Oxyrhynchus Papyri|POxy.]]''1626.5 (iv A. D.), etc.: generally, [[the higher authority]], PLond.2.214.22 (iii A. D.), ''[[Oxyrhynchus Papyri|POxy.]]''1204.17 (pl., iii A. D.); <b class="b3">οὔτε μεῖζον οὔτε ἔλαττον</b>, a strong form of denial, [[nothing whatever]], [[Dionysius of Halicarnassus|D.H.]]''[[De Compositione Verborum|Comp.]]''4; οὐδαμὰ προὔφηνεν οὔτε μείζον' οὔτ' ἐλάττονα S.''Tr.''324. Adv. [[μειζόνως]] E.''Hec.''1121, Th.1.130, X.''Cyn.''13.3, Isoc.9.21, etc.; Ion. [[μεζόνως]] [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]3.128, Herod.4.80, etc.: neut. as adverb, μεῖζον σθένειν S.''Ph.''456, E.''Supp.''216; μ. ἰσχύειν D.''Ep.''3.28; ἐπὶ μ. ἔρχεται S.''Ph.''259.<br><span class="bld">2</span> Sup. [[μέγιστος]], [[η]], [[ον]], Il.2.412, etc.: neut. as adverb, μέγιστον ἴσχυσε [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Ajax|Aj.]]''502; <b class="b3">δυνάμενος μ.</b>, c. gen., [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]7.5, 9.9: with another Sup., μέγιστον ἐχθίστη E.''Med.''1323: in plural, χαῖρ' ὡς μέγιστα S.''Ph.''462; θάλλει μ. Id.''OC''700 (lyr.); τὰ μέγιστ' ἐτιμάθης Id.''OT''1203 (lyr.); <b class="b3">ἐς μέγιστον</b> ib.521; ἐς τὰ μ. [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]8.111:—late Sup. μεγιστότατος ''PLond.''1.130.49 (i/ii A. D.). (Cf. Skt. majmán- 'greatness', Lat. [[magnus]], Goth. [[mikils]] 'great'.)