κράτος

English (LSJ)

[ᾰ], Ion. and Ep. κάρτος, εος, τό, both in Hom.; Aeol. κρέτος Alc.25:—

   A strength, might, in Hom. esp. of bodily strength, ἔπεφνε δόλῳ, οὔ τι κράτεΐ γε Il.7.142; ἔχει ἥβης ἄνθος, ὅ τε κ. ἐστὶ μέγιστον 13.484, etc.; τὸ γὰρ αὖτε σιδήρου γε κ. ἐστίν this (i.e. τὸ βάψαι) is what gives strength to iron, Od.9.393: generally, δικαία γλῶσσ' ἔχει κ. μέγα S.Fr.80; μηχανῆς ἔστω κ. A.Supp.207; κατὰ κράτος with all one's might or strength, πολιορκεῖσθαι Th.1.64; πολεμεῖν Pl. Lg.692d; ἐξελέγχεσθαι D.34.20, etc.: freq. in phrase αἱρεῖν κατὰ κ. take by storm, Th.8.100, Isoc.4.119, etc.; also ἀνὰ κράτος διώκειν X. Cyr.1.4.23; ἐλαύνειν Id.An.1.8.1, etc.; ἀπὸ κράτους D.S.17.34; πρὸς ἰσχύος κράτος, opp. λόγῳ, S.Ph.594.    2 personified, K. Βία τε A. Pr.12; K. καὶ Δίκη Id.Ch.244.    II power, τοῦ γὰρ κ. ἐστὶ μέγιστον, of Zeus, Il.2.118, etc.; τοῦ γὰρ κ. ἔστ' ἐνὶ οἴκῳ Od.1.359, cf. Il.12.214; Ζηνὸς κ. Pi.O.6.96, cf. A.Pr.527 (lyr.); ἐκπίπτειν κράτους, of Zeus, ib. 948; τὸ κ. τοῦ θεοῦ LXX Ps.61(62).11, etc.: pl., ὑποχείριος κράτεσιν ἀρσένων A.Supp.393 (lyr.), cf. S.Ant.485; esp. of political power, rule, sovereignty, ὁ μαιόμενος τὸ μέγα κρέτος ὀντρέψει τάχα τὰν πόλιν Alc. l.c.; τὸ κ. περιθεῖναί τινι Hdt.1.129; ἐς τὸ πλῆθος φέρειν τὸ κ. Id.3.81; τὸ πᾶν κ. ἔχειν to be all-powerful, Id.7.3; ἀρχὴ καὶ κ. τυραννικόν S.OC 373; βασιλεὺς πρῶτος ἐν κράτει Ὀδρυσῶν ἐγένετο in real power, Th.2.29; later τὸ κ. τῶν Ῥωμαίων POxy.41i2 (iii/iv A. D.): in pl., κράτη καὶ θρόνους S.Ant.173, cf. OT586, etc.; θρόνων κράτη sovereign power, Id.Ant.166.    2 c. gen., power over, τὸ Περσέων κ. ἔχοντα Hdt.3.69; τὸ κ. εἶχε τῆς στρατιῆς Id.9.42; πᾶν κ. ἔχων χθονός A.Supp.425 (lyr.); τῶν ἄλλων δαιμόνων E.Tr.949; δὸς κ. τῶν σῶν δόμων A.Ch.480; δωμάτων ἔχειν κ. Ar.Th.871; τὸ τῆς θαλάσσης κ. Th.1.143; μετὰ κράτους τῆς γῆς Id.8.24; ὧν ἂν ᾖ τὸ κ. τῆς γῆς whoever have possession of the land, Id.4.98; κ. ἔχειν ἑαυτοῦ Pl.Plt.273a: pl., ἀστραπᾶν κράτη νέμων S.OT201 (lyr.).    3 of persons, a power, an authority, Ἀχαιῶν δίθρονον κ. A.Ag.109 (lyr.), cf. 619, Th.127 (lyr.).    III mastery, victory, freq. in Hom., Il.1.509, 6.387, Od.21.280; κ. ἄρνυσθαι S.Ph. 838 (lyr.); νίκη καὶ κράτη A.Supp.951; ἀέθλων κ. victory in... Pi.I. 8(7).4; νίκη καὶ κ. τῶν δρωμένων S.El.85; κ. ἀριστείας the meed of highest valour, Id.Aj.443; νίκη καὶ κ. πολεμίων Pl.Lg.962a; κ. πολέμου καὶ νίκη D.19.130.    IV Medic., in pl., ligaments, Hp.Mul. 2.167.    2 = ταρσός, back of the hand, Poll.2.144.    V Pythag. name for ten, Theol.Ar.59.—This word and its derivs. take two forms, κρατ- and καρτ-; the latter is mostly Ep., as κάρτος, κάρτιστος, καρτύνω, but in κρατερός and καρτερός the reverse holds, v. κρατερός fin.; κρατέω, κρατύς have no form καρτ-. (κρατ- and καρτ- from kṛt-, weak form of κρετ-, cf. κρέτος, κρέσσων.)