σῖτος

English (LSJ)

ὁ, heterocl. pl. σῖτα, τά, Xenoph.2.8, Hdt.4.128, 5.34 (neut. sg. σῖτον only Delph.3(5).3 ii 19 (iv B.C.)):—

   A grain, comprehending both wheat (πυρός) and barley (κριθή), ἐν [Ἰθάκῃ] σ. ἀθέσφατος ἐν δέ τε οἶνος γίγνεται Od.13.244; περὶ σίτου ἐκβολήν about the shooting of the corn into ear, Th.4.1; τοῦ σ. ἀκμάζοντος at its ripening, Id.2.19; πρὶν τὸν σ. ἐν ἀκμῇ εἶναι Id.4.2; τὸν νέον σ. σὺν τῇ καλάμῃ ἀποκείμενον X.An.5.4.27; σ. ἀληλεσμένος or -εμένος ground corn, Hdt.7.23, Th.4.26; σ. ἀπηλοημένος D.42.6; σῖτον ἐσαγαγεῖν Th.2.6, etc.; σ. ἐπείσακτος D.18.87; σίτου εἰσαγωγή, ἐξαγωγή, Arist.EN1133b9, IG12.57.35; συγκομιδή X.HG7.5.14; ἐγδοχεία PMich.Zen.23 (iii B.C.); comprehending πυρός, κριθή, ὄλυρα, and φακός, PTeb.66.41 (ii B.C.); περὶ τοῦ σ. καὶ τοῦ σησάμου PMich.Zen.43.3 (iii B.C.); ὁ σ. καὶ τὰ λάχανα as examples of πόα, Thphr.HP1.3.1.    2 food made from grain, bread, opp. flesh-meat, σ. καὶ κρέα Od.9.9, 12.19, cf. Hdt.2.168; σῖτον ἔδοντες, a general epith. of men as opp. to beasts, ὅσσοι νῦν βροτοί εἰσιν ἐπὶ χθονὶ σ. ἔδ. Od.8.222, cf. 9.89; of savages, who eat flesh only, οὐδέ τι σῖτον ἤσθιον Hes.Op.146; of civilized men, σῖτον καὶ σπείρουσι καὶ σιτέονται Hdt.4.17; σωρὸν σίτου κεχυμένον Id.1.22; ἐσθίειν ἐπὶ τῷ σ. ὄψον X.Mem.3.14.2; κάρδαμον ἔχειν ἐπὶ τῷ σ. Id.Cyr.1.2.11; πίνειν ὕδωρ ἐπὶ τῷ σ. ib.6.2.27, cf. Plu. Them.29, with Id.2.328f.    3 in a wider sense, food, as opp. to drink, σ. ἠδὲ ποτής Od.9.87, cf. Il.19.306; σ. καὶ οἶνος Od.3.479, Il.9.706; σ. καὶ μέθυ Od.4.746, etc.; even of porridge (κυκεών), 10.235; σῖτα καὶ ποτά Hdt.5.34, X.An.2.3.27; σ. ποιεῖν καὶ οἶνον Pl.R.372a; ἄκμηνος σίτοιο Il.19.163, cf. A.Fr.182; εὐνὴ καὶ σ. Od. 20.130, cf. Il.24.129; ὕπνον καὶ σ. αἱρεῖσθαι Th.2.75; provisions, σῖτα ἀναιρέεσθαι Hdt.4.128; παρέχειν σῖτα καὶ νέας Id.7.21; παρέχειν μέχρι τριάκοντα ἡμερῶν σ. Foed. ap. Th.5.47.    4 rarely of beasts, fodder, Hes.Op.604, E.HF383 (lyr.), X.Eq.4.1.—In the general sense of food, Prose writers prefer the dim. form σιτία, τά.    II in Att. Law, allowance of grain made to widows and orphans. σῖτον διδόναι, ἀποδιδόναι, D.27.15, 28.11, Arist.Ath.56.7.    2 δίκην σίτου δικάσασθαι, bring an action under the Athen. Corn-law against regraters and monopolists, Is.3.9, cf. D.59.52.    3 allowance made to the Ἱππεῖς, IG12.304.4, al.    4 public distribution of corn in Rome, Lat. frumentatio, τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ σίτου ὄντα ἐν Ῥώμῃ Arr.Epict.1.10.2.