μέτρον: Difference between revisions

|Definition=τό, <span class="sense"><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">A</span> [[that by which anything is measured]]: </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">1</span> [[measure]], [[rule]], μέτρ' ἐν χερσὶν ἔχοντες <span class="bibl">Il.12.422</span>; ἐν μέτροισι ταμὼν δόνακας <span class="bibl"><span class="title">h.Merc.</span>47</span>; <b class="b3">πάντ' ἄνδρα πάντων χρημάτων μ. εἶναι</b> is <b class="b2">a measure</b> of all things, <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Tht.</span>183c</span>, cf. Protag. ap. <span class="bibl">Arist.<span class="title">Metaph.</span>1053a36</span>; μ. αὐτῷ οὐχ ἡ ψυχή, ἀλλ' ὁ νόμος <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">Cyr.</span>1.3.18</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">b</span> Math., [[measure]], [[divisor]], Eratosth. ap. <span class="bibl">Nicom.<span class="title">Ar.</span>1.13</span>, etc. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">2</span> <b class="b2">measure of content</b>, whether solid or liquid, δῶκεν μέθυ, χίλια μ. <span class="bibl">Il.7.471</span>; εἴκοσι δ' ἔστω μ.… ἀλφίτου <span class="bibl">Od.2.355</span>; ὕδατος ἀνὰ εἴκοσι μ. χεῦε <span class="bibl">9.209</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">Il.23.268</span>, <span class="bibl">741</span>, <span class="bibl">Hes.<span class="title">Op.</span>350</span>, <span class="bibl">600</span>, etc.; at Samos, of the <b class="b3">μέδιμνος</b>, <span class="title">SIG</span>976.55 (ii B.C.); in Egypt, of the ἀρτάβη, μ. δοχικόν <span class="bibl"><span class="title">PTeb.</span>11.6</span> (ii B.C.); also of smaller units, as <b class="b3">μ. ἑξαχοίνικον</b> ib.<span class="bibl">105.40</span> (ii B.C.); <b class="b3">μέτροις καὶ σταθμοῖς</b> <b class="b2">by measure</b> and weight, Decr. ap. <span class="bibl">And.1.83</span>; in the widest sense, either [[weight]] or [[measure]], Φείδωνος τοῦ τὰ μ. ποιήσαντος Πελοποννησίοισι <span class="bibl">Hdt.6.127</span>; <b class="b3">μ. οἰνηρά, σιτηρά</b>, <span class="bibl">Arist.<span class="title">EN</span>1135a2</span>; Κιλικίῳ μ. μετρεῖν <span class="title">OGI</span>579.2 (Cilicia). </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">3</span> <b class="b2">any space measured</b> or [[measurable]], [[length]], [[size]], in pl., [[dimensions]], <b class="b3">μέτρα κελεύθου</b> <b class="b2">the length</b> of the way, <span class="bibl">Od.4.389</span>; μέτρα θαλάσσης <span class="bibl">Hes.<span class="title">Op.</span>648</span>, Orac. ap. <span class="bibl">Hdt.1.47</span>; <b class="b3">μορφῆς μέτρα</b> bodily [[dimensions]], <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Alc.</span>1063</span>; <b class="b3">τὰ μ. τοῦ λίθου</b> its [[distances]] from a given point in given directions, its [[position]], <span class="bibl">Hdt.2.121</span>.ά, cf. <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Lg.</span> 843e</span>, <span class="bibl">Plu.<span class="title">Sol.</span>23</span>; ἄστρων μέτρα <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">Fr.</span>432.8</span>; ἀπέχει… θαλάσσης μέτρον ἑξήκοντα σταδίους <span class="bibl">Th.8.95</span>; <b class="b3">τῷ Ἴστρῳ ἐκ τῶν ἴσων μ. ὁρμᾶται [ὁ Νεῖλος</b>] starts from the same [[distances]] as (i.e. the position corresponding to the source of) the Ister, <span class="bibl">Hdt.2.33</span>; εἰδέναι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ χώραν μέτρῳ καὶ τόπῳ <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">Cyr.</span>8.5.3</span>; ἐντὸς τῶν μ. τετμημένον μέταλλον <span class="bibl">Hyp.<span class="title">Eux.</span>35</span>; later of Time, [[duration]], μέτρα βίοιο ἄρκια <span class="title">APl.</span>4.333 (Antiphil.); <b class="b3">ἐτέων μέτρα, ὡράων μέτρον</b>, <span class="title">AP</span>7.334,9.481; <b class="b3">μέτρα ἐνιαυτῶν, νυκτός</b>, <span class="bibl">Arat.464.731</span>; χρονικὰ μ. Simp. <b class="b2">in de An</b>.<span class="bibl">299.37</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">b</span> [[limit]], [[goal]], <b class="b3">ὅρμου μ</b>. the [[goal]] which is the mooring-place, <span class="bibl">Od.13.101</span>; <b class="b3">ἥβης μ. ἱκέσθαι</b> the [[term]] which is puberty, <span class="bibl">Il.11.225</span>, <span class="bibl">Hes. <span class="title">Op.</span>132</span>; but, <b class="b3">ἥβης μ. ἔχειν</b> <b class="b2">full measure</b> of youthful vigour, ib. <span class="bibl">438</span>, <span class="bibl">Thgn.1119</span>; σοφίης, γνωμοσύνης μ. <span class="bibl">Sol.13.52</span>, <span class="bibl">16.2</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">4</span> <b class="b2">due measure</b> or [[limit]], [[proportion]], μέτρα φυλάσσεσθαι <span class="bibl">Hes.<span class="title">Op.</span>694</span>; χρὴ κατ' αὐτὸν παντὸς ὁρᾶν μέτρον <span class="bibl">Pi.<span class="title">P.</span>2.34</span>; μέτρα μὲν γνώμᾳ διώκων, μέτρα δὲ καὶ κατέχων <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">I.</span>6(5).71</span>; κατὰ μέτρον <span class="bibl">Hes.<span class="title">Op.</span>720</span>; πίνειν ὑπὲρ μέτρον <span class="bibl">Thgn.498</span>; προστιθεὶς μ. <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Ch.</span>797</span> (lyr.); <b class="b3">τί μ. κακότατος ἔφυ</b>; <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">El.</span>236</span> (lyr.); <b class="b3">μ. ἔχει</b> have <b class="b2">a moderating power</b>, <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Lg.</span>836a</span>; πλέον πίνειν τοῦ μέτρου <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">R.</span>621a</span>; μ. ἔχειν <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Lg.</span>957a</span>; <b class="b3">μέτρῳ</b>, = [[μετρίως]], [[καταβαίνειν]] <span class="bibl">Pi.<span class="title">P.</span>8.78</span>; οὐδεὶς τῷ μ. τὸ πίνειν ἔστεργε <span class="bibl">Alciphr. 3.32</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">5</span> <b class="b3">τίς ἱππείοις ἐν ἔντεσσιν μέτρα… ἐπέθηκ</b>' [[checks]], i.e. bits, <span class="bibl">Pi.<span class="title">O.</span>13.20</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">II</span> [[metre]], <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Nu.</span>638</span>, <span class="bibl">641</span>, etc.; opp. <b class="b3">μέλος</b> (music) and <b class="b3">ῥυθμός</b> (time), <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Grg.</span>502c</span>, etc.; <b class="b3">λόγους ψιλοὺς εἰς μέτρα τιθέντες</b> putting into [[verse]], <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Lg.</span>669d</span>; τὰ ἐν μέτρῳ πεποιημένα ἔπη <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">Mem.</span> 1.2.21</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">2</span> pl., [[verses]], <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Ly.</span>205a</span>. (I.-E. <b class="b2">*métro-m</b> from <b class="b2">*métro-m</b> 'measuring instrument', cf. Goth. [[mitan]] 'measure'.)</span>

|etymtx=Grammatical information: n.<br />Meaning: <b class="b2">measure, the right, full measure, goal, length, size, syllable- or verse-measure</b> (Il.).<br />Compounds: Many compp., e.g. <b class="b3">σύμμετρος</b> <b class="b2">with the same measure, maesured, becoming, symmetrical</b> with <b class="b3">συμμετρ-ία</b> [[harmony]], [[symmetry]] a. o. (IA.); <b class="b3">περί-μετρος</b> <b class="b2">exceeding (the measure)</b> (Od.); but <b class="b3">περί-μετρον</b> (Hdt., Arist.), <b class="b3">-ος</b> (sc. <b class="b3">γραμμή</b>) f. [[circumference]], [[extent]] after <b class="b3">περίοδος</b> a. o. with verbal association (<b class="b3">περι-μετρέω</b> Luc.), s. Risch IF 59, 252.<br />Derivatives: Adj. 1. <b class="b3">μέτριος</b> [[moderate]], [[suitable]] (Hes.) with <b class="b3">μετρι-ότης</b> [[moderation]] (IA.), <b class="b3">-οσύνη</b> [[poverty]] (pap. VIp), <b class="b3">-ακός</b> [[moderate]] (pap. VIp), <b class="b3">-άζω</b> <b class="b2">be moderate</b> (Att. hell.) with <b class="b3">-ασμός</b> (Suid.); <b class="b3">μετριεύεται</b> H. s. <b class="b3">λαγαρίτ-τεται</b>. 2. <b class="b3">μετρικός</b> <b class="b2">metrical, acc. to measure</b> (Arist.). 3. Adv. <b class="b3">μετρηδόν</b> <b class="b2">in metrical form</b> (Nonn.). 4. Verb: <b class="b3">μετρέω</b>, very often with prefix, e.g. <b class="b3">ἀνα-</b>, <b class="b3">δια-</b>, <b class="b3">ἐπι-</b>, <b class="b3">ἐκ-</b>, <b class="b3">ἀπο-</b>, <b class="b3">συν-</b>, <b class="b2">measure, measure (off), estimate etc.</b> (Hom.); from this (often with prefix) <b class="b3">μέτρ-ησις</b> [[measurement]] (IA.)., <b class="b3">-ημα</b> [[measure]] (E., hell.), <b class="b3">-ητής</b> m. "measurer", name of a measure, [[metretes]] (Att.; Fraenkel Nom. ag. 1, 233), <b class="b3">-ητίς</b> f. <b class="b2">id.</b> (Amorgos IVa), <b class="b3">-ητιαῖος</b> <b class="b2">sticking to a μ.</b> (Karyanda), <b class="b3">-ητικός</b> <b class="b2">regarding measurement</b> (Pl.). As 2. member in several verbal cornpp., e.g. <b class="b3">γεω-μέτρης</b> m. <b class="b2">land-, fieldmeasurer, geometrist</b> (Pl., X.) with <b class="b3">γεωμετρ-ία</b>, Ion. <b class="b3">-ίη</b> (Hdt., Ar.; also compound of <b class="b3">γῆν μετρεῖν</b>?), <b class="b3">-ικός</b> (Democr., Pl.), <b class="b3">-έω</b> (Att.), <b class="b3">βου-μέτρης</b> "cowmeasurer" = <b class="b3">ὁ ἐπι θυσιῶν τεταγμένος παρὰ Αἰτωλοῖς</b> H.; cf. E. Kretschmer Glotta 18, 86. -- Backformations like <b class="b3">διάμετρος</b> (sc. <b class="b3">γραμμή</b>) f. <b class="b2">diameter, diagonal etc.</b> (Pl., Arist.), <b class="b3">ἐπίμετρον</b> [[excess]], [[addition]] (hell.).<br />Origin: IE [Indo-European] [703] <b class="b2">*meh₁-</b> [[measure]]<br />Etymology: Beside <b class="b3">μέτρον</b> we have with the same suffix but diff. ablaut <b class="b3">μήτρα</b> f. <b class="b2">landmeasure etc.</b> (Cilicia), <b class="b3">ἐρεσι-μήτρην την γεωμετρίαν</b> H. (s. <b class="b3">ἔρα</b>), which agrees exactly with Skt. <b class="b2">mā́trā</b> f. [[measure]] and goes back on an athematic present, Skt. <b class="b2">mā́-ti</b> [[measure]] (< IE <b class="b2">*meh₁-ti</b>). The shortness of the <b class="b3">ε</b> in <b class="b3">μέτρον</b> as opposed to Skt. <b class="b2">mā́tram</b> n. <b class="b2">id.</b> finds however no agreement outside Greek; one might think of a thematic vowel after zero grade root <b class="b3">μ-έ-τρον</b> (Brugmann, e.g. Grundr.2 II: 1, 342); a reduced grade of IE <b class="b2">*meh₁--</b> (as <b class="b3">θέ-(σις</b>) from <b class="b3">θη-</b>) is difficult: it would require <b class="b2">*mh₁tr-</b> to become (*)<b class="b3">μετρ-</b> and not rather <b class="b2">*m̥h₁tr-</b> > <b class="b3">μητρ-</b>; in the latter case Prakr. [[mettam]] n. [[measure]] from Skt. <b class="b2">*mitram</b> (innovated after <b class="b2">mi-ta-</b>?) would give a direct parallel (note that <b class="b2">mh₁etr-</b> might rather have givem <b class="b2">*m̥h₁etr-</b> > <b class="b3">*αμετρ-</b>); the question has not been solved yet, Beekes Laryngeals 183. I now think that at the beginning of the word the <b class="b2">*m-</b> could have remained consonantal. A derivation IE <b class="b2">*méd-tro-m</b> from <b class="b2">*med-</b> [[measure]] (not here <b class="b3">μέδιμνος</b>, s.v., with de Saussure MSL 6, 246ff.) would have given <b class="b3">*μέστρον</b>. -- An other derivation of the same verb is [[μῆτις]], s. v.