περισπασμός
οἷς πρόθεσίς ἐστιν ἀδικεῖν, παρ' αὐτοῖς οὐδὲ δικαία ἀπολογία ἰσχύει → not even a just excuse means anything to those bent on injustice | the tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny | any excuse will serve a tyrant
English (LSJ)
ὁ,
A wheeling round, Plb. 10.23.3,12.18.3. II distracting circumstances, distraction, Metrod. Herc.831.7, Plb.3.87.9(pl.), Phld.Mus.p.98K., Plu.2.831f (pl.) ; ἐν περισπασμοῖς εἶναι Plb.4.32.5, etc.; οἱ τῆς πόλεως π. καὶ φόβοι D.S.12.38 ; περισπασμοὶ καὶ πιθανότητες Chrysipp.Stoic.3.77 : rarely in sg., θυμοῦ π. LXX Ec.2.23, cf. Arr.Epict.3.22.71. III circumflex accent, D.H.Comp.11, A.D.Pron.34.24.
German (Pape)
[Seite 591] ὁ, 1) das Herumziehen, Wegziehen, anderweitige Beschäftigung, Pol. 3, 87, 9 u. öfter; auch ἐν περισπασμοῖς εἶναι, 4, 32, 5; daher das Abziehen wovon, Zerstreuung, in der Kriegssprache Diversion, Pol. 10, 21, 3 (vgl. das Verbum). – 2) der Circumflex, Gramm., S. Emp. adv. gramm. 109.
