προσπταίω
Ὁ μὲν βίος βραχύς, ἡ δὲ τέχνη μακρή, ὁ δὲ καιρὸς ὀξύς, ἡ δὲ πεῖρα σφαλερή, ἡ δὲ κρίσις χαλεπή → Life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experience misleading and judgment difficult
English (LSJ)
Ep. ποτιπταίω Q.S.7.81:—
A hurt by striking against a thing, injure, τὸ γόνυ Hdt.6.134; τὸν πόδα Plu. Ages.3: abs., bump oneself, Pl.R.604c; hurt one's foot, X.HG3.3.3; stumble, Ar.Pl.121; πρὸς τὸν οὐδόν Plu.TG17; ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ Thphr.Char. 15.8; πόδεσσι Q.S. l.c. 2 c. dat. objecti, stumble upon, strike against, τισὶν ὥσπερ προβόλοις D.10.63; τῷ νόμῳ Porph.Chr.30. 3 generally, to be checked, πνεῦμα προσπταῖον ἐν τῇ ἄνω φορῇ Hp.Acut. 42; of the tongue, Arist.Pr.905b30; προσπταίειν . . ποιεῖ τὸν ἀκροατήν Id.Rh.1409b19. II metaph., suffer check or disaster, opp. εὐτυχέω, Hdt.3.40; of shipwreck, π. περὶ τὸν Ἄθων Id.7.22; esp. fail in war, suffer defeat, ναυμαχίῃ Id.9.107; προσπταίσας μεγάλως Id.1.16, cf. 2.161, 5.62; πρὸς Τεγεήτας lost battles against them, Id.1.65; τῷ πεζῷ π. πρὸς τοὺς Βρύγους Id.6.45. III c. dat., offend, clash with, τῷ δήμῳ Plu.Per.32, cf. Cat.Mi.30.
