ἔθνος

English (LSJ)

εος, τό: (ϝέθνος, cf. Il.2.87, 7.115, al.): -

   A number of people living together, company, body of men, ἑτάρων ἔ., ἔ. ἑταίρων, band of comrades, Il.3.32, 7.115, etc.; ἔθνος λαῶν host of men, 13.495; of particular tribes, Αυκίων μέγα ἔ. 12.330; Ἀχαιῶν ἔ. 17.552: pl., ἔθνεα πεζῶν 11.724, cf. 2.91; ἔ. νεκρῶν Od.10.526; of animals, ἔ. μελισσάων, ὀρνίθων, μυιάων, swarms, flocks, etc., Il.2.87,459,469; ἔθνη θηρῶν S.Ph.1147 (lyr.), Ant.344; ἔ. ἀνέρων, γυναικῶν, Pi.O.1.66, P.4.252; ἔ. βρότεον, θνατόν, Id.N.3.74, 11.42; ἔ. τόδε, of the Erinyes, A.Eu.366 (lyr.).    2 after Hom., nation, people, τὸ Μηδικὸν ἔ. (γένος being a subdivision of ἔθνος) Hdt.1.101; ἔ. ἠπειρογενές, μαχαιροφόρον, A.Pers.43, 56 (anap.), etc.; τῶν μηδισάντων ἐθνέων τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν Hdt.9.106.    b later, τὰ ἔ. foreign, barbarous nations, opp. Ἕλληνες, Arist.Pol.1324b10; ἔ. νομάδων, of Bedawîn, LW2203 (Syria); at Athens, athletic clubs of non-Athenians, IG2.444, al.; in LXX, non-Jews, Ps.2.1, al., cf. Act.Ap.7.45; Gentiles, τῶν ἐθνῶν τε καὶ Ἰουδαίων ib.14.5, etc.; used of Gentile Christians, Ep. Rom.15.27.    c at Rome, = provinciae, App.BC2.13, Hdn.1.2.1, PStrassb.22.19 (iii A. D.), D.C.36.41, etc.: so in sg., province, ὁ τυραννήσας τοῦ ἔθνους D.Chr.43.11; ὁ ἡγούμενος τοῦ ἔθνους the governor of the province, POxy.1020.5 (iii A. D.).    3 class of men, caste, tribe, τὸ Θετταλῶν . . πενεστικὸν ἔ. Pl.Lg.776d; ἔθνος κηρυκικόν Id.Plt.290b; οἶσθά τι ἔ. ἠλιθιώτερον ῥαψῳδῶν; X.Smp.3.6; δημιουργικὸν ἔ. Pl.Grg.455b, cf. Arist.Ath.3; ἔ. βραχμάνων D.S.17.102; τὰ ἱερὰ ἔ. the orders of priests, OGI90.17 (ii B. C.); trade-associations or guilds, ἔθνη καὶ ἐργαστήρια PPetr.3p.67 (iii B. C.), al.; class in respect to rank or station, οὐ πρὸς τοῦτο βλέποντες . . ὅπως . . ἕν τι ἔ. ἔσται διαφερόντως εὔδαιμον Pl.R.420b, cf. 421c, D.21.131.    4 sex, θῆλυ, ἄρρεν ἔ., X.Oec.7.26.    5 part, member, Hp.Loc.Hom.1.    II of a single person, a relation, Pi.N.5.43.