βάσανος

English (LSJ)

ἡ,

   A touchstone, on which pure gold leaves a yellow streak, ἐς βάσανον δ' ἐλθὼν παρατρίβομαι ὥστε μολύβδῳ χρυσός Thgn.417; χρυσὸν τριβόμενον βασάνῳ Id.450, cf. 1105; παρατρίβεσθαι πρὸς τὰς β. Arist.Col.793b1, cf. HA 597b2: metaph., β. τοῦ ἀρώματος (sc. τοῦ κινναμώμου) τὴν αἶγα εἶναι Philostr.VA3.4.    II the use of this as a test, χρυσὸς ἐν β. πρέπει Pi.P.10.67: generally, test, trial of genuineness, οὐκ ἔστιν μείζων β. χρόνου [Simon.]175.1; δόμεν τι βασάνῳ ἐς ἔλεγχον Pi.N.8.20; σοφὸς ὤφθη βασάνῳ θ' ἁδύπολις S.OT510 (lyr.), cf. 494; βάσανον λαμβάνειν περί τινος Pl.Lg.648b; εἰς β. εἶ χερῶν wilt come to a trial of strength, S. OC835; πλοῦτος β. ἀνθρώπου τρόπων Antiph.232.5; [νόσου] ἔσχ' ἐπὶ σοὶ βάσανον had experienced it in you, i. e. you had had it first, IG14.1320; βάσανον ὑποκείσονται will be subjected to a test, of candidates, POxy.58.25 (iii A. D.).    III inquiry by torture, ἐς πᾶσαν β. ἀπικνέεσθαι Hdt.8.110; εἰς β. αἰτεῖν Herod.2.88; ἐξετάσαι διὰ βασάνων SIG780.12 (Astypalaea, Aug.); esp. at Athens, used to extort evidence from slaves, εἰς β. δέχεσθαι Antipho1.12; εἰς β. παραδοῦναι Is.8.17; ἐκ βασάνων εἰπεῖν ib.12: in pl., confession upon torture, D. 53.24, Hyp.Fr.5, Arist.Rh.1355b37.    2 agony of battle, ἡ κατὰ τὸ ἔργον β. S.E.M.6.24; tortures of disease, Ev.Matt.4.24; cf. ἐπάγρυπνος β. Vett.Val.211.28; also ψυχικαί Id.182.19; torments of hell,Ev.Luc.16.23.    3 trespass-offering, LXX 1 Ki.6.17.—Oriental word.