βαλβίς
Πάντα ταῦτα ἐπείρασα ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ: εἶπα Σοφισθήσομαι, καὶ αὐτὴ ἐμακρύνθη ἀπ' ἐμοῦ· κτλ. (Εcclesiastes 7:23f., LXX version) → I tried to give proof in wisdom of all those things; I said, I will be wise, but that wisdom was far from me ...
English (LSJ)
ῖδος, ἡ, prop.
A rope drawn across the race-course at the starting and finishing-point: mostly in pl., posts to which this rope was attached, Ar.Eq.1159: so in sg., turning-post, νῆσος β. ξεστῇ εἴκασται Philostr.VA5.5: also, platform from which the quoit was thrown, Id.Im.1.24: hence, any starting-point, Antipho Soph.69; βαλβίδων ἄπο E.HF867, cf. Ar.V.548: metaph., ἕρπε πρὸς βαλβῖδα λυπηρὰν βίου E.Med.1245; ἐκ β. εἰς τέρμα Them.Or.13.177d; β. λόγου βέβληται Philostr.VS2.20.3; βιβλίου AP4.3b.75 (Agath.); but, edge, ib.39. II since the starting-point was also the goal, βαλβῖδες was used for any point to be gained, as the battlements (by one scaling a wall), S.Ant.131 (lyr.), cf. Lyc.287, Opp.C.1.513. III = κοιλότης παραμήκης, Gal.19.87; v. foreg.
