ἀφορμή
ἀλλ' ἐπὶ καὶ θανάτῳ φάρμακον κάλλιστον ἑᾶς ἀρετᾶς ἅλιξιν εὑρέσθαι σὺν ἄλλοις → even at the price of death, the fairest way to win his own exploits together with his other companions | but even at the risk of death would find the finest elixir of excellence together with his other companions | but to find, together with other young men, the finest remedy — the remedy of one's own valor — even at the risk of death
English (LSJ)
ἡ,
A starting-point, esp. in war, base of operations, ἀναχώρησίς τε καὶ ἀ. Th.1.90, cf. Plb.1.41.6, etc.; place of safety, E.Med.342. 2 generally, starting-point, origin, occasion or pretext, ἀφορμαὶ λόγων Id.Hec.1239, Ph.199; ἀφορμὴν παρέχειν D.18.156; δεδωκέναι Id.21.98, cf. 2 Ep.Cor.5.12; λαβεῖν ἀ. Isoc.4.61, Ep.Rom.7.8; εὑρεῖν BGU615.6(ii A. D.), 923.22 (i/ii A. D.); ἵνα ἀ. γένοιτο τιμῆς Inscr.Prien.105.16 (i B. C.); ἀ. καὶ πρόφασις Plb. 2.52.3; occasion, origin of an illness, Hp.Epid.2.1.11, Sor.1.29; εἰδέ τις οἴεται μικρὰν ἀ. εἶναι σιτηρέσιον τοῖς στρατευομένοις ὑπάρχειν a small inducement, D.4.29; τὸ γὰρ εὖ πράττειν παρὰ τὴν ἀξίαν ἀ. τοῦ κακὼς φρονεῖν Id.1.23; instigation, incitement, POxy.237 vii 21 (ii A. D.). 3 means with which one begins a thing, resources, ἀ. τοῦ βίου Lys.24.24; εἰς τὸν βίον X.Mem.3.12.4; τίνας εἶχεν ἀφορμὰς ἡ πόλις; D.18.233; ἀφελεῖν τὴν ἀ. δι' ἣν ὑβρίζει Id.21.98; πίστις ἀ. μεγίστη πρὸς χρηματισμόν good faith is the best asset for business, Id.36.44, cf. 11.16; ἀ. ἐπί . . Id.3.33; esp. means of war, And.1.109; ἀ. εἰς ξένους χιλίους means for levying 1000 mercenaries, X.HG4.8.33; ἀ. ἔργων means for undertaking... Id.Mem.2.7.11, cf.3.5.11; πρὸς ἀφορμὴν ἐμπορίας ἢ γεωργίας Arist.Pol.1320a39; πάντων ἀ. τῶν καλῶν Philem.110. 4 capital of a banker, etc., Lys.Fr.1.2, X.Mem.2.7.12, Lycurg.26,D.14.30,36.11; ἀφορμῆς δίκη suit for restitution of capital, Arg.D.36. 5 Rhet., food for argument, material, subject, ὑποθέσεις καὶ ἀφορμαὶ λόγων Luc.Rh.Pr.18, cf. Men.Rh.p.334S., Aps.p.264H. 6 aptitude, inclination, εἰς φιλανθρωπίαν Phld.Ir.p.53 W. (pl.). II Stoic term for repulsion (opp. ὁρμή), Chrysipp.Stoic.3.42, cf. 40, Simp. in Epict.p.22D. III release of water from sluice, PAmh.2.143.17 (iv A. D.).
