πρόβατον
οὐχὶ σοῦσθ'; οὐκ ἐς κόρακας; οὐκ ἄπιτε; παῖε τῷ ξύλῳ → You will not go? The plague seize you! Will you not clear off? Hit them with your stick!
English (LSJ)
τό, freq. in pl. πρόβατα (but also in sg., Cratin.43, Pl. Euthd.302a, etc.); heterocl. dat. πρόβασι Hdn.Gr.1.414, Hsch.:— used (among the Ionians and Dorians) of all four-footed
A cattle, Hdt. 2.41, etc.; πάντων τῶν π. βόες μάλιστα ἀτονέουσι Hp.Art.8; τὰ ἄλλα π. καὶ ἵππους μάλιστα Hdt.4.61, cf. Pi.Fr.316, IG12(1).677.31 (Rhodes, iv/iii B.C.); of Europa's bull, Simon.28: in Hom. generally of cattle, flocks and herds, Il.14.124, 23.550, h.Merc.571, cf. IG12(7).62.35 (Amorgos, iv B.C.); τὰ π. καὶ καρταίποδα Leg.Gort.4.35; opp. ἄνθρωποι, Hes.Op.558, Hdt.1.203; τὰ λεπτὰ τῶν π. small cattle, i.e. sheep and goats, ib.133, 8.137; τὸ μὲν μέζον π.... τὸ δὲ μεῖον IG5 (2).3.14 (Tegea, iv B.C.); so later, π. ἀπὸ τῶν ἀρνῶν καὶ τῶν ἐρίφων λήψεσθε LXX Ex.12.5: but in Att. Prose and Com. (never in Trag.) almost invariably of sheep, Ar.Av.714, Th.2.14, IG22.1672.289, etc.; ὥσπερ π. βῆ βῆ λέγων βαδίζει Cratin.43; so in later Boeot., IG7.3171.39,44 (Orchom. Boeot.): generally, animals for slaughter, whether for sacrifices, Hdt.6.56; or for food, Id.1.207; cf. Antipho 5.29. 2 prov. of stupid, lazy people, ἀριθμός, πρόβατ' ἄλλως Ar.Nu.1203, cf. V.32: Com. Comp., προβάτου προβάτερον more sheepish than a sheep, dub. cj. in Sophr.122; χρυσοῦν π., = Lat. pecus aurea, as nickname, D.C.59.8: in other provs., τοὺς γευομένους κύνας τῶν π. κατακόπτειν φασὶ δεῖν D.25.40; λέων ἐν προβάτοις Plu.Cleom.33, cf. Plb.5.35.13. II name of a sea-fish, Opp.H.1.146, 3.139, Ael.NA9.38. (Orig. of small cattle, sheep and goats, which in primitive mixed herds walk in front (προβαίνει) of the larger animals.)
