ὀβελίσκος
δυνατὰ δὲ οἱ προύχοντες πράσσουσι καὶ οἱ ἀσθενεῖς ξυγχωροῦσιν → the strong do what they will; the weak do what they must | the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must | they that have odds of power exact as much as they can, and the weak yield to such conditions as they can get
English (LSJ)
ὁ, Dim. of ὀβελός I,
A small spit, skewer, Ar.Ach. 1007, Nu.178, V.354, Av.388, 672, Sotad. Com.1.10, X.HG3.3.7, Arist.Pol.1324b19, PEleph.5.2 (iii B. C.), etc. 2 pl., spits used as money, Plu.Lys.17, Fab.27 ; cf. ὀβολός fin. 3 nail, IG12.313.141 (prob.), 11(2).148.70 (Delos, iii B. C., pl.). 4 = subula, Gloss. 5 window bar, ib. (pl.). II anything shaped like a spit : the blade of a two-edged sword, Plb.6.23.7 ; the iron head of the Roman pilum, D.H.5.46. III obelisk, D.S.1.46, Str.17.1.27, Plin.HN36.64. IV drainage-conduit, οἱ ἐν τοῖς τείχεσιν ὀ. D.S.19.45, cf. IG 9(1).692.14 (Corc., ii B. C.) ; so perh. περὶ τοῦ πιλῶνος (= πυλῶνος) καὶ τοὐβιλίσκου (= τοῦ ὀβελίσκου) PLond.2.391.2 (vi A. D.) ; cf. ὀβολίσκος 1.
German (Pape)
[Seite 289] ὁ, eigtl. dim. von ὀβελός, ein kleiner Spieß, Bratspieß; Ar. Nubb. 471 Av. 388 u. öfter; τῆς μαχαίρας, Pol. 6, 23, 7, die Degenklinge; auch von der eisernen Spitze am römischen pilum, D. Hal. 5, 46. – Nach Plut. Lys. 17 Fab. Max. 27 haben ὀβελίσκοι, νομίσματα σιδηρᾶ ἢ χαλκᾶ, entweder wirklich spießförmige od. mit einem Spieße geprägte Münzen, die Veranlassung zu dem Namen ὀβολός gegeben.
