θηρίον

English (LSJ)

τό (in form Dim. of θήρ),

   A wild animal, esp. of such as are hunted, μάλα γὰρ μέγα θηρίον ἦεν, of a stag, Od.10.171, 180 (never in Il.); in Trag. only in Satyric drama, S.Ichn.147 (dub. in A.Fr.26): used in Prose for θήρ, X.An.1.2.7, Isoc.12.163, etc.; of the spider's prey, Arist.HA623a27; freq. of elephants, Plb.11.1.12, al.: pl., beasts, opp. men, birds, and fishes, h.Ven.4, Hdt.3.108.    2 generally, animal, Id.1.119; νενόμισται πῦρ θ. εἶναι ἔμψυχον Id.3.16; of men, ἄνθρωπος πάντων θ. θεειδέστατον Antipho Soph.48; εἰς θηρίου βίον ἀφικνεῖσθαι Pl.Phdr.249b; also θ. ὕειον Id.R.535e; of the dog, Theoc.25.79; of fishes, Arist.HA598b1; of eels, Antiph.147.7; of leeches, IG4.951.101 (Epid.); of other small creatures, Arist.HA 552b11, 625b32, Hp. ap. Gal.19.103, Theoc.19.6; οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν θ. τῶν ἰχθύων ἀτυχέστερον Antiph.161.1; opp. plants, Pl.Smp.188b: prov., ἢ θηρίον ἢ θεός, either above or below the nature of man, Arist. Pol.1253a29, cf. EN1145a25.    3 beast, esp. as hostile and odious to man, θηρία τε καὶ βοτά carnivora and graminivora, Pl.Mx.237d; monster, creature, of sharks, etc., Hdt.6.44; of Typhon, etc., Pl. Phdr.230a, R.588e; of the Satyrs, S.Ichn. l.c.; ταυτὶ ποδαπὰ τὰ θ.; Ar.Nu.184, cf. Av.93.    b poisonous animal, Dsc.1.75, Act.Ap. 28.4.    II Medic.,= θηρίωμα, Hp.Coac.459, Loc.Hom.29, cf. Gal. l.c.    III as a term of reproach, beast, creature, ὦ δειλότατον σὺ θηρίον Ar.Pl.439, cf. Eq.273; κόλακι, δεινῷ θηρίῳ Pl.Phdr.240b; Κρῆτες, κακὰ θ. Epimenid.1; δυσνουθέτητον θ., of poverty, Men. Georg.78; ἡ μουσικὴ ἀεί τι καινὸν θηρίον τίκτει Anaxil.27, cf. Eup.132; τί δέ, εἰ αὐτοῦ τοῦ θηρίου ἠκούσατε; said by Aeschines of Demosthenes, Plin.Ep.2.3.10; θ. συνεστιώμενον, of woman, Secund. Sent.8.    IV Astron., the constellation Lupus, Eudox. ap. Hipparch. 1.2.20, Vett. Val.6.13.