ἄριστος: Difference between revisions

|Definition=[ᾰ], η, ον, (with Art. Ep.<br><span class="bld">A</span> [[ὤριστος]] Il.11.288, Att. [[ἅριστος]]) [[best]] in its kind, and so in all sorts of relations, serving as Sup. of [[ἀγαθός]]:<br><span class="bld">I</span> of persons,<br><span class="bld">1</span> [[best]] in [[birth]] and [[rank]], [[noblest]]: hence, like [[ἀριστεύς]], a [[chief]], Ἀργείων οἱ ἄριστοι Il.4.260, cf. 6.209; ἄ. ἔην πολὺ δὲ πλείστους ἄγε λαούς 2.580; θεῶν ὕπατος καὶ ἄριστος 19.258; πατρὸς πάντων ἀρίστου παῖδα S.''El.''366; <b class="b3">ἀνδρῶν τῶν ἀρίστων ὁμιλίη</b>, opp. [[δῆμος]], Hdt.3.81, cf. Cic.''Att.''9.4.2.<br><span class="bld">2</span> [[best]] in any [[way]], [[bravest]], ἀνδρῶν αὖ μέγ' ἄριστος ἔην Τελαμώνιος Αἴας Il.2.768, cf. 7.50, etc.; <b class="b3">οἰωνοπόλων, σκυτοτόμων ὄχ' ἄ.</b>, 6.76, 7.221.<br><span class="bld">b</span> c. dat. modi, βουλῇ μετὰ πάντας.. ἔπλευ ἄ. 9.54, al.; ἔγχεσιν εἶναι ἀρίστους Od.4.211.<br><span class="bld">c</span> c. acc. rei, [[εἶδος]] ἄριστε Il.3.39; ψυχὴν ἄ. Ar.''Nu.''1048.<br><span class="bld">d</span> c. inf., ἄριστοι [[μάχεσθαι]] [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''5.4.44; διαβολὰς δὲ ἄριστος [[ἐνδέκεσθαι]] = [[readiest]] to [[give]] [[ear]] to [[calumny|calumnies]], Hdt.3.80; ἄριστος [[ἀπατᾶσθαι]] = [[best]], i.e. [[easiest]], to [[cheat]], Th.3.38.<br><span class="bld">3</span> [[morally best]], εἴς τινα E.''Alc.''83(lyr.); οἱ ἄριστοι ἁπλῶς κατ' ἀρετήν Arist.''Pol.''1293b3.<br><span class="bld">4</span> [[best]], [[most useful]], πόλει E.''Fr.''194 codd. (leg. [[ἀρεστός]]) αὑτῷ Id.''Heracl.''5.<br><span class="bld">II</span> of animals, things, etc., [[best]], [[finest]], ἵπποι Il.2.763; [[μήλων]], [[ὑῶν]], Od.9.432, 14.414; τεύχε' ἄριστα Il.15.616; χῶρος Od.5.442; ποταμῶν ἄ. τά τε ἄλλα καὶ ἀκέσασθαι Hdt.4.90; [[ἄριστα]] [[φέρεσθαι]] = [[win]] an [[excellent]] [[reward]], S.''El.''1097 (lyr.).<br><span class="bld">III</span> neuter plural as adverb, [[ἄριστα]] = [[best]], [[most excellently]], ὄχ' ἄ. Il.3.110, Od.13.365, cf. Hdt.1.193, al., etc.; [[ἄριστά γε]], in answers, [[well said]]! Pl.''Tht.''163c: later also [[ἀρίστως]] Iamb.''Myst.''3.14.