κράτιστος: Difference between revisions

|Beta Code=kra/tistos

|Definition=η, ον, Ep. κάρτ- (as always in Hom.), isolated Superl. from <b class="b3">κρατύς</b>, <span class="sense"><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">A</span> <b class="b2">strongest, mightiest</b>, <span class="bibl">Il.1.266</span>, etc.; <b class="b3">θεῶν κ</b>., i.e. Zeus. <span class="bibl">Pi.<span class="title">O.</span>14.13</span>; <b class="b3">κ. Ἑλλήνων</b>, i.e. Achilles, <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">Ph.</span>3</span>: in Prose, εἰ τοὺς κ. ἐνικήσαμεν <span class="bibl">Th.7.67</span>; <b class="b3">Λημνίων τὸ κ</b>. <b class="b2">the best</b> of their men, <span class="bibl">Id.5.8</span>; <b class="b3">τὸ δυνάμεως κ</b>. <b class="b2">the strength</b> or <b class="b2">flower</b> of... <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">Cyr.</span>6.1.28</span>, etc.; of things, <b class="b3">καρτίστην . . μάχην</b> <b class="b2">fiercest</b> fight, <span class="bibl">Il.6.185</span>; δεσμὸς κ. <span class="bibl">Ti.Locr.99a</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">2</span> generally, <b class="b2">best, most excellent</b>, as Sup. of <b class="b3">ἀγαθός</b>, <span class="bibl">Pi.<span class="title">I.</span>1.17</span>, <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">Ant.</span> 1050</span>, etc.: colloquially, "ἄνδρα κ. εἰπών <span class="bibl">Thphr. <span class="title">Char.</span>5.2</span>; <b class="b3">οἱ κράτιστοι</b> <b class="b2">the aristocracy</b>, <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">HG</span>7.1.42</span>, v. [[ἀγαθός]] <span class="bibl">1</span>; <b class="b3">τὰ κ. τῆς χώρας</b> ib.<span class="bibl">3.4.20</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">b</span> as a title or mode of address, κράτιστε Θεόφιλε <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Ev.Luc.</span> 1.3</span>; esp. = Lat. <b class="b2">egregius</b>, ὁ κ. ἡγεμών <span class="bibl"><span class="title">PFay.</span>p.33</span> (i A.D.); ὁ κ. ἐπίτροπος <span class="bibl"><span class="title">BGU</span>891</span> (ii A.D.); <b class="b3">ἡ κ</b>., of a woman of the <b class="b2">equester ordo</b>, IG14. 1346; also, = Lat. <b class="b2">clarissimus</b>, of Senators, <b class="b3">ὁ κ. ἀνθὐπατος</b> ib.9(1).61; ὁ κ. συγκλητικός <span class="title">IGRom.</span>3.581, etc.; ἡ κ. βουλή <span class="bibl"><span class="title">POxy.</span>2108.6</span> (iii A. D.). </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">c</span> with modal words added, κ. τὴν ψυχήν <span class="bibl">Th.2.40</span>; <b class="b3">πάντων πάντα κ</b>. <b class="b2">best</b> of all in... <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">An.</span>1.9.2</span>; ἔν τινι <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Mem.</span>3.4.5</span>; εἴς τι <span class="bibl">Pl. <span class="title">Phlb.</span>67b</span>; περί τι <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Plt.</span>257a</span>; πρός τι <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">HG</span>3.4.16</span>: c. inf., <b class="b2">best at</b> doing, <span class="bibl">Th.2.81</span>, <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Phdr.</span>267d</span>, <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">Mem.</span>1.4.1</span>, etc.: c. part., τῶν ἡλίκων κ. εἶναι ἀκοντίζων καὶ τοξεύων <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Cyr.</span>1.3.15</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">3</span> neut. folld. by inf., <b class="b3">φυγέειν κάρτιστον</b> to flee were <b class="b2">best</b>, <span class="bibl">Od.12.120</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">El.</span> 379</span>, <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Eq.</span>80</span>, etc.: in pl., κράτιστα . . ἑλεῖν <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Med.</span>384</span>: abs., <b class="b3">ὅπερ κ</b>. the <b class="b2">main point</b>, <span class="bibl">Th.1.143</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">4</span> Adv. usages, <b class="b3">ἀπὸ τοῦ κρατίστου</b> <b class="b2">in all good faith</b>, <span class="bibl">Plb.8.17.4</span>; κατὰ τὸ κ. <span class="bibl">D.H.2.22</span>: neut. pl. <b class="b3">κράτιστα</b> as Adv., <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">HG</span>3.4.16</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Ages.</span>1.25</span>.—The Comp. in use is <b class="b3">κρείσσων</b> (q.v.).</span>

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