ὠφέλεια
Ὁ μὲν βίος βραχύς, ἡ δὲ τέχνη μακρή, ὁ δὲ καιρὸς ὀξύς, ἡ δὲ πεῖρα σφαλερή, ἡ δὲ κρίσις χαλεπή → Life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experience misleading and judgment difficult
English (LSJ)
ἡ, required by the metre (in iambics), S.El.944, Ar. Th.183; whereas ὠφελία is required in E.Andr.539 (anap.), Fr.78 (lyr.), Ar.Ec.576 (lyr.): the best codd. of Pl. have ὠφελία more freq. than ὠφέλεια (although B always has ὠφέλεια in Phdr.), and ὠφελία is found in IG12.69.24 (v B. C., Prose), Hyp.Eux.9, and freq. in Phld., as Mus.p.54 K., al.: Ion. ὠφελίη Hdt.5.98, al., AP6.187 (Alph.):—
A help, aid, succour, esp. in war, ἔπεμπον ἐς τὴν Ἐπίδαμνον . . τὴν ὠ. Th. 1.26, cf. 39; τὴν ὠ. παρέχειν τινί Id.3.13, cf. And.3.31; ὠ. ἀνδρὶ φέρειν E.Fr.78 (lyr.); ὠ. προσλήψεσθαι Th.2.7; ἀπό τινων εὑρίσκεσθαι Id.1.31; τῆς ὠ. μεταλαμβάνειν Id.1.39; τυγχάνειν Id.6.17; ἐπάγεσθαί τινας ἐπ' ὠφελίᾳ for aid, Id.1.3, cf. 5.38; ἀποχρήσασθαι τῇ ἑκατέρου ἡμῶν ὠ. to make full use of the assistance or services we both can give, Id.6.17; μετὰ τῶν κειμένων νόμων ὠφελίας Id.3.82, cf. D.H. Th.31; οὐδὲν ἰατρικῆς δεῖται οὐδ' ὠφελίας or any other aid, Pl.Ly. 217a, cf. R.559b; καὶ τοῖσιν ἑλκωθεῖσιν ὠφελίαν (ὠφέλειαν codd., unmetrically) ἔχει Com.Adesp.106.8. II profit, advantage, βούλευμα ἀπ' οὗ . . οὐδεμία ἔμελλε ὠφελίη ἔσεσθαι Hdt. l. c.; εἴ τις ὠφέλειά γε S.El.944; τὴν κοινὴν ὠ. φυλάξαι the common interest of all, Th. 6.80; τίς ἂν εἴη ἡμῖν ὠ. εἰδόσιν αὐτό; Pl.Chrm.167b; opp. βλάβη, X.Cyr.6.2.13, Pl. (v. infr.2), etc.; opp. ζημία, X.Mem.2.3.6; ἐπ' ὠφελείᾳ ἐστί τι ib.1.4.4: c. gen. subjecti, τὴν ὠ. τὴν τῶν τειχέων their utility, Hdt.7.139: c. gen. objecti, ἐπ' ὠφελίᾳ τῶν φίλων for their benefit, Pl.R.334b; ὠφελίας ἕνεκα ib.398b; ἐναντία τῇ ἑαυτῶν ὠ. And.2.2; ἐν ὠ. ἐστί 'tis of use, X.Vect.4.35; after ὠφελεῖν, cf. ὠφελέω 1.5. 2 source of gain or profit, service, freq. in pl., τὰς ὠ. τὰς ἐκ τῆς στρατείας . . ἐσομένας Isoc.4.15; αἱ κοιναὶ ὠ. Lys. 19.62; αἱ ἀπὸ τινος γιγνόμεναι ὠ. Isoc.4.29; ὠφελίας τε καὶ βλάβας ἀποδιδοῦσα Id.R.332d; αἱ παρὰ τῶν μισθοδοτούντων αὐτοὺς ὠ. D.15.32. 3 esp. gain made in war, spoil, booty, Plb.2.3.8, 3.82.8, Rev.Arch.6(1935).31 (pl., Amphipolis), LXX 2 Ma.8.20; ὠ. μεγάλαι καὶ λάφυρα Plu.2.255b; ὠφελείας ἀθροῖσαι Id.Cleom.12; πολλῆς ὠ. κυριεῦσαι D.S.15.36; τὴν χώραν γέμειν ὠφελείας Plb.3.80.3; τίθεσθαι τὰ χρήματα δι' ὠφελείας to regard as booty, D.H.7.37; so in the chase, game, X.Cyn.6.4; so of a thief, ὠ. ἑτοίμην καὶ κατειργασμένην ἀφῆκεν Antipho 2.1.4. (Prob. abstracted fr. οἰκ-ωφελία, which comes fr. οἶκον ὀφέλλειν 'to increase the οἶκος'; cf. ὄφελος.)
