δειλός
εὐκαταφρόνητός ἐστι σιγηρὸς τρόπος → a way of life disposed to silence is contemptible (Menander)
English (LSJ)
ή, όν, (δέος): I of persons, cowardly, opp. ἄλκιμος, Il. 13.278; opp. ἀνδρεῖος, Pl.Phdr.239a, etc.: hence, vile, worthless, Il. 1.293; δειλαί τοι δειλῶν γε καὶ ἐγγύαι Od.8.351; opp. ἐσθλός, lowborn, mean, Hes.Fr.164; πλοῦτος καὶ δειλοῖσιν ἀνθρώπων ὁμιλεῖ B. 1.50; ἀγαθοὶ δειλῶν ἐπὶ δαῖτας ἴσιν Eup.289; of animals, Hdt.3.108: c.gen., δειλὸς μυάγρης afraid of .., AP9.410 (Tull. Sab.): c.inf., ib.6.232 (Crin.). Adv.-λῶς Theoc.Adon.15, Plu.2.26b. 2 more commonly, miserable, wretched, with a compassionate sense, δειλοὶ βροτοί poor mortals! Il.22.31, al.; ἆ δειλέ poor wretch! ἆ δειλοί poor wretches! 17.201, Od.20.351; ἆ δειλὲ ξείνων 14.361; Πατροκλῆος δειλοῖο Il.17.670. II of things, miserable, wretched, γῆρας Hes.Op.113; δ. δ' ἐνὶ πυθμένι φειδώ ib.369; τὰ δ. κέρδη S.Ant.326; ἔργα, λόγος, etc., Thgn.307, E.Andr.757, etc.: Comp., Longin.2.1: Sup., Ar.Pl.123: neut. pl. as Adv., ὀχλεῖ μοι δειλὰ ὁ Τρωΐλος PIand. 11.4 (iii A.D.).—Trag. use δειλός chiefly in former sense, δείλαιος in latter.