ψῆφος

English (LSJ)

Dor. ψᾶφος, Aeol. ψᾶφαξ, ἡ, gen. pl.

   A ψηφάων Man.4.448: (ψάω):—a small round worn stone, pebble, ψᾶφος ἑλισσομένα Pi.O. 10(11).9; οὐκ ἂν εἰδείην λέγειν ποντιᾶν ψάφων ἀριθμόν ib.13.46; ψήφῳ μούνῃ διατετρανέεις, opp. μόγις ἂν λίθῳ παίσας διαρρήξειας, Hdt. 3.12; ψ. ἄμμου a grain of sand, LXXSi.18.10.    2 precious stone, gem, Philostr.VA3.27; esp. worn in a ring, Luc.DMeretr.9.    II acc. to the various uses made of such pebbles:    1 pebble used for reckoning, counter, λογίζεσθαι ψήφοις calculate or reckon by abacus, cipher, Hdt.2.36, etc.: hence to reckon exactly or accurately, opp. ἀπὸ χειρὸς λ., Ar.V.656 (anap.); οὐ τιθεὶς ψήφους D.18.229; ἐν ψήφῳ λέγειν A.Ag.570; ἐν ψήφου λόγῳ θέσθαι E.Rh. 309: metaph., ταῖς τοῦ συμφέροντος ψήφοις μετρεῖν τὰς ἔχθρας καὶ τὰς φιλίας Plb.2.47.5: hence ψῆφος itself for a cipher, number, πὸτ ἄρτιον (sc. ἀριθμὸν) ποτθέμειν . . ψᾶφον Epich.170: pl., accounts, καθαραὶ ψ., where there is an exact balance, D.18.227; οἱ περὶ τὰς ψ. calculators, Alciphr.1.26; ψήφων ἄπειρος Plu.2.812e; δακτυλικὴ ψ. reckoning on the fingers, AP11.290 (Pall.); of astrological calculations, Vett.Val.10.15, al.    b in Magic, κατέχων τὴν ψ. (i. e. the object on which the number is written) λέγε . . PMag.Par.1.1048, cf. 937.    2 pebble used for a draughts- or chess-man, Pl.R.487c; κύβος ἐν παιδιᾷ ψήφων Plu.2.427f.    b pebble used by jugglers, ψηφάων παῖκται Man.4.448.    3 pebble used in divination, ἡ διὰ ψήφων μαντική Apollod.3.10.2.    4 cube used in mosaic pavements, Gal.Protr.8.    5 pebble used in voting, ψήφῳ ψηφίζεσθαι Hdt.9.55; ἐὰν μὴ τῇ ψ . . . ψηφίσωνται κρύβδην ψηφιζόμενοι D.59.89: hence, the vote itself, ψῆφον φέρειν give one's vote, ἐν καρδίᾳ ψ. φέροντες A.Eu.680, cf. And.1.2, D.57.61, etc.; ὑπέρ τινος Lycurg.7; περί τινος Id.11, etc.; ψήφου φορά E.Supp.484; ψῆφον τίθεσθαι, = ψηφίζεσθαι, Hdt.8.123, cf. 6.57; εἰς τεῦχος . . ψήφους ἔθεντο A.Ag.816; c. inf., Hdt.3.73; ψ. προσθέσθαι Th.1.40; ψήφῳ διαιρεῖν to determine by vote, A.Eu.630; ψήφῳ κρίνειν, Th.1.87, etc.; μεταλαβὼν τὸ πέμπτον μέρος τῶν ψ. Pl.Ap.36b, cf. Lex ap.D.21.47: in collect. sense, ἐχρῆν . . ψ. περὶ αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι a vote is taken, Antipho 5.47; ἡ καθαιροῦσα ψ. Lys.13.37; ἡ σῴζουσα ψ. D.19.66; οἷς ἂν πλείστη γένηται ψ. a majority of votes, Pl.Lg.759d: τὴν ψῆφον ἐπάγειν to put the vote or question, of the president, Th.1.119, 125; ψῆφον δοῦναι περί τινος IG22.222.24, cf. D.21.188; ψ. ἀναδοὺς περί τινος App.BC1.100; so ψ. περὶ ἡμῶν ὑπὲρ ἀνδραποδισμοῦ προτεθεῖσαν D.19.65; διένεμον (vv. ll. διενέμοντο, ἔφερον) τὰς ψ. were casting their votes, Hdt.8.123; ὑπὸ ψήφου μιᾶς with one accord, Ar.Lys.270; ψ. φανερά open voting, ψ. φανερὰν διενεγκεῖν Th.4.74; τὴν ψ. οὐκ εἰς καδίσκους ἀλλὰ φανερὰν ἐπὶ τὰς τραπέζας τίθεσθαι Lys.13.37, cf. Pl.Lg.767d, 855d; opp. ψ. ἀφανής voting by ballot, Aeschin.3.233; κρύβδην τὴν ψ. φέρειν Arist. Rh.Al.1433a23, cf. 1424b2, Ath.69.1.    b that which is carried by vote, a vote, ψ. καταγνώσεως a vote of condemnation, Th.3.82; ψῆφος αὐτῷ ἐπῆκτο περὶ φυγῆς a vote of banishment was moved for against him, X.An.7.7.57, cf. A.Th.198; ψήφῳ πόλεως γνωσθεῖσαι Id.Supp.7 (anap.):—hence,    c any resolve or decree, ψ. τυράννων S.Ant.60; λιθίνα ψᾶφος a decree written on stone, Pi.O.7.87; διδοῖ ψᾶφον περ' αὐτᾶς [the oak] gives judgement of itself, Id.P.4.265; ψ. φλεγυρὰ βροτῶν, i. e. public opinion, Cratin.57 (lyr.); τίν' ἂν ψῆφον θεῖο; what judgment . . ? Pl.Prt.330c, cf. R.450a; ἡ ἐμὴ ψ. Id.Phlb. 57a.    d Ἀθηνᾶς ψ., calculus Minervae, prov. phrase to express acquittal, when the votes were even, Philostr.VS2.3.    e ψ. is sts. omitted, κἂν ἴσαι γένωνται Ar.Ra.685 (lyr.); πάσαις κρατεῖν Luc.Bis Acc.18, cf. 22.    f Διὸς ψῆφος (ψῆφοι Hsch.), prov. ἐπὶ τῶν ἱερῶν καὶ ἀθίκτων, of the scene of contest betw. Athena and Poseidon, Suid., etc.    g Κόννου ψ., negligible quantity, cipher, Ar.V.675 (anap.), cf. Κοννᾶς.    6 place of voting, tribunal, E.IT945, El. 1263.    7 metaph., influence, πόλις μεγάλην ψ. ἔχουσα Lib.Or.18.13.