δεσπόζω
ἐπ' αὐτὸν ἥκεις τὸν βατῆρα τῆς θύρας → you've come to the crux of the matter, come to the point, hit the nail on the head, you've come to the very threshold of the door, you are come to the very threshold of the door, you've arrived at the truth of the matter
English (LSJ)
mostly pres. and impf.: fut.
A -όσω A.Pr.210, al., Ep. -όσσω h.Cer.365: aor. inf. δεσπόσαι E.Alc.486: 1 abs., to be lord or master, gain the mastery, πρὸς βίαν δ. A.Pr.210; ἄρχειν καὶ δ. Pl.Phd.80a, al.: as law-term, to be the legal proprietor, opp. κρατεῖν, PTheb.Bank1.15, cf. BGU1187.9 (i B. C.), PLond.3.977.32 (iv A. D.). b Astrol., of planets, to be dominant in a nativity, Vett. Val.72.5. 2 c. gen., to be lord or master of, h.Cer.365, Hdt.3.142, etc.; Ζηνὸς (or Διὸς) δεσπόσαι A.Pr.930; δεσπόζοντ' ἐμοῦ E. Supp.518; δ. τινός, opp. δουλεύειν ἄλλῳ, Pl.R.576a; δεσπόζειν φόβης own it, A.Ch.188; make oneself master of, λέκτροις ὧν ἐδέσποζον E.Andr.928: metaph., τοῦδε δ. λόγου A.Ag.543. 3 c. acc., lord it over, δ. πόλιν E.HF28:—Pass., δεσπόζονται Hp.Aër.16; δεσποζόμεναι πόλεις Pl.Lg.712e; δ. ὑπό τινος D.S.18.60; πρός τινος Ph.1.337.
German (Pape)
[Seite 551] als unumschränkter Herr gebieten, τινός H. h. Cer. 366; Aesch. Prom. 930; θρόνων Soph. Tr. 362; Prosa, Her. 3, 142; Plat. Legg. IV, 713 d u. Folgde, wie Pol. 1, 10; oft absolut, ἄρχειν καὶ δεσπόζειν Plat. Phaed. 80 a; bes. vom Hausherrn, Poll. 3, 73; Ggstz δουλεύειν Plat. Rep. IX, 576 a; seltener τί, πόλιν Eur. Herc. fur. 28; pass., sich beberrschen lassen, gehorchen, πόλεις δεσποζόμεναι καὶ δουλεύουσαι Plat. Legg IV, 713 a; ὑπό τινος D. Sic. 18, 60; – einer Sache Herr werden, ἵππων Eur. Alc. 486; λόγου, die Rede verstehen, Aesch. Ag. 543.
