λύω

English (LSJ)

poet. imper.

   A λῦθι Pi.Fr.85: fut. λύσω [ῡ] Il.1.29, etc.: aor. ἔλῡσα 18.244, etc.: pf. λέλῠκα Th.7.18, Ar.V.992 (ἀπο-), etc.:— Pass., pf. λέλῠμαι Il.8.103, etc.: plpf. ἐλελύμην [ῠ] Od.22.186, etc.: aor. ἐλύθην, Ep. λύθην [ῠ] 8.360, E.Hel.860, Th.2.103, etc.: fut. λῠθήσομαι Pl.Ti.41b, Isoc.12.116, etc., also λελύσομαι [ῡ] D.14.2, X. Cyr.6.2.37 (ἀπο-): Ep. aor. Pass. λύμην [ῠ] Il.21.80; λύτο [ῠ] ib.114, but λῦτο 24.1 (at beginning of line, v.l. λύτο); λύντο 7.16: also 3sg. opt. pf. λελῦτο Od.18.238:—Med., fut. λύσομαι Il.1.13, etc.: aor. ἐλυσάμην 14.214: pf. Pass. λέλῦμαι in med. sense, D.36.45, Arist.Rh. 1400a22 (cf. δια-, κατα-λύω): fut. λύσομαι in pass. sense, (δια-) Th.2.12, (ἐπι-) Lys.25.33 codd. (καταλύσεσθαι edd.), (κατα-) X.Cyr.1.6.9.—Homer uses all tenses exc. pf. Act., pres. and fut. Pass. [In pres. and impf. ῡ always in Att., ῠ mostly in Ep., though Hom. has ῡ twice, ἔλῡεν Il.23.513, λῡει Od.7.74; also in compds., ἀλλῡεσκεν 2.105, ἀλλῡουσαν ib.109: in fut. and aor. 1 ῡ always: in other tenses ῠ always, exc. in the forms λελῦτο, λῦτο (v. supr.).] (Cf. Lat. luo (pay), re-luo, solvo (for se-luo), solūtus, etc.):—loosen:    I of things, unbind, unfasten, esp. clothes and armour, λῦσε δέ οἱ ζωστῇρα, θώρηκα, Il.4.215, 16.804; λ. παρθενίην ζώνην loose the maiden-girdle, of the husband after marriage, Od. 11.245; of the wife, λύοι χαλινὸν ὑφ' ἥρωϊ παρθενίας Pi.I.8(7).48; ἔνθα παρθένει' ἔλυσ' ἐγὼ κορεύματα E.Alc.177; so ἔλυσας . . ἅγνευμα σόν Id.Tr.501; freq. of the tackling of ships, λ. πρυμνήσια, ἱστία, λαῖφος, etc., Od.2.418, 15.496, 552, h.Ap.406, etc. (never in Il.); λ. πρύμνας, νεῶν πόδα, E.Hec.539,1020, etc.: abs., λύειν, of ships, set sail, λῦε, κυβερνήτα APl.1.6*.9 (Panteleus); ἀσκὸν λ. untie a skin (used as a bag), Od.10.47: freq. in Trag., λ. στολάς, πέπλον, S.OC1597, Tr.924; λ. ἡνίαν slacken the rein, Id.El.743; κλῄθρων λυθέντων when the gates have been opened, A.Th.396; λ. γράμματα, δέλτον, open a letter, E.IA38 (anap.), 307; λ. πέδας, δεσμά, A.Eu. 645 (Pass.), E.HF1123; ἀρβύλας A.Ag.945; ἀρτάνας . . δέρης ἔλυσαν loosed it from my neck, ib.876, cf. E.Hipp.781:—Med., ἀπὸ στήθεσφιν ἐλύσατο κεστὸν ἱμάντα undid her belt, Il.14.214; but λύοντο τεύχεα they undid the armour for themselves, i.e. stripped it off (others), 17.318; later λυσαμένα πλοκαμῖδας unbinding her hair, Bion 1.20, etc.    b in various phrases, στόμα λ. open the mouth, E.Hipp.1060, Isoc.12.96; γλώσσας λ. εἰς αἰσχροὺς μύθους Critias 6.9 D.; λ. βλεφάρων ἕδραν wake up, E.Rh.8 (anap.); λ. ὀφρύν unfold the brow, Id.Hipp.290; λ. ἄχος ἀπ' ὀμμάτων S.Aj.706 (lyr.), etc.    2 of living beings,    a of horses, etc., unyoke, unharness, opp. ζεύγνυμι, Od.4.35; ἐξ ὀχέων, ὑπὲξ ὀχέων, Il.5.369,8.504; ὑφ' ἅρμασιν 18.244; ὑπὸ ζυγοῦ Od.4.39: ὑπὸ ζυγόφιν Il.24.576; ὑπ' ἀπήνης Od.7.6 (also in Med., μὴ . . ὑπ' ὄχεσφι λυώμεθα μώνυχας ἵππους unyoke our horses, Il. 23.7; βόε λῦσαι Hes.Op.608); λύε μώνυχας ἵππους loosed them, Il.10.498; λ. κύνα let him loose, X.Cyn.6.13, etc.    b of men, release, deliver, esp. from bonds or prison, and so, generally, from difficulty or danger, Il.15.22, Od.8.345, 12.53, D.24.206, etc.; ὁ λύσων he that shall deliver, A.Pr.771,785: c. gen. rei, τὸν . . θεοὶ κακότητος ἔλυσαν Od.5.397, cf. Pi.P.3.50, etc.; λ. τινὰ δεσμῶν A.Pr.1006; ὄκνου S. Tr.181; τὼ . . ἐκ δεσμοῖο λύθεν Od.8.360, cf. Pi.O.4.23, A.Pr.873, E.Hipp.1244, Pl.R.360c; also λ. δόμους ἁβρότατος rob the house of... Pi.P.11.34; λ. τινὰ τῆς ἀρχῆς depose him from... D.S.13.92:—Med., prop. get one loosed or set free, λύσασθαί τινα δυσφροσυνάων Hes.Th.528; ὅσπερ Ἰὼ πημονᾶς ἐλύσατο A.Supp.1065 (lyr.):—Pass., λυθῆναι τὰς πέδας D.S.17.116; λέλυται γὰρ λαὸς ἐλεύθερα βάζειν, ὡς ἐλύθη ζυγὸν ἀλκᾶς has been let loose to speak, since the yoke was loosed, A.Pers.592 (lyr.).    c of prisoners, release on receipt of ransom, admit to ransom, release, Il.1.29, 24.137,555, etc.; λ. τινά τινι 1.20, 24.561, Od.10.298; Σαρπηδόνος ἔντεα καλὰ λύσειαν would give them up, Il.17.163; in full, λ. τινὰ ἀποίνων 11.106; χρημάτων μεγάλων Hdt.2.135 (Pass.); ἀνὴρ ἀντ' ἀνδρὸς λυθείς Th.5.3:—Med., release by payment of ransom, get a person released, redeem, Il.1.13, 24.118, al., Od.10.284,385, Pl.Mx.243c, D.19.229; λύσασθαί τινας ἐκ πολεμίων Lys.12.20; ἵππον X.An.7.8.6; ὅσους αὐτὸς ἐλυσάμην τῶν αἰχμαλώτων D.19.169; λ. τινὶ τὸ χωρίον Id.50.28; ἑαυτοὺς λ. pay their own ransom, Id.19.169; buy from a pimp, Ar.V.1353.    d λελύσθαι τῶν νόμων, = Lat. legibus solvi, D.C.53.18.    3 give up, [θρόνον] λῦσον ἄμμιν Pi.P.4.155.    II resolve a whole into its parts, dissolve, break up, λ. ἀγορήν dissolve the assembly, Il.1.305; ἀγορὰς ἠμὲν λύει ἠδὲ καθίζει Od.2.69, etc.:—Pass., λῦτο δ' ἀγών Il.24.1; μὴ λυθείη ἡ στρατιά X.Cyr.6.1.2; πρὶν <ἂν> . . ἡ ἀγορὰ (market) λυθῇ Id.Oec. 12.1; λυθείσης τῆς συνουσίας Plb.5.15.3.    2 of concrete objects, σπάρτα λέλυνται, i. e. have rotted, Il.2.135; ῥαφαὶ δ' ἐλέλυντο ἱμάντων Od.22.186; λ. τὴν σχεδίην break it up, Hdt.4.97; [τὴν γέφυραν] X. An.2.4.17; τὴν ἀπόφραξιν ib.4.2.25.    3 esp. of physical strength, loosen, i. e. weaken, relax, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα made his limbs slack or loose, i. e. killed him, Il.4.469, al.; ὅς τοι γούνατ' ἔλυσα 22.335; πολλῶν τε καὶ ἐσθλῶν γούνατ' ἔλυσεν 5.176, etc.; ἀλλά οἱ αὖθι λῦσε μένος 16.332; πέλεκυς λῦσεν . . βοὸς μένος Od.3.450, cf. Il.17.29; but οἵ μοι καμάτῳ . . γούνατ' ἔλυσαν made my knees weak with toil, Od.20.118:—Pass., λύντο δὲ γυῖα, etc., as the effect of death, sleep, weariness, fear, Il. 7.16, etc.; καμάτῳ φίλα γυῖα λέλυντο 13.85, cf. Od.8.233; αὐτοῦ λύτο γούνατα καὶ φίλον ἦτορ Il.21.114,425; λύθη ψυχή τε μένος τε 5.296, etc.; λύθεν δέ οἱ ἅψεα πάντα Od.4.794, 18.189; λέλυται γυίων ῥώμη A.Pers.913 (anap.); λύεται δέ μου μέλη E.Hec.438; λέλυμαι μελέων σύνδεσμα Id.Hipp.199 (anap.).    b λύει βλέφαρα closes her eyes in sleep, S.Ant.1302.    c metaph., λ. τὴν ἐν ταῖς ψυχαῖς πρὸς μάχην παρασκευήν X.HG7.5.22.    4 undo, bring to naught, destroy, πολίων κάρηνα Il.9.25; Τροίης κρήδεμνα 16.100, Od.13.388, cf. B.Fr.16.7: generally, put an end to, νείκεα Il.14.205; μελεδήματα 23.62; ἔριν E.Ph.81, AP9.316.12 (Leon.); πόλεμον Th.5.31; ἐπιμομφάν Pi.O.10(11).9; μέμψιν Democr.271; φόβον A.Th.270; φόβον καὶ τὴν ὑποψίαν Polystr.p.7 W., cf. Epicur.Sent.12; μοχθήματα S.OC1616; ἀνάγκας E.Supp.39; βίον, i.e. die, Id.IT692; αἰῶν' ἔλυσε, i.e. died, B.1.43; λ. τὸ τέλος βίον S.OC1720 (lyr.); μαχας Ar. Pax991 (anap.); νοσήματα Diocl.Fr.35 (Pass.), cf. Gal.6.476; κόπους Dsc.Eup.1.220; forgive, ἁμαρτήματα LXXJb.42.9.    b in Prose, λ. νόμους repeal or annul laws, Hdt.3.82, D.3.10, Arist.Pol.1269a15; οὐθὲν τῶν περὶ τὴν πολιτείαν ib.1298b31; λ. ψήφῳ τὸ παράνομον Aeschin. 3.197 (Pass.), etc.; ἐπεὶ ἐκεῖνοι ἔλυσαν τὰς σπονδὰς λελύσθαι μοι δοκεῖ ἡ ἐκείνων ὕβρις καὶ ἡ ἡμετέρα ὑποψία X.An.3.1.21; rescind a vote, ψῆφον λύει ὁ νόμος D.24.2; revoke a will, διαθήκην Is.6.33, etc. (but in Pass., to be opened, of a will, POxy.715.19 (ii A. D.), etc.); unbind a spell, Iamb.Myst.3.27:—Pass., λέλυται πάντα all ties are broken, all is in confusion, D.25.25.    c as a technical term, solve a difficulty, a problem, a question, λύεται ἡ ἀπορία Pl.Prt.324e, al.; λ. ζήτημα Gal.6.436.    d refute an argument, Pl.Grg.509a, Arist.Rh.1402b24,al.; cf. λύσις 11.4b, λυτικός 11.    e unravel the plot of a tragedy, opp. πλέκειν, Id.Po.1456a10.    f λ. τὴν φάσιν, of the Moon, pass out of, Vett. Val.134.1, cf. 2.    5 break a legal agreement or obligation, τὸν νόμον Hdt.6.106; τὰς σπονδάς Th.1.23, 78, cf. 4.23, al.; τὰ συγκείμενα Lys.6.41; σίς κε τὰς ϝρήτας τάσδε λύση whoso breaks this agreement, Inscr.Cypr.135.29 H.    6 in physical sense, dissolve, λύθεν, opp. πάγεν, Emp.15.4; τὸ θερμὸν λύει, opp. πήγνυσι, Arist.Mete.384b11, cf. 382b33 (Pass.); ἀμμωνιακὸν ὄξει λύσας Gal.11.106; melt, παγείσας χιόνας Hdn.8.4.2; τι πυρὶ λ. Hippiatr.52.    7 of medicines, λ. τὴν κοιλίαν Arist.Pr.863b29, cf. Hp.Acut.(Sp.)38, Diocl.Fr.140; so of the effects of terror, Arist.Pr.877a32 (Pass.).    8 resolve into, in Pass., Heph.8, 10, Aristid. Quint.1.28.    III solve, fulfil, accomplish, τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ μαντεῖα S.OT407; ὅρκον Plb.6.58.4.    IV atone for, make up for, τὰς πρότερον ἁμαρτίας Ar.Ra. 691; λύσων ὅσ' ἐξήμαρτον S.Ph.1224; λ. φόνον φόνῳ Id.OT101, E. Or.511; αἱ πρόσοδοι λύουσι τἀναλώματα Diph.32.5:—Med., τῶν πάλαι πεπραγμένων λύσασθ' αἷμα . . δίκαις A.Ch.804 (lyr.).    V μισθὸν λύειν pay wages in full, quit oneself of them, used only in cases of obligation, X.Ages.2.31.    2 τέλη λύειν, = λυσιτελεῖν, pay, profit. avail, ἔνθα μὴ τέλη λύει φρονοῦντι where it boots not to be wise, S.OT 316: but more freq. λύει without τέλη, construed like λυσιτελεῖ, abs., λύει δ' ἄλγος E.Med.1362, cf. PSI4.400.16: c. dat. pers., φημὶ τοιούτους γάμους λύειν βροτοῖσιν E.Alc.628, cf.Hipp.441: c. inf., πῶς οὖν λύει . . ἐπιβάλλειν; Id.Med.1112 (anap.); ἐμοί τελύειτοῖσιμέλλουσιν τέκνοις τὰ ζῶντ' ὀνῆσαι it is good for me to benefit my living children by means of those to come, ib.566; λύει ἀπελθεῖν UPZ77i12 (ii B.C.): c. acc. et inf., λύει γὰρ ἡμᾶς οὐδέν, οὐδ' ἐπωφελεῖ, . . θανεῖν it is not expedient that we should die (οὐδ' ἐπωφελεῖ being parenthetic), S.El. 1005; οὐ γάρ με λύει . . κακορροθεῖσθαι E.Sthen.Prol.35; cf. λυσιτελέω.