μητρόπολις
κατὰ τὸν δεύτερον, φασί, πλοῦν τὰ ἐλάχιστα ληπτέον τῶν κακῶν → we must as second best, as people say, take the least of the evils
English (LSJ)
Dor. ματρό-, poet. μητρόπτολις, Epigr.Gr.537.4 (Tomi), 842a1 (Cyrene), Syria7.209 (Damascus), Nonn.D.13.166: εως, ἡ:—
A mother-state, as related to her colonies, of Athens in relation to the Ionians, Hdt.7.51, Th.6.82; of Doris in relation to the Peloponn. Dorians, Hdt.8.31, Th.1.107, 3.92; of Meroe in relation to the Ethiopians, Hdt.2.29; of Thera, μεγαλᾶν πολίων μ. Pi.P.4.20; μ. Λοκρῶν Ὀπόεις Simon.93; of the Attic Salamis, as the μ. of the Cyprian, A.Pers.895(lyr.); of Corinth, as the μ. of Corcyra, Th.1.24; of Rome, Gal.14.296. 2 metaph., ἐστὶ μ. τοῦ ψυχροῦ [ὁ ἐγκέφαλος] Hp.Carn.4; ἡ ἱστορία μ. τῆς φιλοσοφίας D.S. 1.2, cf. Chrysipp.Stoic.3.199; γεωμετρία ἀρχὴ καὶ μ. τῶν ἄλλων (sc. μαθημάτων) Philol. ap. Plu.2.718e. II one's mother-city, mothercountry, home, Pi.N.5.8, S.OC707 (lyr.), Ant.1122 (lyr.). 2 ἁ σὰ ματρόπολις thy mother's city, Isyll.59. III capital city, X.An.5.2.3, 5.4.15; ἡ μ. τῆς Ἀσίας, of Ephesus, OGI496.6, IG3.485; ἡ μ. τῆς Ἰωνίας, of Miletus, ib.480. b in Egypt, chief town of a νομός, PRev.Laws 48.16 (iii B. C.), BGU326 ii 10 (ii A. D.), etc.
