πύλη

English (LSJ)

[ῠ], ἡ, prop.

   A one wing of a pair of double gates, ὀλίγον τι παρακλίναντες τὴν ἑτέρην π. Hdt.3.156: mostly in pl., gates of a town (whereas θύρα = house-door), Σκαιαὶ π. Il.3.145, etc.; π. εὖ ἀραρυίας 7.339; πύκα στιβαρῶς ἀραρυίας 12.454; πεπταμένας ἐν χερσὶ π. ἔχετε 21.531; ἄνεσάν τε π. καὶ ἀπῶσαν ὀχῆας ib.537; π. ἀνοῖξαι A.Ag.604; π. κλῇσαι Pl.R.560c (the Art. is freq. omitted even in Prose): pl. of several gates, A.Th.125; ἐν πύλαις in or at the gates, ib.160,213 (both lyr.), al.; πρὸς πύλαις ib.377,457; ἐπὶ ταῖς πύλαισιν, οὗ τὸ τάριχος ὤνιον Ar.Eq.1247.    2 in Trag. sts. of the house-door, δωμάτων πύλαι A.Ch.732, cf. 561; γυναικείους π. gate or door leading to the women's apartments, ib.878; πύλαις διπλαῖς ἐνήλατο S.OT1261; ἐκτὸς αὐλείων πυλῶν Id.Ant.18: also in sg., ib.1186, El.818; of the door of a tent, Id.Aj.11; πύλης ἄναξ θυρωρέ Id.Fr.775.    3 πύλαι Ἀΐδαο the gates of the nether world, periphr.for hell, Il.5.646,9.312, Od.14.156; Ἅιδου πύλαι A.Ag.1291, cf. Ev.Matt.16.18, etc.; also σκότου πύλαι E.Hec.1; νερτέρων π. Id.Hipp.1447.    4 custom-house, PTeb.5.34 (ii B.C.); τετελώνηται διὰ πύλης has paid the customs, BGU1592(iii A.D.), etc.; τὸ σύμβολον τῆς ἱερᾶς Συηνιτικῆς π. PStrassb.79.10 (i B.C.); μισθωταὶ ἱερᾶς π. Σοήνης Ostr.106(ii A.D.), al., cf. Ostr.Bodl.v C 1 (ii A.D.),    II generally, entrance, orifice, ἀμφὶ πύλας ἰσθμοῖο Emp.100.19; ἀναπεπταμένας ἔχω τῶν ὤτων τὰς π. Ath.4.169a; πύλας τοῖς ὠσὶν ἐπίθεσθε Pl.Smp.218b; ἡλίου πύλαι, Pythag. name for the eyes, D.L.8.29; portal fissure of the liver, π. καὶ δοχαὶ χολῆς E.El.828, cf. Hp.Epid. 2.4.1, Anat.1, Pl.Ti.71c, Arist.HA496b32, Gal.15.145; portal vein of the liver, Ruf.Onom.179, Gal.2.785,5.542.    b pl., of the carceres in the circus, Aristid.1.124J.    c metaph., πύλας ὕμνων ἀναπιτνάμεν Pi.O.6.27; ἐπέων π. B.Fr.4; ἐν πύλαις γήρως D.C.57.24, cf. 76.7.    2 entrance into a country through mountains, pass, Hdt.5.52: hence, Πύλαι, αἱ, the common name for Θερμοπύλαι, the Gates of Greece, Id.7.201, etc.: of other passes, π. τῆς Κιλικίας καὶ τῆς Συρίας X.An.1.4.4; αἱ Σύριαι π. ib.5; αἱ Κάσπιαι π. Str.11.12.1; π. Λύδιαι Id.13.1.65; Ἀμανίδες π. Id.14.5.18, 16.2.8 (αἱ Ἀμανικαὶ καλούμεναι Arr.An.2.7.1): these passes were sometimes really barred by gates, Hdt.7.176, cf. 3.117, 5.52, X. l.c.: the Isthmus is called πόντοιο πύλαι, Pi.N.10.27; Κορίνθου π. Id.O.9.86; αἱ π. τῆς Πελοποννήσου X.Ages.2.17; Πέλοπος νάσου θεόδματοι π. B.p.437 J.    3 of narrow straits, by which one enters a broad sea, Πύλαι Γαδειρίδες the Straits of Gibraltar, Pi.Fr.256; ἐπ' αὐταῖς στενοπόροις λίμνης π., of the Thracian Bosporus, A.Pr.729; ἐν πύλαις, of the Euripus, E.IA803.