μηχανή: Difference between revisions

|Definition=Dor. μᾱχᾰνά, ἡ, (μῆχος): <span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">I</span> <b class="b2">contrivance</b>, esp. <b class="b2">machine</b> for lifting weights and the like, <b class="b2">crane</b>, <span class="bibl">Hdt.2.125</span>, <span class="title">IG</span>11(2).161 <span class="title">A</span>69, al. (Delos, iii B. C.); <b class="b3">μ. τετράκωλος, δίκωλος</b>, <span class="title">Rev.Phil.</span>44.251 (Didyma, ii B. C.); μ. λιθαγωγός <span class="bibl">Poll. 10.148</span>; <b class="b3">ἰχθυβόλῳ μ</b>., of Poseidon's trident, <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Th.</span>132</span> (lyr.); <b class="b3">λαοπόροις μ</b>., of Xerxes' bridge of boats, <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Pers.</span>114</span> (lyr.), cf. <span class="bibl">722</span>; freq. of irrigation machines, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">POxy.</span>985</span> (i A. D.), etc.; also of oil-presses, Wilcken <span class="title">Chr.</span>176.10 (i/ii A. D.), etc. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">2</span> <b class="b2">engine</b> of war, μηχανὰς προσάγειν <span class="bibl">Th.2.76</span>, etc.; ἑλεῖν μηχαναῖς <span class="bibl">Id.4.13</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">3</span> <b class="b2">theatrical machine</b> by which gods, etc., were made to appear in the air, <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Cra.</span>425d</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Clit.</span>407a</span>; αἴρειν μ. <span class="bibl">Antiph.191.15</span>, <span class="bibl">Alex.126.19</span>: hence, prov. of anything sudden and unexpected, ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεὸς ἐπεφάνης <span class="bibl">Men. 227</span>; ὥσπερ ἀπὸ μ. <span class="bibl">D.40.59</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">Arist.<span class="title">Po.</span>1454b1</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">4</span> <b class="b2">area of land irrigated by a machine</b>, POxy.1830.13 (vi A. D.), <span class="bibl"><span class="title">PLond.</span>5.1765</span> (vi A. D.), <span class="bibl"><span class="title">PSI</span>1.77.14</span> (vi A. D.). </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">II</span> <b class="b2">any artificial means</b> or <b class="b2">contrivance</b> for doing a thing, ἤτοι κλήρῳ... ἢ ἄλλῃ τινὶ μ. <span class="bibl">Hdt.3.83</span>; εἴ τίς ἐστι μ., ἴθι καὶ πειρῶ <span class="bibl">Id.8.57</span>, etc.; esp. in pl. <b class="b3">μηχαναί</b>, <b class="b2">shifts, devices, wiles</b>, <span class="bibl">Hes.<span class="title">Th.</span> 146</span>; πάντα σοφίσματα καὶ πάσας μ. ἐπεποιήκεε ἐς αὐτοὺς Δαρεῖος <span class="bibl">Hdt. 3.152</span>; <b class="b3">μηχαναῖς Διός</b> <b class="b2">by the arts</b> of Zeus, <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Ag.</span>677</span>; <b class="b3">χερὸς . . ἐκτίνοντα μηχανάς</b> acts of violence, ib.<span class="bibl">1582</span>; Ὀρέστην μηχαναῖσι μὲν θανόντα, νῦν δὲ μηχαναῖς σεσωσμένον <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">El.</span>1228</span>; κρατεῖ μαχαναῖς . . θηρός <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Ant.</span>349</span> (lyr.); σοφιστῶν μ. <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Lg.</span>908d</span>: prov., μηχαναὶ Σισύφου <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Ach.</span>391</span>:—Phrases: πάσας προσφέροντε μ. <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">IT</span>112</span>; μηχανὴν προσοιστέον <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Th.</span>1132</span>; πᾶσαν σπουδὴν καὶ μ. προσφερόμενος <span class="bibl">Plb.1.18.11</span>; ἐπεισήγαγον μ. <span class="bibl">Id.29.25.1</span>; μηχανὰς εὑρήσομεν, ὥστε ἀπαλλάξαι <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Eu.</span>82</span>; πλέκειν <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Andr.</span>66</span>; πορίζεσθαι <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Smp.</span> 191b</span>; ἐκπορίζειν <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">V.</span>365</span>; <b class="b3">ζητεῖν</b> ib.<span class="bibl">149</span>; <b class="b3">ἀντλεῖν μαχανάν</b> exhaust <b class="b2">one's resources</b>, <span class="bibl">Pi.<span class="title">P.</span>3.62</span>; <b class="b3">κατ' ἐμὰν μ</b>. ib.<span class="bibl">109</span>: c. gen. objecti, <b class="b3">ἔξευρε μ. τιν' Ἀδμήτῳ κακῶν</b> <b class="b2">contrivance against</b> ills, <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Alc.</span>221</span> (lyr.); but <b class="b3">μ. σωτηρίας</b> <b class="b2">a way, means of procuring</b> or <b class="b2">providing</b> safety, <span class="bibl">A. <span class="title">Th.</span>209</span>; μυρίων οὐσῶν μ. ἀπαλλαγῆς <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">Cyr.</span>5.1.12</span>; <b class="b3">οὐδεμία μ. [ἐστι] ὅκως οὐ</b> c. fut. ind., <span class="bibl">Hdt.2.160</span>; <b class="b3">μὴ οὐ</b> c. inf., ib. <span class="bibl">181</span>, <span class="bibl">3.51</span>; <b class="b3">τὸ μὴ οὐ</b> (prob.) <span class="bibl">Id.1.209</span>; <b class="b3">τίς μ. μὴ οὐχὶ</b> . . ; <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Phd.</span>72d</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">2</span> freq. in adverb. phrases, <b class="b3">μηδεμιῇ μ</b>. by no <b class="b2">means</b> whatsoever, by no <b class="b2">contrivance</b>, <span class="bibl">Hdt. 7.51</span>, etc.; οὓς οὐδεμιῇ μ. δεῖ τιτρώσκειν <span class="bibl">Hp.<span class="title">Art.</span>11</span>; so <b class="b3">μήτε τέχνῃ μήτε μ. μηδεμιᾷ</b> Foed. ap. <span class="bibl">Th.5.18</span>, cf. <span class="title">IG</span>12.39.23; opp. πάσῃ τέχνῃ καὶ μ. <span class="bibl">Lys. 19.53</span>; πάσῃ μ. <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Lys.</span>300</span> (lyr.); <b class="b3">τρόπῳ ἢ μ. ᾑτινιοῦν</b> Lex ap.<span class="bibl">D.21.113</span>.</span>