τάλαντον: Difference between revisions

|Definition=τό, <span class="sense"><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">A</span> [[balance]], Ζεὺς . . τὸ τ. ἐπιρρέπει ἄλλοτε ἄλλως <span class="bibl">Thgn.157</span>; ζυγὸν ταλάντου <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Supp.</span>823</span> (lyr.); ταλάντῳ μουσικὴ σταθμήσεται <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Ra.</span>797</span>: in this sense used by Hom. only in pl., <b class="b2">pair of scales</b>, ἔχον ὥς τε τάλαντα γυνή... ἥ τε σταθμὸν ἔχουσα καὶ εἴριον ἀμφὶς ἀνέλκει ἰσάζουσα <span class="bibl">Il.12.433</span>; esp. of the [[scales]] in which Zeus weighed the fortunes of men, <b class="b3">χρύσεια πατὴρ ἐτίταινε τ</b>. <span class="bibl">8.69</span>, <span class="bibl">22.209</span>; <b class="b3">γνῶ γὰρ Διὸς ἱρὰ τ</b>. <span class="bibl">16.658</span>; <b class="b3">ἐπὴν κλίνῃσι τ. Ζεύς</b>, i.e. when he decides the issue of battle, <span class="bibl">19.223</span>; τ. βρίσας οὐκ ἰσορρόπῳ τύχῃ <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Pers.</span>346</span>; of the [[scales]] of justice, δίκης κατέκειτο τάλαντα <span class="bibl"><span class="title">h.Merc.</span>324</span>, cf. <span class="title">AP</span>6.267.4 (Diotim.): so in sg., δίκας ῥέπει τάλαντον <span class="bibl">B.17.25</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">2</span> [[tax paid for the use of the public scales]], <span class="title">SIG</span> 4.7 (Cyzicus, vi B.C.). </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">II</span> <b class="b2">anything weighed</b>, </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">1</span> <b class="b2">a definite weight, talent</b>, in Hom. always of gold, δέκα χρυσοῖς τάλαντα <span class="bibl">Il.9.122</span>; <b class="b3">δύω χρ. τ</b>. <span class="bibl">18.507</span>; <b class="b3">δέκα πάντα τ</b>. ten in all, <span class="bibl">19.247</span>, <span class="bibl">24.232</span>; <b class="b3">χρυσοῦ . . εὐεργέος ἑπτὰ τ</b>. <span class="bibl">Od.9.202</span>; χρυσοῖο τάλαντον . . τιμήεντος <span class="bibl">8.393</span>: from the order of the prizes in <span class="bibl">Il.23.262</span> sq. and other passages its weight was probably not great, cf. <span class="bibl">Arist.<span class="title">Fr.</span>164</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">2</span> in post-Hom. writers, the <b class="b3">τάλαντον</b> was both a <b class="b2">commercial weight</b> (differing in different systems), and also the <b class="b2">sum of money</b> represented by the corresponding weight of gold or silver; <b class="b3">τοῖσι μὲν</b> (of the subjects of Darius) <b class="b3">ἀργύριον ἀπαγινέουσι εἴρητο Βαβυλώνιον σταθμὸν τ. ἀπαγινέειν, τοῖσι δὲ χρυσίον ἀπαγινέουσι Εὐβοϊκόν· τὸ δὲ Βαβυλώνιον τ. δύναται Εὐβοΐδας</b> (<b class="b3">ὀκτὼ καὶ</b> add. Reiz) ἑβδομήκοντα μνέας <span class="bibl">Hdt.3.89</span>; <b class="b3">τ. Ἀττικόν, Αἰγιναῖον</b>, etc., <span class="bibl">Poll.9.86</span>; ἐποίησε [ὁ Σόλων] σταθμὰ πρὸς τὸ νόμισμα τρεῖς καὶ ἑξήκοντα μνᾶς τὸ τ. ἀγούσας <span class="bibl">Arist.<span class="title">Ath.</span>10.2</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">a</span> of money, τ. ἀργυρίου <span class="bibl">Hdt.7.28</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">HG</span>3.5.1</span>, etc.; χίλια τ. νομίσματος <span class="bibl">Aeschin.2.174</span>; <b class="b3">μνᾶ ἀπὸ τοῦ τ</b>. <span class="title">IG</span>12.220.7, cf. 92.37, al. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">b</span> of weight, <b class="b3">τὸ τ. τὸ ἐμπορικόν</b> ib.22.1013.35; used in weighing lead, ib.12.374.287, 42(1).103.131 (Epid., iv B.C.), <span class="bibl"><span class="title">PMich.Zen.</span>9.4</span> (iii B.C.); iron, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">PCair.Zen.</span>144.6</span> (iii B.C.), <span class="bibl"><span class="title">CPHerm.</span>p.77</span> (iii A.D.); cloth, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">PMich.Zen.</span>120.8</span> (iii B.C.), etc.</span>