ἄριστος: Difference between revisions

|Definition=[ᾰ], η, ον, (with Art. Ep. <span class="sense"><span class="bld">A</span> ὤριστος <span class="bibl">Il.11.288</span>, Att. [[ἅριστος]]) [[best]] in its kind, and so in all sorts of relations, serving as Sup. of [[ἀγαθός]]: </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">I</span> of persons, </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">1</span> [[best]] in birth and rank, [[noblest]]: hence, like [[ἀριστεύς]], [[a chief]], Ἀργείων οἱ ἄριστοι <span class="bibl">Il.4.260</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">6.209</span>; ἄ. ἔην πολὺ δὲ πλείστους ἄγε λαούς <span class="bibl">2.580</span>; θεῶν ὕπατος καὶ ἄ. <span class="bibl">19.258</span>; πατρὸς πάντων ἀ. παῖδα <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">El.</span>366</span>; <b class="b3">ἀνδρῶν τῶν ἀ. ὁμιλίη</b>, opp. [[δῆμος]], <span class="bibl">Hdt.3.81</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">Cic.<span class="title">Att.</span>9.4.2</span>. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">2</span> [[best]] in any way, [[bravest]], ἀνδρῶν αὖ μέγ' ἄ. ἔην Τελαμώνιος Αἴας <span class="bibl">Il.2.768</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">7.50</span>, etc.; <b class="b3">οἰωνοπόλων, σκυτοτόμων ὄχ' ἄ</b>., <span class="bibl">6.76</span>, <span class="bibl">7.221</span>. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">b</span> c. dat. modi, βουλῇ μετὰ πάντας . . ἔπλευ ἄ. <span class="bibl">9.54</span>, al.; ἔγχεσιν εἶναι ἀρίστους <span class="bibl">Od.4.211</span>. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">c</span> c. acc. rei, εἶδος ἄριστε <span class="bibl">Il.3.39</span>; ψυχὴν ἄ. <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Nu.</span>1048</span>. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">d</span> c. inf., ἄριστοι μάχεσθαι <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">Cyr.</span>5.4.44</span>; <b class="b3">ἄ. διαβολὰς ἐνδέκεσθαι</b> [[readiest]] to give ear to calumnies, <span class="bibl">Hdt.3.80</span>; <b class="b3">ἄ. ἀπατᾶσθαι</b> [[best]], i.e. [[easiest]], to cheat, <span class="bibl">Th.3.38</span>. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">3</span> [[morally best]], εἴς τινα <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Alc.</span>83</span>(lyr.); οἱ ἄ. ἁπλῶς κατ' ἀρετήν <span class="bibl">Arist.<span class="title">Pol.</span>1293b3</span>. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">4</span> [[best]], [[most useful]], πόλει <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Fr.</span>194</span> codd. (leg. [[ἀρεστός]]) αὑτῷ <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Heracl.</span>5</span>. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">II</span> of animals, things, etc., [[best]], [[finest]], ἵπποι <span class="bibl">Il.2.763</span>; [[μήλων]], [[ὑῶν]], <span class="bibl">Od.9.432</span>, <span class="bibl">14.414</span>; τεύχε' ἄριστα <span class="bibl">Il.15.616</span>; χῶρος <span class="bibl">Od.5.442</span>; ποταμῶν ἄ. τά τε ἄλλα καὶ ἀκέσασθαι <span class="bibl">Hdt.4.90</span>; <b class="b3">ἄριστα φέρεσθαι</b> win an [[excellent]] reward, <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">El.</span>1097</span> (lyr.). </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">III</span> neut. pl. as Adv., [[ἄριστα]] [[best]], [[most excellently]], ὄχ' ἄ. <span class="bibl">Il.3.110</span>, <span class="bibl">Od.13.365</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">Hdt.1.193</span>, al., etc.; <b class="b3">ἄριστά γε</b>, in answers, <b class="b2">well said!</b> <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Tht.</span>163c</span>: later also ἀρίστως <span class="bibl">Iamb.<span class="title">Myst.</span>3.14</span>.</span>