μάταιος: Difference between revisions

|Definition=[μᾰ], α, ον [[Aeschylus|A.]]''[[Prometheus Vinctus|Pr.]]''331, ''Th.''442, ''Ag.''422 (lyr.), etc.; also ος, ον ib.1151, ''Ch.''82, ''Eu.''337 (all lyr.), [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Coloneus|OC]]''780, E.''IT''628, Pl.''Sph.'' 231b, D.1.18: ([[μάτη]]):—<br><span class="bld">I</span> [[vain]], [[empty]], [[idle]]:<br><span class="bld">1</span> of words, acts, etc., μάταια νομίζομεν Thgn.141, cf. 487,492, etc.; [[μάταιοι λόγοι]] = [[idle tales]] or [[idle words]], [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]7.10. ή [[μάταια ἔπεα]] ib.''ΙΙ''; δόξαι φέρουσαι χάριν μ. A. ''Ag.''422 (lyr.); μάταια ὑλάγματα, ποιφύγματα, ib.1672, ''Th.''281; ματαία [[εὐχή]] E.l.c.; μάταια βάζειν τινά Id.''Hipp.''119; μ. τι δρᾶσαί τινα Id.''Cyc.''662 (lyr.); μ. ἂν εἴη πόνος Pl.''Ti.''40d; ματαία [[ἡδονή]] S.l.c.; δοξοσοφία Pl.''Sph.'' [[l.c.]]; [[ὄρεξις]] [[Aristotle|Arist.]]''[[Nicomachean Ethics|EN]]''1094a21; [[τὰ μάταια ἀναλώματα]] = [[useless expenses]], ''[[Oxyrhynchus Papyri|POxy.]]''58.20 (iii A.D.); but also, [[μάταιον ἔπος]] = [[a word of offence]], [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]3.120.<br><span class="bld">2</span> of persons, [[empty]], [[foolish]], ματαιότεροι νόον Thgn.1025, cf. [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]2.173, S.''Tr.''863,888 (lyr.), Ar.''V.''338, Amips.9 (Sup.); [[φῦλον]] ματαιότατον Pi.''P.''3.21; [[worthless]], S.''Ant.''1339 (lyr.).<br><span class="bld">II</span> [[rash]], [[irreverent]], [[profane]], freq. in A., ματαία [[γλῶσσα]] ''Pr.''l.c., ''Ag.''1662 (troch.); φρονήματα ''Th.''438; [[αὐτουργία]]ι μάταιαι, of [[matricide]] and the like, ''Eu.''l.c.; [[χαρὰ ματαία]] = [[mad merriment]], ''Th.''442; μ. ἀνοσίων τε κνωδάλων ''Supp.''762; [[τὸ μὴ μάταιον]] = [[seriousness]], [[gravity]], ib.198; [[ψαύειν]] ματαίαις χερσί S.''Tr.'' 565.<br><span class="bld">III</span> Adv. [[ματαίως]] = [[idly]], [[without ground]], ib.940, Emp.39.2, E.''Fr.''908.4; [[ὀχλεῖν]] τοῖς ἀνθρώποις Aen.Tact.6.1; [[ματαίως ἐρεῖν]] = [[speak to no purpose]], [[speak in vain]] Pl.''Ep.''331d; ταλαιπωρῆσαι Polystr.p.31 W.