εἰκῆ
ὃν οὐ τύπτει λόγος οὐδὲ ῥάβδος → if words don't get through, neither a beating will | if the carrot doesn't work, the stick will not work either | whom words do not strike, neither does the rod
Greek (Liddell-Scott)
εἰκῆ: ἐπίρρ. τοῦ εἰκαῖος, ἄνευ σχεδίου ἢ σκοποῦ, ματαίως, ἀσκόπως, Λατ. temere, - «εἰκῆ· μάτην..., ἀκαίρως ἢ ὡς ἔτυχε» Ἡσύχ., - Ξενοφάν. 2. 13, καὶ Ἀττ., ὡς Αἰσχύλ. Πρ. 450, 885. Σοφ. Ο. Τ. 979· εἰκῆ πράττειν Πλάτ. Πρωτ. 326D· εἰκῆ λέγεσθαι ὁ αὐτ. Ἀπολογ. 17C, κτλ.· νήφων παρ’ εἰκῇ λέγοντας Ἀριστ. Μετὰ τὰ Φυσ. 1. 3, 16. - Ἔν τισιν ἐκδόσ. γράφεται εἰκῇ.
English (Strong)
probably from εἴκω (through the idea of failure); idly, i.e. without reason (or effect): without a cause, (in) vain(-ly).
English (Woodhouse)
anyhow, disconnectedly, at haphazard, at raddom, at random, by fits and starts, in a mess, without arrangement, without coherence, without order, without purpose, without thinking
