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πέλεκυς

πέλεκυς, an axe

πέλεκῠς, εως, Ion. εος (not πελέκυος Hdn. Gr. 2.707), ὁ, acc. πέλεκυν Od. 5.234, etc.: dat. pl. πελέκεσι, Ep. πελέκεσσι Il. 13.391:—
  • two-edged axe for felling trees, opp. ἡμιπέλεκκον (q.v.), π . . . χάλκεος, ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἀκαχμένος Od. 5.234; ὑλοτόμους πελέκεας Il. 23.114; ἐξέταμον πελέκεσσι νεήκεσι 13.391, cf. Pi. O. 7.36, P. 4.263, E. Fr. 472.6 (anap.); π. ξυλοκόπος X. Cyr. 6.2.36, etc.
      • 2 battle-axe, πελέκεσσι καὶ ἀξίνῃσι μάχοντο Il. 15.711; οὐ δόρασι μάχεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ πελέκεσι Hdt. 7.135; πελέκεως δίστομος γένυς E. Fr. 530.5; sacrificial axe, Il. 17.520, Od. 3.442; executionerʼs axe, Trag.Adesp. 412; Τενέδιος π., prov. of impartial and over-harsh justice, Arist. Fr. 593; or of summary justice by ‘cutting the knot’, from the story of Tennes, St.Byz. s.v. Τένεδος (also ὁ Τέννου π. Conon 28); τοὺς π. ἀπέλυσε τῶν ῥάβδων took the axes from the fasces of the lictors, Plu. Publ. 10, cf. Plb. 6.53.8.
      • 3 as an image of perseverance, κραδίη π. ὣς . . ἀτειρής Il. 3.60.
      • 4 "ἀσκός, π." in a childʼs game, Thphr. Char. 5.5.
      • 5 nickname in Com.Adesp. 824; cf. πρίων.
      • 6 coin in Cyprus, prob. in Inscr.Cypr. 135.26 H.; cf. πέλεκυ.
    • II a geometrical figure, like the head of a double axe, title of AP 15.22 (Simm.). (Cf. Skt. paraśús; loanword from Bab. pilaḳḳu, Sumer. balag ‘axe’.) [The ῠ of nom. and acc. sg. is in Hom. sts. lengthd., Il. 3.60, 17.520: acc. pl. πελέκεας is in Hom. always trisyll., ⏑⏑ _.]

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