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ψῆφος

ψῆφος, ψῆφος, small stone, pebble (used in reckoning, in games, in voting); vote

ψῆφος, Dor. ψᾶφος, Aeol. ψᾶφαξ, ἡ, gen. pl. ψηφάων Man. 4.448: (ψάω):—
  • a small round worn stone, pebble, ψᾶφος ἑλισσομένα Pi. O. 10(11).9; οὐκ ἂν εἰδείην λέγειν ποντιᾶν ψάφων ἀριθμόν ib. 13.46; ψήφῳ μούνῃ διατετρανέεις, opp. μόγις ἂν λίθῳ παίσας διαρρήξειας, Hdt. 3.12; ψ. ἄμμου a grain of sand, LXX Si. 18.10.
      • 2 precious stone, gem, Philostr. VA 3.27; esp. worn in a ring, Luc. DMeretr. 9.
    • II acc. to the various uses made of such pebbles:
      • 1 pebble used for reckoning, counter, λογίζεσθαι ψήφοις calculate or reckon by abacus, cipher, Hdt. 2.36, etc.: hence to reckon exactly or accurately, opp. ἀπὸ χειρὸς λ., Ar. V. 656 (anap.); οὐ τιθεὶς ψήφους D. 18.229; ἐν ψήφῳ λέγειν A. Ag. 570; ἐν ψήφου λόγῳ θέσθαι E. Rh. 309: metaph., ταῖς τοῦ συμφέροντος ψήφοις μετρεῖν τὰς ἔχθρας καὶ τὰς φιλίας Plb. 2.47.5: hence ψῆφος itself for a cipher, number, πὸτ ἄρτιον (sc. ἀριθμὸν) ποτθέμειν . . ψᾶφον Epich. 170: pl., accounts, καθαραὶ ψ., where there is an exact balance, D. 18.227; οἱ περὶ τὰς ψ. calculators, Alciphr. 1.26; ψήφων ἄπειρος Plu. Praec. 2.812e; δακτυλικὴ ψ. reckoning on the fingers, AP 11.290 (Pall.); of astrological calculations, Vett.Val. 10.15, al.
        • b in Magic, κατέχων τὴν ψ. (i. e. the object on which the number is written) λέγε . . PMag.Par. 1.1048, cf. 937.
      • 2 pebble used for a draughts- or chess-man, Pl. R. 487c; κύβος ἐν παιδιᾷ ψήφων Plu. Def.orac. 2.427f.
        • b pebble used by jugglers, ψηφάων παῖκται Man. 4.448.
      • 3 pebble used in divination, ἡ διὰ ψήφων μαντική Apollod. 3.10.2.
      • 4 cube used in mosaic pavements, Gal. Protr. 8.
      • 5 pebble used in voting, ψήφῳ ψηφίζεσθαι Hdt. 9.55; ἐὰν μὴ τῇ ψ . . . ψηφίσωνται κρύβδην ψηφιζόμενοι D. 59.89: hence, the vote itself, ψῆφον φέρειν give oneʼs vote, ἐν καρδίᾳ ψ. φέροντες A. Eu. 680, cf. And. 1.2, D. 57.61, etc.; ὑπέρ τινος Lycurg. 7; περί τινος Id. 11, etc.; ψήφου φορά E. Supp. 484; ψῆφον τίθεσθαι, = ψηφίζεσθαι, Hdt. 8.123, cf. 6.57; εἰς τεῦχος . . ψήφους ἔθεντο A. Ag. 816; c. inf., Hdt. 3.73; ψ. προσθέσθαι Th. 1.40; ψήφῳ διαιρεῖν to determine by vote, A. Eu. 630; ψήφῳ κρίνειν, Th. 1.87, etc.; μεταλαβὼν τὸ πέμπτον μέρος τῶν ψ. Pl. Ap. 36b, cf. Lex ap. D. 21.47: in collect. sense, ἐχρῆν . . ψ. περὶ αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι a vote is taken, Antipho 5.47; ἡ καθαιροῦσα ψ. Lys. 13.37; ἡ σῴζουσα ψ. D. 19.66; οἷς ἂν πλείστη γένηται ψ. a majority of votes, Pl. Lg. 759d: τὴν ψῆφον ἐπάγειν to put the vote or question, of the president, Th. 1.119, 125; ψῆφον δοῦναι περί τινος IG 2(2).222.24, cf. D. 21.188; ψ. ἀναδοὺς περί τινος App. BC 1.100; so ψ. περὶ ἡμῶν ὑπὲρ ἀνδραποδισμοῦ προτεθεῖσαν D. 19.65; διένεμον (vv. ll. διενέμοντο, ἔφερον) τὰς ψ. were casting their votes, Hdt. 8.123; ὑπὸ ψήφου μιᾶς with one accord, Ar. Lys. 270; ψ. φανερά open voting, ψ. φανερὰν διενεγκεῖν Th. 4.74; τὴν ψ. οὐκ εἰς καδίσκους ἀλλὰ φανερὰν ἐπὶ τὰς τραπέζας τίθεσθαι Lys. 13.37, cf. Pl. Lg. 767d, 855d; opp. ψ. ἀφανής voting by ballot, Aeschin. 3.233; κρύβδην τὴν ψ. φέρειν Arist. Rh.Al. 1433a23, cf. 1424b2, Ath. 69.1.
        • b that which is carried by vote, a vote, ψ. καταγνώσεως a vote of condemnation, Th. 3.82; ψῆφος αὐτῷ ἐπῆκτο περὶ φυγῆς a vote of banishment was moved for against him, X. An. 7.7.57, cf. A. Th. 198; ψήφῳ πόλεως γνωσθεῖσαι Id. Supp. 7 (anap.):—hence,
        • c any resolve or decree, ψ. τυράννων S. Ant. 60; λιθίνα ψᾶφος a decree written on stone, Pi. O. 7.87; διδοῖ ψᾶφον περʼ αὐτᾶς [the oak] gives judgement of itself, Id. P. 4.265; ψ. φλεγυρὰ βροτῶν, i.e. public opinion, Cratin. 57 (lyr.); τίνʼ ἂν ψῆφον θεῖο; what judgement . . ? Pl. Prt. 330c, cf. R. 450a; ἡ ἐμὴ ψ. Id. Phlb. 57a.
        • d Ἀθηνᾶς ψ., calculus Minervae, prov. phrase to express acquittal, when the votes were even, Philostr. VS 2.3.
        • e ψ. is sts. omitted, κἂν ἴσαι γένωνται Ar. Ra. 685 (lyr.); πάσαις κρατεῖν Luc. Bis Acc. 18, cf. 22.
        • f Διὸς ψῆφος (ψῆφοι Hsch.), prov. ἐπὶ τῶν ἱερῶν καὶ ἀθίκτων, of the scene of contest betw. Athena and Poseidon, Suid., etc.
        • g Κόννου ψ., negligible quantity, cipher, Ar. V. 675 (anap.), cf. Κοννᾶς.
      • 6 place of voting, tribunal, E. IT 945, El. 1263.
      • 7 metaph., influence, πόλις μεγάλην ψ. ἔχουσα Lib. Or. 18.13.

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