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ἀφορμή

ἀφορμή, a starting-point

ἀφορμ-ή, ἡ,
  • starting-point, esp. in war, base of operations, ἀναχώρησίς τε καὶ ἀ. Th. 1.90, cf. Plb. 1.41.6, etc.; place of safety, E. Med. 342.
      • 2 generally, starting-point, origin, occasion or pretext, ἀφορμαὶ λόγων Id. Hec. 1239, Ph. 199; ἀφορμὴν παρέχειν D. 18.156; δεδωκέναι Id. 21.98, cf. 2 Ep.Cor. 5.12; λαβεῖν ἀ. Isoc. 4.61, Ep.Rom. 7.8; εὑρεῖν BGU 615.6 (ii A. D.), 923.22 (i/ii A. D.); ἵνα ἀ. γένοιτο τιμῆς Inscr.Prien. 105.16 (i B. C.); ἀ. καὶ πρόφασις Plb. 2.52.3; occasion, origin of an illness, Hp. Epid. 2.1.11, Sor. 1.29; εἰ δέ τις οἴεται μικρὰν ἀ. εἶναι σιτηρέσιον τοῖς στρατευομένοις ὑπάρχειν a small inducement, D. 4.29; τὸ γὰρ εὖ πράττειν παρὰ τὴν ἀξίαν ἀ. τοῦ κακὼς φρονεῖν Id. 1.23; instigation, incitement, POxy. 237 vii 21 (ii A. D.).
      • 3 means with which one begins a thing, resources, ἀ. τοῦ βίου Lys. 24.24; εἰς τὸν βίον X. Mem. 3.12.4; τίνας εἶχεν ἀφορμὰς ἡ πόλις; D. 18.233; ἀφελεῖν τὴν ἀ. διʼ ἣν ὑβρίζει Id. 21.98; πίστις ἀ. μεγίστη πρὸς χρηματισμόν good faith is the best asset for business, Id. 36.44, cf. 11.16; ἀ. ἐπί . . Id. 3.33; esp. means of war, And. 1.109; ἀ. εἰς ξένους χιλίους means for levying 1000 mercenaries, X. HG 4.8.33; ἀ. ἔργων means for undertaking . ., Id. Mem. 2.7.11, cf. 3.5.11; πρὸς ἀφορμὴν ἐμπορίας ἢ γεωργίας Arist. Pol. 1320a39; πάντων ἀ. τῶν καλῶν Philem. 110.
      • 4 capital of a banker, etc., Lys. Fr. 1.2, X. Mem. 2.7.12, Lycurg. 26, D. 14.30, 36.11; ἀφορμῆς δίκη suit for restitution of capital, Arg. D. 36.
      • 5 Rhet., food for argument, material, subject, ὑποθέσεις καὶ ἀφορμαὶ λόγων Luc. Rh.Pr. 18, cf. Men.Rh. p.334S., Aps. p.264H.
      • 6 aptitude, inclination, εἰς φιλανθρωπίαν Phld. Ir. p.53 W. (pl.).
    • II Stoic term for repulsion (opp. ὁρμή), Chrysipp.Stoic. 3.42, cf. 40, Simp. in Epict. p.22 D.
    • III release of water from sluice, PAmh. 2.143.17 (iv A. D.).

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