ὕσπληξ

ὕσπληξ, ηγος, ἡ (Phryn. 54, etc., but ὁ CIG 2824.14 (Aphrodisias), Eust. 598.23), IG 1(2).313.116, 314.129, Inscr.Perg. 10.3 (iii B. C.), Pl. Phdr. 254e, Eust. l.c., etc.: rarely ὕσπληγξ, ηγγος, ἡ (ὁ Hero Aut. 24.4), D.P. 121, Dionys. Av. 3.18; Dor. ὕσπλαγξ Theoc. 8.58; gen. ὕσπλᾱκος IG 42(1).98.2 (Epid., iii B. C.): dat. pl. ὕσπληξιν Plu. Gen.Socr. 2.588f, Ep. ὑσπλήγεσσι AP 6.259 (Phil.): Dor. ὑσπλᾱγίς (q.v.):—

• snare or gin of a bird-catcher, Theoc. l.c.; wolf-trap, Hsch.; also the part of a springe or noose trap which slips down when touched, Dionys. Av. l.c., cf. 3.13; = ῥόπτρον, Hsch.; = πάσσαλος, κρίκος κεράτινος, Id., Sch. Pl. Phdr. 254e.
• • • 2 a twisted strand, the untwisting of which releases motive power in an automaton (cf. στρέβλη I.2), Hero Aut. 2.8 (also, a piece of wood made to rise or fall by this or similar means, ib. 6, cf. 24.4); ψυχὴ ἀνθρώπου μυρίαις ὁρμαῖς οἷον ὕσπληξιν ἐντεταμένη Plu. Gen.Socr. 2.588f; [τὸ θερμὸν] ἀθροῖσαν ἑαυτὸ καὶ οἷον συνεσπειραμένον γεγονός, . . σφοδρᾷ τῇ φορᾷ χρώμενον καὶ οἷον ἀπὸ ὕσπληγος ἐξαλλόμενον Gal. 7.623; ὥσπερ ἀπὸ ὕ. ἀναπεσών throwing himself back as from a ὕ., i. e. violently, Pl. Phdr. 254e; ὥσπερ ἀπὸ ὕ. θέοντες, i.e. running at top speed, Luc. Cat. 4.
    • 3 a contrivance (of uncertain nature, but prob. on the principle of ὕ. I or 2; = Lat. transenna, Gloss.) for starting a race, starting-machine (κυρίως τὸ μηχάνημα τὸ ἀποκροῦον τὸν κανόνα τοῦ δρομέως Sch. D.P. 121; cf. σχαστηρία I), ὕσπληγος ἀγκῶνας τρεῖς παραστάδας ὑσπλήγων τέτταρας καὶ κίονας δύο, σύριγγας τῶν ὑ. δύο, in a list of wooden objects, Inscr.Délos 1400.9 (ii B. C.), cf. 1409 BA ii43 (ii B. C.); ὕσπληγα λαμπαδίειον (for the torch-race) IG ΙΙ(2).203B 96 (Delos, iii B. C.); ἀφέσεις τὰς ἀπὸ τῶν ὑσπλήγων τοῦ Παναθηναϊκοῦ σταδίου ib. 2(2).1035.50 (i B. C.); ἔπεσεν ἡ ὕ. Luc. Tim. 20; τῆς ὕ. εὐθὺς καταπεσούσης Id. Cal. 12; ἑστᾶσιν ὥσπερ ἐφʼ ὕσπληγος ἐξορμᾶν ἕτοιμοι J. BJ 3.5.4 (v.l. ὑφʼ ὕσπληγος); διήκει πρὸ αὐτῶν καλῴδιον ἀντὶ ὕσπληγος Paus. 6.20.11; χαλῶσιν αἱ ὕ. ib. 13; ἀθρόα δʼ ὕσπληξ πάντα (sc. τὰ ἅρματα) διὰ στρεπτοῦ τείνα [τʼ ἔ]χουσα κάλω· [ἦ] μέγʼ ἐπαχήσασα θοὰς ἐξήλασε πώλους Inscr.Perg. l.c.; ψόφος ἦν ὕσπληγος ἐν οὔασιν, i.e. the race had just started, AP 11.86, cf. Plu. Praec. 2.804e; ἔσχαστο ἡ ὕ. Hld. 4.3; ψαλιδωτὰς ἱππαφέσεις διὰ μιᾶς ὕ. ἅμα πάσας ἀνοιγομένας D.H. 3.68: metaph., κἀπὸ γῆς ἐσχάζοσαν ὕσπληγας were loosing the starting-machine from land, i. e. were starting out from land, Lyc. 22.
    • 4 = καμπτήρ II, metaph., D.P. 121, cf. Eust. ad loc.; ὕσπληγας ὑποφήνας τῶν κατὰ φιλοσοφίαν λόγων setting limits to . ., dub. in metrod.Herc. 831.11.
    • 5 part of a burial-place, perh. gate, CIG l.c.
    • 6 = μύωψ II.2 or μάστιξ, Herm. in Phdr. p.170 A., Hsch., Suid.; = ὑστριχίς I, Eust.ad D.P. 121 (deriving it from ὗς and πλήσσω).

ὕσπληξ, ηγος, ἡ, = ὕσπληγξ ; Plat. Phaedr. 254e ; Lobeck zu Phryn. 71 spricht diese Form den Attikern ganz ab.

ὕσπληξ

• • Ia rope drawn across the racecourse, let down when the runners were to start, the starting-line, Plat., Anth.
  • IIthe snare or gin of a birdcatcher, Theocr. deriv. uncertain