ἄτη

ἄτη, ἡ, Dor. ἄτα, Aeol. αὐάτα ( ἀϝ-), v. infr.:—A. bewilderment, infatuation, caused by blindness or delusion sent by the gods, mostly as the punishment of guilty rashness, τὸν δʼ ἄτη φρένας εἷλε Il. 16.805; Ζεῦ πάτερ, ἦ ῥά τινʼ ἤδη . . βασιλήων τῇδʼ ἄτῃ ἄασας 8.237; Ζεὺς καὶ Μοῖρα καὶ . . Ἐρινὺς . . φρεσὶν ἔμβαλον ἄγριον ἄτην 19.88 (so ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ ἀασάμην καί μευ φρένας ἐξέλετο Ζεύς ib.137); ἄτην δὲ μετέστενον ἣν Ἀφροδίτη δῶχʼ ὅτε μʼ ἤγαγε κεῖσε, says Helen, Od. 4.261. 2. Ἄτη personified, the goddess of mischief, author of rash actions, πρέσβα Διὸς θυγάτηρ, Ἄτη, ἣ πάντας ἀᾶται Il. 19.91, cf. 9.504, Hes. Th. 230, Pl. Smp. 195d; Ἄτης ἂν λειμῶνα Emp. 121.4; coupled with Ἐρινύς, A. Ag. 1433. II. of the consequences of such visitations, either, 1. Act., reckless guilt or sin, Ἀλεξάνδρου ἕνεκʼ ἄτης Il. 6.356: in pl., deceptions, 10.391: or, 2. Pass., bane, ruin, 24.480, Hdt. 1.32; ἐγγύα, πάρα δʼ ἄτα prov. in Thales ap.Stob. 3.1.172: τὸ πῆμα τῆς ἄτης the anguish of the doom, S. Aj. 363 (lyr.); ὕβρις γὰρ ἐξανθοῦσʼ ἐκάρπωσε σταχὺν ἄτης A. Pers. 822; Πειθὼ προβουλόπαις . . ἄτης Id. Ag. 386 (lyr.): pl., Id. Pers. 653 (lyr.), 1037 (lyr.), S. Aj. 848, etc.; strokes of fate, ἀνδρείη τὰς ἄτας μικρὰς ἔρδει Democr. 213. 3. Trag., of persons, bane, pest, δίκην ἄτης λαθραίου A. Ag. 1230; δύʼ ἄτα S. Ant. 533. b. ill-fated person, A. Ag. 1268 codd.—Not in Comedy (unless read for αὐτῆς, Ar. Pax 605) nor in Att. Prose (exc. as pr.n.and in quotations of ἐγγύα, πάρα δʼ ἄτα Cratin. Jun.12, Pl. Chrm. 165a), but found in Arist. VV 1251b20; κῆρας καὶ ἄτας D.H. 8.61; τοιαύτας κακὰς ἄτας such abominations, of certain Epicurean expressions, Cleom. 2.1. III. fine, penalty, or sum lost in a lawsuit, Leg.Gort. 11.34, al. (From ἀάω, q. v.: orig. ἀϝάτη, Aeol. αὐάτα Alc. Supp. 23.12, Pi. P. 2.28, 3.24, Lyr.Adesp. 123.) [ᾰᾰτη, ᾱτη; ᾰτη is dub. in Archil. 73.]