The Homer Reader The Iliad & Odyssey · Greek and English

ἐπιπνέω

epipneo

breathe upon, blow freshly upon

Appears 3 times across Homer's epics.

Frequency by work

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Dictionary (LSJ)

ἐπιπνέω, Ep. ἐπι-πνείω (as always in Hom., cf. Call. Del. 318, A.R. 3.937), A. breathe upon, blow freshly upon, περὶ δὲ πνοιὴ . . ζώγρει ἐπιπνείουσα Il. 5.698; τινί on one, Ar. V. 265; blow fairly for, νηῦς . . , ᾗ . . οὖρος ἐπιπνείῃσιν ὄπισθεν Od. 4.357: abs., εἰς ὅ κε . . ἐπιπνεύσωσιν ἀῆται 9.139; ἄνεμος . . ἥδιστος ἐπέπνει Plu. Sert. 17, etc. 2. blow furiously upon, τινί Hdt. 3.26: metaph., μαινόμενος δʼ ἐπιπνεῖ . . Ἄρης A. Th. 343 (lyr.), cf. S. Ant. 136 (lyr.). 3. c.acc., blow over, θάλασσαν Hes. Th. 872; ἀγρούς Luc. Charid. 1. 4. c.acc.cogn., blow forth, πυρὸς σέλας A.R. 3.1327. 5. blow afterwards, Arist. Pr. 945b1. 6. blow against, of one wind against another, Thphr. Vent. 53. II. metaph., 1. excite, inflame against, Ἀργείοις Σπαρτῶν γένναν E. Ph. 794 (lyr.); στρατὸν αἵματι to slaughter, ib.789 (lyr.). 2. inspire into, grant, Μουσῶν προφῆται ἐπιπεπνευκότες ἡμῖν τὸ γέρας Pl. Phdr. 262d; ὄλβον Orph. H. 84.8. 3. favour, λαμπρᾶς ἐπιπνεούσης τῆς τύχης, metaph. from the wind, Plb. 11.19.5: c.acc., of love, A.R. 3.937, Nonn. D. 3.121: abs., Plu. 2.759f. III. Pass., to be inspired, ὑπό τινος Longin. 13.2; πρὸς αὐτῶν τῶν Μουσῶν Jul. Or. 2.78b.
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