ἐπικρατέω

ἐπικρατέω (Aeol. ἐπι-κρετέω prob. in Alc. 82), A. rule over, c. dat., νήεσσιν ἐπικρατέουσιν ἄριστοι Il. 10.214; νήσοισιν Od. 1.245: abs., have or hold power, εὖτʼ ἂν μηκέτʼ ἐπικρατέωσιν ἄνακτες 17.320, cf. 14.60, Archil. 69. II. prevail in battle, be victorious, ἐπικρατέουσί περ ἔμπης [to them] though they are victorious as it is, Il. 14.98, cf. Ar. Lys. 767; ἐ. ἢ ἀπόλλυσθαι conquer or die, Hdt. 7.104; ἐ. τῇ στάσι Id. 1.173; ἐ. τὰ πλείω τοῦ πολέμου gain the advantage in most points in the war, Th. 4.19. 2. freq. c.gen., prevail over, get the mastery of an enemy, ἐ. μάχῃ τῶν Γελῴων Hdt. 7.155; τῶν ἐχθρῶν Id. 8.94, Lys. 34.4; τῆς τινων πονηρίας Id. 22.16; ἐ. αὐτῶν (-οῦ codd.) παρὰ τῷ βασιλέϊ, in a suit at law, Hdt. 4.65; ἰσχυρὰ ἐ. ἀνδρὸς Ἀνάγκη Philet. 8; ἐ. τοῦ πυρός Hdt. 1.86; γήρως Pl. Lg. 752a; ὑμῶν -ήσω τῷ κοάξ Ar. Ra. 267. 3. rarely c. acc., master, conquer, τὰς τῆς φύσεως ἁμαρτίας Isoc. 1.52; δύο βασιλέας D.C. 36.16:—Pass., -ηθεῖσα (sc. ἡ δεξιά), in left-handed persons, Sor. 1.111. 4. c. gen., become master of, τῶν πραγμάτων Hdt. 4.164; τῆς θαλάσσης Id. 1.17,al.; τῶν πολίων, τῶν νεῶν, Id. 6.32,115; τῆς ἀναγκαίου τροφῆς, τῆς ἀναβάσεως, Th. 1.2,7.42; τῶν ἐρώτων Pi. N. 8.5, etc. b. to be in possession of, [οἰκίας]PRyl. 160.3 (i A.D.), etc. 5. generally, prevail, be superior, πλήθεϊ Hdt. 5.2; πολὺ τῷ ναυτικῷ Th. 2.93; τὰ πλείω τῷ πεζῷ Id. 7.63; κατὰ θάλασσαν X. HG 7.1.6: c. inf., they carried the point that . . , Th. 5.46; ἐπεκράτουν μὴ δέχεσθαι τοὺς Ἀθηναίους Id. 6.74. b. metaph., prevail, τὸ ἀνθρώπινον ἦθος ἐπεκράτει Pl. Criti. 121b; τὸ δίκαιον Men. Epit. 16; τὸ ψῦχος, τὸ ὑγρόν, Arist. Mete. 347b26, MM 1210a20; τὸ ὄνομα Plb. 2.38.1; ὁ λόγος D.S. 5.62; ὁ τραχὺς ἦχος Phld. Po. 994.33. 6. c. part., ἐ. διαιροῦντες succeed in keeping it open, Arist. GA 773a29.