οἶστρος

oistros

gadfly, breese

Appears 4 times across Plato's dialogues.

Frequency by work

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Laws 2
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Book VI 1
Chapter ?

782e3
Book IX 1
Chapter ?

854b3
Phaedrus 1
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Chapter ?

240d1
Republic 1
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Book IX 1
Chapter ?

577e2

Dictionary (LSJ)

οἶστρος, ὁ, A. gadfly, breese, prob. Tabanus bovinus, an insect which infests cattle, τὰς μέν τʼ αἰόλος οἶ. ἐφορμηθεὶς ἐδόνησεν, ὥρῃ ἐν εἰαρινῇ Od. 22.300 ; of the fly that tormented Io, A. Supp. 541(lyr.), Pr. 567 sq. (lyr.) (also called μύωψ, ib.675, Supp. 308 : but the two are distd. by Arist. HA 490a20,596b14). 2. an insect that infests tunny-fish, prob. Brachiella thynni, ib.557a27,602a28. 3. a small insectivorous bird, perh. Sylvia trochilus, ib.592b22. II. metaph., a sting, anything that drives mad, κεραυνοῦ οἶ. E. HF 862 ; οἴστροις Ἐρινύων Id. IT 1456 : abs., the smart of pain, agony, S. Tr. 1254. 2. any vehement desire, insane passion, Hdt. 2.93, E. Hipp. 1300, Pl. R. 577e, etc.; ὄρεξις μετὰ οἴστρου καὶ ἀδημονίας Epicur. Fr. 483 : c. gen. objecti, κτεάνων for wealth, AP 11.389 (Lucill.): generally, madness. frenzy, S. Ant. 1002, E. Or. 791 : pl., Id. Ba. 665 ; μανιάδες οἶ. Id. IA 548(lyr.). 3. in good sense, zeal, οἶ. εἰς πᾶν ἀγαθὸν ἔργον PMasp. 3.13(vi A. D.). III. a throw at dice, Eub. 57.5.

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