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πρεσβεύω

presbeuo

to be the elder

Appears 13 times across Plato's dialogues.

Frequency by work

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Dictionary (LSJ)

πρεσβεύω, pf. πεπρέσβευκα Ar. Ach. 610, D. 19.310:—Med., aor. ἐπρεσβευσάμην Th. 1.92, etc.:—Pass., pf. πεπρέσβευμαι (v. infr.): I. prop. of age, 1. intr., to be the elder or eldest, S. OC 1422; οἱ ἀεὶ πρεσβεύοντες Pl. Lg. 951e: c. gen. pers., to be older than, be the eldest of a number, τῶν προτέρων ἐπρέσβευε Hdt. 7.2; π. τῶν ἄλλων κατὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν Timae. 114; π. ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ to be his eldest son, Th. 6.55; of wine, πολλαῖς π. ἐτέων . . ὥραις Archestr. Fr. 60.2; π. τοῖς χρόνοις τὰ ἡρωικά Ath. 1.19a: hence, b. take the first place, be best, S. Ant. 720; οἷσι πρεσβεύει γένος, of the male sex, E. Heracl. 45. c. c. gen., rank before, take precedence of others, π. τῶν πολλῶν πόλεων Pl. Lg. 752e: hence, rule over, Ὀλύμπου π. S. Aj. 1389; Ἴναχε . . μέγα πρεσβεύων Ἄργους γύαις Id. Fr. 270 (anap.); also, have at oneʼs command or disposal, c. gen., καὶ εἰ (καὶ σὺ Kaibel) τῶν λόγων αὐτοῦ πρεσβεύεις Ath. 8.352d. 2. trans., place as oldest or first, put first in rank, πρῶτον . . πρεσβεύω θεῶν Γαῖαν A. Eu. 1: hence, pay special honour or worship to, πρῶτον τόνδε πρεσβεύσω τάφον Id. Ch. 488, cf.S. Tr. 1065, Pl. Smp. 186b; joined with τιμῶ Id. Cri. 46c; τὰ δίκαια πρὸ παντὸς ἰδίου συμφέροντος Plu. Luc. 3, cf. Arr. An. 6.30.3:—Pass., hold the first place, Παλλὰς . . ἐν λόγοις π. A. Eu. 21; ὁ δʼ ὕστατός γε τοῦ χρόνου π. is first in point of time, Id. Ag. 1300: c. gen., κακῶν πρεσβεύεται τὸ Λήμνιον is most notable of mischiefs, Id. Ch. 631 (lyr.); τὸ πρεσβύτερον τοῦ νεωτέρου ἐστὶ πρεσβευόμενον is more honoured than . . , Pl. Lg. 879b. b. later, cultivate arts, etc., διαλεκτικόν, τὸ . . τοὺς λόγους πρεσβεῦον D.L. 1.18; π. παρὰ Ῥοδίοις ἃ μήπω ἐγίγνωσκον Philostr. VS 1 Praef.; πόλις ὄρχησιν μάλιστα πρεσβεύουσα Luc. Salt. 76. II. to be an ambassador or serve as one, IG 12.135.5; ἀπὸ Κορίνθου Hdt. 5.93; εἰς Θετταλίαν And. 4.41; παρά or πρός τινα, Pl. Chrm. 158a, X. Cyr. 5.1.3; τινος for one, E. Heracl. 479: abs., Ar. Ach. 610, etc.: c. acc. cogn., ἃς ἐπρέσβευσεν [εἰς Θήβας] πρεσβείας Din. 1.16. b. at Rome, act as legatus, Plu. Sull. 4. 2. c. acc. objecti, π. εἰρήνην negotiate peace, And. 3.23, Isoc. 4.177, D. 19.134, etc.; π. ὑπὲρ τουτωνὶ τὰ βέλτιστα ib.189; π. πολλὰ καὶ δεινά ibid.:— Pass., τὰ αὑτῷ πεπρεσβευμένα his negotiations, ib.20; πολλὰ καὶ δεινὰ πεπρεσβεῦσθαι ib.240. 3. Med., send ambassadors, ἐς χωρία, ἐς τὴν Θουρίαν, Th. 2.7, 6.104; πρεσβεύεσθαι παρά τινας Id. 4.41, etc.; πρός τινας Id. 1.126; ἐς Λακεδαίμονα περὶ καθόδου Id. 3.85. b. go as ambassador, Id. 5.39. III. c. acc. rei, represent, urge, maintain, Luc. Pisc. 23; [δόγματα] Gal. 6.753; τὴν ὄψιν κατὰ εἰσδοχὴν π. Olymp. in Mete. 5.6: c. inf., κατὰ ἐκπομπὴν εἶναι τὴν ὄψιν ib. 10.
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