ἕρκος

ἕρκος, εος, τό,

A fence, enclosure (

πᾶν ὅσον ἂν ἕνεκα κωλύσεως εἴργῃ τι περιέχον Pl.Sph.220b

) round gardens and vineyards, Od.7.113, Il. 5.90, 18.564 ; esp. round the court-yards of houses, Od.21.238 (pl.), al.;

ὑπὲρ ἕρκος ὑπερθορεῖν Sol.4.29

, Hdt.6.134 : pl., S.Aj.1274; also, the place enclosed, court-yard,

στὰς μέσῳ ἕρκεϊ Il.16.231

, cf. Od.8.57 (pl.), etc.; Κίσσιον ἕρκος, i.e. Susa, A.Pers.17(anap.); ποῖον γαίας ἕ.; what city? E.Heracl.441 ; ἕ. ἱερόν sacred enclosure, S.Tr.607; shell of the pinna, Plu.2.980b.

2 wall for defence,

ἕρκεϊ χαλκείῳ Il.15.567

;

ἕρκος..ἐκ ναυηγίων περιεβάλοντο Hdt.7.191

, cf. 9.99.

3 periphr., ἕ. ὀδόντων the fence (consisting) of the teeth, mostly in phrase,

ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕ. ὀδόντων; Il.4.350

, cf. Sol.27.1 ;

ἀμείψεται ἕ. ὀδόντων Il.9.409

, Od.10.328 ; κάρχαρον ἕ., without ὀδόντων, Opp.H.1.506 ; ἀγγέων ἕρκεσι, = ἄγγεσι, Pi.N.10.36 ; μέλαν ἕ. ἅλμας, i.e. the sea, Id.Dith. Oxy.1.16, cf. P.2.80 (= ἐπιφάνεια, Sch.); σφραγῖδος ἕ., i.e. a seal, S.Tr.615.

4 metaph., defence, ἕ. ἀκόντων, of a shield, a defence against javelins, Il.15.646 ;

ἕ. βελέων 5.316

; ἕ. ἰωχμοῖο, of the lion's skin, Theoc.25.279;

ἕρκεσιν εἴργειν κῦμα θαλάσσας A. Pers.89

(lyr.).

b of persons, ἕ. Ἀχαιῶν, of Ajax, Il.3.229; of Achilles, Pi.Pae.6.85; of soldiers, ἕρκος πολέμοιο a defence against war, Il.4.299; of Achilles,

ἕ. Ἀχαιοῖσιν..πολέμοιο 1.284

; of Clytaemnestra,

γαίας μονόφρουρον ἕ. A.Ag.257

(lyr.): abs., Pi.P.5.113, etc.

5 a net, toils, for birds, Od.22.469 : mostly in pl.,

σπίζ' ὅπως ἐν ἕρκεσιν S.Fr.431

, cf. Ar.Av.528(anap.), Pherecr.209, Arist. HA617b24; for deer, Pi.N.3.51; coils of a lasso, Hdt.7.85: metaph.,

τῆς Δίκης ἐν ἕρκεσιν A.Ag.1611

, cf. S.Aj.60, E.Med.986(lyr.);

λέκτρων ἔχεσθαι φιλτάτοις ἐν ἕρκεσι Id.Ba.958

, cf. Hymn.Is.158; χρυσοδέτοις ἕρκεσιν..γυναικῶν, of Eriphyle's necklace, S.El.838(lyr.).