τύραννος

τύραννος [pron. full] [ῠ], ὁ, also ἡ (v. infr. 1.2),

A an absolute ruler, unlimited by law or constitution, first in h.Mart. 5 (unless the hymn is late), where it is used of a god, Ἆρες, . . ἀντιβίοισι τύραννε; so ὁ τῶν θεῶν τ., of Zeus, A.Pr.736, cf. Ar.Nu.564 (lyr.); ὦ τύραννε τᾶς ἐμᾶς φρενός, i.e. Apollo, S.Tr.217 (lyr.);

σὺ δ' ὦ τύραννε θεῶν τε κἀνθρώπων Ἔρως E.Fr.136

; Μὴν Τύραννος, a Phrygian deity worshipped in Attica, IG22.1366.2(i A. D.), al.; οὔ, τὴν τ. (perh. Hera), in an oath, Herod.5.77: first used of monarchs in the time of Archil. (cf.

τυραννίς 1

) acc. to Hippias 9 D.;

Φίττακον ἐστάσαντο τ. Alc. 37

A;

ἢν μή τις ἢ τ. ἢ σκηπτοῦχος ᾖ Semon.7.69

;

λαγέτας τ. Pi.P.3.85

; interchangeable with βασιλεύς in Isoc.2.4 (cf. 1), 35 (cf. 36); later, chief, princeling, OGI 654.8 (Egypt, i B. C.);

τ. ἴδιοι καθ' ἕκαστον ἐμτπόριον Peripl.M.Rubr.14

: c. gen.,

Κροῖσος . . τ. ἐθνέων τῶν ἐντὸς Ἅλυος Hdt.1.6

; Κλεισθένης ὁ Σικυῶνος τ., Ἱστιαῖος ὁ Μιλήτου τ., etc., Id.5.67, 7.10.γ, etc.;

ὁ τῶν Κυπρίων τ. Sor.1.39

; οἱ τ., of the Sicilian tyrants, Th.1.14; of the Pisistratidae, X.HG6.5.33, Arist.Ath.13.5, Pol.1275b36, cf. Th.6.54, Pl.Smp.182c;

τὸν τ. κτανέτην Scol.9.3

; οἱ τ. the monarchical party,

προδιδοὺς τοῖς τ. τὴμ πόλιν τὴν Ἐρυθραίων IG12.10.32

: freq. in a bad sense,

δημοφάγος τ. Thgn.1181

, cf. 823, Hdt.3.80, Pl.Grg.510b, Plt. 301c, R.569b, etc.;

ὕβρις φυτεύει τύραννον S.OT873

(lyr.).

2 in a wider sense, of members of the ruler's family, οἱ τ. 'the royal house', Id.Tr.316, cf. OC851, Charito 1.2: ἡ τύραννος is used both of the queen herself and the king's daughter, princess, E.Hec.809, Med. 42, 877, 1356, cf. infr. 11; πρέπει γὰρ ὡς τ. εἰσορᾶν, of Clytemnestra, S.El.664;

αὐτὴ . . τ. ἦ Φρυγῶν E.Andr.204

.

3 metaph., ἵνα Δίκη τ. ᾖ that Justice may be supreme, Critias 25.6D.;

Ερως τ. ἀνδρῶν E. Hipp.538

(lyr.);

Πειθὼ τὴν τ. ἀνθρώποις μόνην Id.Hec.816

.

4 golden-crested wren, Regulus cristatus, Arist.HA592b23; cf.

τροχίλος 1.2

.

II τύραννος, ον, as Adj., kingly, royal,

τύραννα σκῆπτρα A. Pr.761

;

τ. σχῆμα S.Ant.1169

; τύραννα δρᾶν to act as a king, Id.OT 588;

ἡ τύραννος κόρη E.Med.1125

; τύραννον δῶμα the king's palace, Id.Hipp.843 (lyr.), etc.;

τ. ἑστία Id.Andr.3

; τ. δόμος the royal house, Id.Hel.478, etc.; ἐς τύρανν' ἐγημάμην into the royal house, Id.Tr.474.

2 imperious, despotic,

τ. πόλις Th.1.122

, 124;

αἱ τ. φύσεις Luc.Ner.2

. (Loan-word, prob. from Phrygian or Lydian.)