ἀκμή

ἀκμή, ἡ, (cf. ἀκή A)

A point, edge: prov., ἐπὶ ξυροῦ ἀκμῆς on the razor's edge (v. sub ξυρόν); ἀ. φασγάνου, ὅπλων, Pi.P.9.81, Plb.15.16.3 (pl.);

ὀδόντων Pi.N.4.63

, etc.;

λόγχης ἀκμή E.Supp.318

;

κερκίδων ἀκμαί S.Ant.976

; ἀμφιδέξιοι ἀ. both hands, Id.OT1243; ποδοῖν ἀ. feet, ib.1034; ἔμπυροι ἀκμαί pointed flames, E.Ph.1255, cf.

πυρὸς ἀκμαί Epicr.6c

odd.

II highest or culminating point of anything, flower, prime, zenith, esp. of man's age,

ἀκμὴ ἥβης S.OT741

;

ἐντῇδε τοῦ κάλλους ἀκμῇ Cratin.195

;

σώματός τε καὶ φρονήσεως Pl.R.461a

;

μέτριος χρόνος ἀκμῆς 460e

; ὀξυτάτη δρόμου ἀ. ibid.;

ἀ. βίου X.Cyr.7.2.20

, etc.;

ἐν ταύταις ταῖς ἀ. Isoc.7.37

; ἐν ἀκμῇ εἶναι, of corn, to be ripe, Th.4.2;

ἀκμὴν ἔχειν τῆς ἄνθης Pl.Phdr.230b

;

τοσοῦτον τῆς ἀ. ὑστερῶν Isoc. Ep.6.4

; τῆς ἀ. λήγειν begin to decline, Pl.Smp.219a:—in various relations, ἀ. ἦρος spring-prime, Pi.P.4.64; ἀ. θέρους mid-summer, X. HG5.3.19;

βραχεῖα ἀ. πληρώματος Th.7.14

; ἀ. τοῦ ναυτικοῦ flower of their navy, Id.8.46;

ἀ. τῆς δόξης Id.2.42

;

ἡ ἀ. τῆς Σπάρτης, τῶν νέων Demad.12

; ἀ. νούσου crisis of disease, Hp.Acut.38:—generally, strength, vigour,

ἐν χερὸς ἀκμᾷ Pi.O.2.63

, cf. A.Pers.1060; ἀ. ποδῶν swiftness, Pi.I.8(7).41, cf. A.Eu.370;

φρενῶν Pi.N.3.39

; συμπεσεῖν ἀκμᾷ βαρύς cj. Id.I.4(3).51: periphr. like βία, ἀκμὴ Θησειδᾶν S.OC 1066.

2 Rhet., ἀκμὴ λόγου supreme effort, culmination, climax, Hermog.Inv.4.4, Id.1.10; pl., ib.11, cf. Philostr.VS1.25.7.

III of Time, like καιρός, the time, i. e. best, most futing time, freq. in Trag.,

ἡνίκ' ἂν δὴ πρὸς γάμων ἥκητ' ἀκμάς S.OT1492

; ἔργων, λόγων, ἕδρας ἀκμή time for doing, speaking, sitting still, Id.El.22, Ph.12, Aj.811: c. inf.,

κοὐκέτ' ἦν μέλλειν ἀ. A.Pers.407

, cf.Ag.1353;

ἀπηλλάχθαι δ' ἀ. S.El.1338

;

σοὶ . . ἀ. φιλοσοφεῖν Isoc.1.3

;

ὁ καιρὸς ἔστ' ἐπ' αὐτῆς τῆς ἀκμῆς Ar.Pl.256

; ἐπ' ἀκμῆς εἶναι, c. inf., to be on point of doing, E.Hel. 897; εἰς ἀκμὴν ἐλθὼν φίλοις in the nick of time, E.HF532; ἐπ' αὐτὴν ἥκει τὴν ἀκμήν it is come to the critical time, D.4.41; ἀκμὴν εἴληφεν have reached a critical moment, Isoc.Ep.1.1, cf. Plu.Sol.12, 15, 2.656f.

IV eruption on face, Cass.Pr.13, Aët.7.110, 8.13 (f.l. ἀκνάς, whence mod. acne). [full] ἄκμη, v. ἄκμηνος.