ἀσπίς

ἀσπίς, ίδος, ἡ,

A shield,

εὔκυκλος Il.14.428

, al.;

κυκλοτερής Hdt.1.194

;

ἀσπίδος κύκλος A.Th.489

;

ὀμφαλόεσσα Il.4.448

, al.; opp. Thracian πέλτη and Persian γέρρον, X.An.2.1.6, Mem.3.9.2; ἀσπίδα ῥῖψαι, ἀποβαλεῖν, Anacr.28, Ar.V.19, cf. Hdt.5.95: to estimate a victory,

ἀσπίδας ἔλαβον ὡς διακοσίας X.HG1.2.3

: metaph.,

οὗτος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἀ. οὐ μικρὰ θράσους A.Ag.1437

;

τὴν ἀ. ἀποβέβληκεν τοῦ βίον Nicostr.

Com.29, cf. Lib.Or.62.47.

2 collective, body of men-at-arms,

ὀκτακισχιλίη ἀ. Hdt.5.30

, cf. E.Ph.78, X.An.1.7.10.

3 military phrases, ἐπ' ἀσπίδας πέντε καὶ εἴκοσι τάξασθαι to be drawn up twenty-five deep or in file, Th.4.93;

στρατιὰν τεταγμένην οὐκ ἐπ' ὀλίγων ἀσπίδων Id.7.79

;

ἵστασθαι ἐπὶ τρεῖς ἀσπίδας Ar.Fr.66

; ἐπὶ μιᾶς ἀσπίδος in single line, Isoc.6.99; ἐπ' ἀσπίδα, παρ' ἀσπίδα (opp. ἐπὶ δόρυ), on the left, towards or to the left, because the shield was on the left arm, X.Cyr.7.5.6, An.4.3.26;

παρ' ἀσπίδος A.Th.624

;

ἐξ ἀσπίδος Plb.11.23.5

; but παρ' ἀσπίδα, literally, beside the shield, Il. 16.400; παρ' ἀ. στῆναι stand in battle, E.Med.250, Ph.1001; παρ' ἀ. βεβηκέναι ib.1073;

ἐκπονεῖν Id.Or.653

, cf. Hel.734;

ἐς ἀσπίδ' ἥξειν Id.Ph.1326

; ἀσπίδας συγκλείειν (cf. συγκλείω)

; ἀσπίδα τίθεσθαι

serve in the ranks,

Pl.Lg.756a

; but θέσθαι τὰς ἀ. pile shields, X.HG2.4.12; ἐπειδὰν ἀ. ψοφῇ when the shields ring, i.e. when two bodies of men meet in a charge, Id.An.4.3.29; ἀσπίδα ἀναδέξαι, ἆραι, as a signal, Hdt.6.115, X.HG2.1.27.

4 of a round, flat bowl, Aristopho 14.

5 boss on a door, IG4.1484.79 (Epid.).

II asp, Egyptian cobra, Coluber haié, Hdt.4.191, Men.702, Nic.Th.158, Ph.2.570, Ael.NA10.31; a play on signff. I and II, Ar.V.23.

2 ornament in this form, OGI90.43 ([place name] Rosetta).