κράτιστος

κρᾰτιστ-ος, η, ον, [dialect] Ep. [pref] κάρτ- (as always in Hom.), isolated Superl. from κρατύς,

A strongest, mightiest, Il.1.266, etc.; θεῶν κ., i.e. Zeus. Pi.O.14.13; κ. Ἑλλήνων, i.e. Achilles, S.Ph.3: in Prose,

εἰ τοὺς κ. ἐνικήσαμεν Th.7.67

; Λημνίων τὸ κ. the best of their men, Id.5.8; τὸ δυνάμεως κ. the strength or flower of . . , X.Cyr.6.1.28, etc.; of things, καρτίστην . . μάχην fiercest fight, Il.6.185;

δεσμὸς κ. Ti.Locr.99a

.

2 generally, best, most excellent, as [comp] Sup. of ἀγαθός, Pi.I.1.17, S.Ant. 1050, etc.: colloquially, "

ἄνδρα κ. εἰπών Thphr. Char.5.2

; οἱ κράτιστοι the aristocracy, X.HG7.1.42, v. ἀγαθός 1; τὰ κ. τῆς χώρας ib.3.4.20.

b as a title or mode of address,

κράτιστε Θεόφιλε Ev.Luc. 1.3

; esp. = Lat. egregius,

ὁ κ. ἡγεμών PFay.p.33

(i A.D.);

ὁ κ. ἐπίτροπος BGU891

(ii A.D.); ἡ κ., of a woman of the equester ordo, IG14. 1346; also, = Lat. clarissimus, of Senators, ὁ κ. ἀνθὐπατος ib.9(1).61;

ὁ κ. συγκλητικός IGRom.3.581

, etc.;

ἡ κ. βουλή POxy.2108.6

(iii A. D.).

c with modal words added,

κ. τὴν ψυχήν Th.2.40

; πάντων πάντα κ. best of all in . . , X.An.1.9.2;

ἔν τινι Id.Mem.3.4.5

;

εἴς τι Pl. Phlb.67b

;

περί τι Id.Plt.257a

;

πρός τι X.HG3.4.16

: c. inf., best at doing, Th.2.81, Pl.Phdr.267d, X.Mem.1.4.1, etc.: c. part.,

τῶν ἡλίκων κ. εἶναι ἀκοντίζων καὶ τοξεύων Id.Cyr.1.3.15

.

3 neut. folld. by inf., φυγέειν κάρτιστον to flee were best, Od.12.120, cf. E.El. 379, Ar.Eq.80, etc.: in pl.,

κράτιστα . . ἑλεῖν E.Med.384

: abs., ὅπερ κ. the main point, Th.1.143.

4 Adv. usages, ἀπὸ τοῦ κρατίστου in all good faith, Plb.8.17.4;

κατὰ τὸ κ. D.H.2.22

: neut. pl. κράτιστα as Adv., X.HG3.4.16, Ages.1.25.—The [comp] Comp. in use is κρείσσων (q.v.).