ἐπέχω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From ἐπι- (epi-, “upon”) +‎ ἔχω (ékhō, “to have, hold”).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /e.pé.kʰɔː/ → /eˈpe.xo/ → /eˈpe.xo/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /e.pé.kʰɔː/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /eˈpe.kʰo/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /eˈpe.xo/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /eˈpe.xo/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /eˈpe.xo/

Verb

ἐπέχω • (epékhō)

1. to have or hold upon
   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 14.241:

     τῷ κεν ἐπισχοίης λιπαροὺς πόδας

     tôi ken episkhoíēs liparoùs pódas

     whereon thou mayest rest thy shining feet

   • New Testament, Epistle to the Philippians 2:16:

     λόγον ζωῆς ἐπέχοντες

     lógon zōês epékhontes

     holding forth the word of life

   1. to hold out to, present, offer
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 22.494:

        τῶν δ’ ἐλεησάντων κοτύλην τις τυτθὸν ἐπέσχε

        tôn d’ eleēsántōn kotúlēn tis tutthòn epéskhe

        and of them that are touched with pity, one holds forth his cup for a moment

      • 413 BCE, Euripides, Ion 1492:

        γάλακτι δ’ οὐκ ἐπέσχον

        gálakti d’ ouk epéskhon

        I did not offer you milk

      1. to extend, spread out
         • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, History of Animals 550b.6
      2. to hold, contain
         • 230 CE – 238 CE, Philostratus, Lives of the Sophists 2.24.2
      3. to enjoin, impose
         • 500 CE – 565 CE, Procopius, Secret History 17
         • 500 CE – 565 CE, Procopius, The Vandalic War 1.8
   2. to direct towards, aim at
      • 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Olympian Ode 2.89:

        ἔπεχε νῦν σκοπῷ τόξον

        épekhe nûn skopôi tóxon

        Now direct your bow towards the mark

      1. (intransitive) to aim at, attack
         • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 17.91:

           δαιμονίη, τί μοι ὧδ’ ἐπέχεις κεκοτηότι θυμῷ;

           daimoníē, tí moi hôd’ epékheis kekotēóti thumôi?

           Good woman, why dost thou assail me with angry heart?

         • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Pyrrhus 16:

           ἄνδρα κατιδὼν Ἰταλὸν ἐπέχοντα τῷ Πύρρῳ

           ándra katidṑn Italòn epékhonta tôi Púrrhōi

           observing that an Italian man was intent upon Pyrrhus

      2. to direct one's mind; to intend, purpose
         • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Aemilius Paulus 8:

           ἐπεῖχε τῷ πολέμῳ τὴν γνώμην

           epeîkhe tôi polémōi tḕn gnṓmēn

           he directed his thoughts to war

         • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.80.4:

           τῷ Κροίσῳ ἄχρηστον ᾖ τὸ ἱππικόν, τῷ δή τι καὶ ἐπεῖχε ἐλλάμψεσθαι ὁ Λυδός

           tôi Kroísōi ákhrēston êi tò hippikón, tôi dḗ ti kaì epeîkhe ellámpsesthai ho Ludós

           Croesus' cavalry, which the Lydian intended to distinguish himself, might be of no use

      3. to stand facing (in battle)
         • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 9.31.3
   3. to hold back, keep in check; to withhold; to confine
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 21.244:

        ἐπέσχε δὲ καλὰ ῥέεθρα ὄζοισιν πυκινοῖσι

        epéskhe dè kalà rhéethra ózoisin pukinoîsi

        it held back the fair streams with its thick branches

      • 408 BCE, Euripides, The Phoenician Women 866:

        Ἐτεοκλέους μὲν οὕνεκ’ ἂν κλῄσας στόμα χρησμοὺς ἐπέσχον

        Eteokléous mèn hoúnek’ àn klḗisas stóma khrēsmoùs epéskhon

        For Eteocles I would have closed my lips and withheld all response

      • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Cato the Younger 28:

        ἐπέσχε τῇ χειρὶ τὸ στόμα καὶ τὴν φωνὴν ἀπέκλεισεν

        epéskhe têi kheirì tò stóma kaì tḕn phōnḕn apékleisen

        but he covered his hand over his mouth and shut off his speech

        1. I stay, adjourn, suspend
           • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.63.4:

             καὶ τὴν κατασκαφὴν ἐπέσχον

             kaì tḕn kataskaphḕn epéskhon

             they abstained from razing it

        2. I stop, hinder from
           • 425 BCE, Euripides, Andromache 160:

             ὧν ἐπισχήσω σ’ ἐγώ

             hôn episkhḗsō s’ egṓ

             but I shall stop you

      1. to wait, pause, refrain
         • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 7.139.1:

           ὅμως δὲ τῇ γέ μοι φαίνεται εἶναι ἀληθὲς οὐκ ἐπισχήσω

           hómōs dè têi gé moi phaínetai eînai alēthès ouk episkhḗsō

           but I will not refrain from saying what seems to me to be true

         • 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Electra 1369:

           εἰ δ’ ἐφέξετον

           ei d’ ephéxeton

           if you tarry

         • 525 BCE – 455 BCE, Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 697:

           ἐπίσχες ἔστ’ ἂν καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ προσμάθῃς.

           epískhes ést’ àn kaì tà loipà prosmáthēis.

           Wait until you have learned the rest as well.

         1. (with genitive) to stop from
            • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 4.2.12:

              καὶ ὅπου ἂν ἀναπαύωνται ἢ ἐπίσχωσι τῆς πορείας

              kaì hópou àn anapaúōntai ḕ epískhōsi tês poreías

              And wherever they were to rest or halt from their march

         2. (Scepticism) to suspend judgement, doubt
            • 64 BCE – 24 CE, Strabo, Geography 2.1.11
            • 280 BCE – 220 BCE, Philo of Byzantium, Compendium of Mechanics 1.387
            • 160 CE – 210 CE, Sextus Empiricus, Outlines of Pyrrhonism 1.196
            • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Moralia 2.955c
            • 108 CE, Arrian, Discourses of Epictetus 1.7.5
   4. to reach or extend over
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 21.407:

        ἑπτὰ δ’ ἐπέσχε πέλεθρα πεσών

        heptà d’ epéskhe pélethra pesṓn

        He stretched over seven roods in his fall

      • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 7.19.1:

        ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς ἐλαίης τοὺς κλάδους γῆν πᾶσαν ἐπισχεῖν

        apò dè tês elaíēs toùs kládous gên pâsan episkheîn

        of which the shoots spread over the whole earth

   5. to have power over or occupy
      • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 7.62.4:

        πλὴν ὅσον ἂν ὁ πεζὸς ἡμῶν ἐπέχῃ

        plḕn hóson àn ho pezòs hēmôn epékhēi

        except as much as our troops occupy

      1. to prevail, predominate
         • 200 BCE – 118 BCE, Polybius, The Histories 5.5.6:

           τῶν ἐτησίων ἐπεχόντων

           tôn etēsíōn epekhóntōn

           while the Etesian winds prevail

         1. (of time) to continue
            • 366 BCE – 348 BCE, Plato, Theaetetus 165e:

              ἤλεγχεν ἂν ἐπέχων καὶ οὐκ ἀνιεὶς

              ḗlenkhen àn epékhōn kaì ouk anieìs

              and would have argued continuously and unceasingly

Inflection

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπέχω	ἐπέχεις	ἐπέχει	ἐπέχετον	ἐπέχετον	ἐπέχομεν	ἐπέχετε	ἐπέχουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ἐπέχω	ἐπέχῃς	ἐπέχῃ	ἐπέχητον	ἐπέχητον	ἐπέχωμεν	ἐπέχητε	ἐπέχωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπέχοιμῐ	ἐπέχοις	ἐπέχοι	ἐπέχοιτον	ἐπεχοίτην	ἐπέχοιμεν	ἐπέχοιτε	ἐπέχοιεν
	imperative		ἔπεχε	ἐπεχέτω	ἐπέχετον	ἐπεχέτων		ἐπέχετε	ἐπεχόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐπέχομαι	ἐπέχῃ, ἐπέχει	ἐπέχεται	ἐπέχεσθον	ἐπέχεσθον	ἐπεχόμεθᾰ	ἐπέχεσθε	ἐπέχονται
	subjunctive	ἐπέχωμαι	ἐπέχῃ	ἐπέχηται	ἐπέχησθον	ἐπέχησθον	ἐπεχώμεθᾰ	ἐπέχησθε	ἐπέχωνται
	optative	ἐπεχοίμην	ἐπέχοιο	ἐπέχοιτο	ἐπέχοισθον	ἐπεχοίσθην	ἐπεχοίμεθᾰ	ἐπέχοισθε	ἐπέχοιντο
	imperative		ἐπέχου	ἐπεχέσθω	ἐπέχεσθον	ἐπεχέσθων		ἐπέχεσθε	ἐπεχέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ἐπέχειν				ἐπέχεσθαι
participle	m	ἐπέχων				ἐπεχόμενος
	f	ἐπέχουσᾰ				ἐπεχομένη
	n	ἐπέχον				ἐπεχόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Present: ἐπέχω, ἐπέχομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπεῖχον	ἐπεῖχες	ἐπεῖχε(ν)	ἐπείχετον	ἐπειχέτην	ἐπείχομεν	ἐπείχετε	ἐπεῖχον
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐπειχόμην	ἐπείχου	ἐπείχετο	ἐπείχεσθον	ἐπειχέσθην	ἐπειχόμεθᾰ	ἐπείχεσθε	ἐπείχοντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Imperfect: ἐπεῖχον, ἐπειχόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπέχον	ἐπέχες	ἐπέχε(ν)	ἐπέχετον	ἐπεχέτην	ἐπέχομεν	ἐπέχετε	ἐπέχον
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐπεχόμην	ἐπέχου	ἐπέχετο	ἐπέχεσθον	ἐπεχέσθην	ἐπεχόμεθᾰ	ἐπέχεσθε	ἐπέχοντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Imperfect: ἐπέχον, ἐπεχόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπέχεσκον	ἐπέχεσκες	ἐπέχεσκε(ν)	ἐπεχέσκετον	ἐπεχεσκέτην	ἐπεχέσκομεν	ἐπεχέσκετε	ἐπέχεσκον
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐπεχεσκόμην	ἐπεχέσκου	ἐπεχέσκετο	ἐπεχέσκεσθον	ἐπεχεσκέσθην	ἐπεχεσκόμεθᾰ	ἐπεχέσκεσθε	ἐπεχέσκοντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Imperfect: ἐπέχεσκον, ἐπεχεσκόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐφέξω	ἐφέξεις	ἐφέξει	ἐφέξετον	ἐφέξετον	ἐφέξομεν	ἐφέξετε	ἐφέξουσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐφέξοιμῐ	ἐφέξοις	ἐφέξοι	ἐφέξοιτον	ἐφεξοίτην	ἐφέξοιμεν	ἐφέξοιτε	ἐφέξοιεν
middle	indicative	ἐφέξομαι	ἐφέξῃ, ἐφέξει	ἐφέξεται	ἐφέξεσθον	ἐφέξεσθον	ἐφεξόμεθᾰ	ἐφέξεσθε	ἐφέξονται
	optative	ἐφεξοίμην	ἐφέξοιο	ἐφέξοιτο	ἐφέξοισθον	ἐφεξοίσθην	ἐφεξοίμεθᾰ	ἐφέξοισθε	ἐφέξοιντο
		active			middle
infinitive		ἐφέξειν			ἐφέξεσθαι
participle	m	ἐφέξων			ἐφεξόμενος
	f	ἐφέξουσᾰ			ἐφεξομένη
	n	ἐφέξον			ἐφεξόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Future: ἐφέξω, ἐφέξομαι (middle also used in passive sense)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπῐσχήσω	ἐπῐσχήσεις	ἐπῐσχήσει	ἐπῐσχήσετον	ἐπῐσχήσετον	ἐπῐσχήσομεν	ἐπῐσχήσετε	ἐπῐσχήσουσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπῐσχήσοιμῐ	ἐπῐσχήσοις	ἐπῐσχήσοι	ἐπῐσχήσοιτον	ἐπῐσχησοίτην	ἐπῐσχήσοιμεν	ἐπῐσχήσοιτε	ἐπῐσχήσοιεν
middle	indicative	ἐπῐσχήσομαι	ἐπῐσχήσῃ, ἐπῐσχήσει	ἐπῐσχήσεται	ἐπῐσχήσεσθον	ἐπῐσχήσεσθον	ἐπῐσχησόμεθᾰ	ἐπῐσχήσεσθε	ἐπῐσχήσονται
	optative	ἐπῐσχησοίμην	ἐπῐσχήσοιο	ἐπῐσχήσοιτο	ἐπῐσχήσοισθον	ἐπῐσχησοίσθην	ἐπῐσχησοίμεθᾰ	ἐπῐσχήσοισθε	ἐπῐσχήσοιντο
passive	indicative	ἐπῐσχεθήσομαι	ἐπῐσχεθήσῃ	ἐπῐσχεθήσεται	ἐπῐσχεθήσεσθον	ἐπῐσχεθήσεσθον	ἐπῐσχεθησόμεθᾰ	ἐπῐσχεθήσεσθε	ἐπῐσχεθήσονται
	optative	ἐπῐσχεθησοίμην	ἐπῐσχεθήσοιο	ἐπῐσχεθήσοιτο	ἐπῐσχεθήσοισθον	ἐπῐσχεθησοίσθην	ἐπῐσχεθησοίμεθᾰ	ἐπῐσχεθήσοισθε	ἐπῐσχεθήσοιντο
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		ἐπῐσχήσειν			ἐπῐσχήσεσθαι		ἐπῐσχεθήσεσθαι
participle	m	ἐπῐσχήσων			ἐπῐσχησόμενος		ἐπῐσχεθησόμενος
	f	ἐπῐσχήσουσᾰ			ἐπῐσχησομένη		ἐπῐσχεθησομένη
	n	ἐπῐσχῆσον			ἐπῐσχησόμενον		ἐπῐσχεθησόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Future: ἐπῐσχήσω, ἐπῐσχήσομαι, ἐπῐσχεθήσομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπέσχον	ἐπέσχες	ἐπέσχε(ν)	ἐπέσχετον	ἐπεσχέτην	ἐπέσχομεν	ἐπέσχετε	ἐπέσχον
	subjunctive	ἐπῐσχῶ	ἐπῐσχῇς	ἐπῐσχῇ	ἐπῐσχῆτον	ἐπῐσχῆτον	ἐπῐσχῶμεν	ἐπῐσχῆτε	ἐπῐσχῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπῐσχοῖμῐ	ἐπῐσχοῖς	ἐπῐσχοῖ	ἐπῐσχοῖτον	ἐπῐσχοίτην	ἐπῐσχοῖμεν	ἐπῐσχοῖτε	ἐπῐσχοῖεν
	imperative		ἐπῐ́σχες	ἐπῐσχέτω	ἐπῐ́σχετον	ἐπῐσχέτων		ἐπῐ́σχετε	ἐπῐσχόντων
middle	indicative	ἐπεσχόμην	ἐπέσχου	ἐπέσχετο	ἐπέσχεσθον	ἐπεσχέσθην	ἐπεσχόμεθᾰ	ἐπέσχεσθε	ἐπέσχοντο
	subjunctive	ἐπῐσχῶμαι	ἐπῐσχῇ	ἐπῐσχῆται	ἐπῐσχῆσθον	ἐπῐσχῆσθον	ἐπῐσχώμεθᾰ	ἐπῐσχῆσθε	ἐπῐσχῶνται
	optative	ἐπῐσχοίμην	ἐπῐσχοῖο	ἐπῐσχοῖτο	ἐπῐσχοῖσθον	ἐπῐσχοίσθην	ἐπῐσχοίμεθᾰ	ἐπῐσχοῖσθε	ἐπῐσχοῖντο
	imperative		ἐπῐσχοῦ	ἐπῐσχέσθω	ἐπῐ́σχεσθον	ἐπῐσχέσθων		ἐπῐ́σχεσθε	ἐπῐσχέσθων
		active			middle
infinitive		ἐπῐσχεῖν			ἐπῐσχέσθαι
participle	m	ἐπῐσχών			ἐπῐσχόμενος
	f	ἐπῐσχοῦσᾰ			ἐπῐσχομένη
	n	ἐπῐσχόν			ἐπῐσχόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Aorist: ἐπέσχον, ἐπεσχόμην (middle used in passive sense)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπέσχηκᾰ	ἐπέσχηκᾰς	ἐπέσχηκε(ν)	ἐπεσχήκᾰτον	ἐπεσχήκᾰτον	ἐπεσχήκᾰμεν	ἐπεσχήκᾰτε	ἐπεσχήκᾱσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ἐπεσχήκω	ἐπεσχήκῃς	ἐπεσχήκῃ	ἐπεσχήκητον	ἐπεσχήκητον	ἐπεσχήκωμεν	ἐπεσχήκητε	ἐπεσχήκωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπεσχήκοιμῐ, ἐπεσχηκοίην	ἐπεσχήκοις, ἐπεσχηκοίης	ἐπεσχήκοι, ἐπεσχηκοίη	ἐπεσχήκοιτον	ἐπεσχηκοίτην	ἐπεσχήκοιμεν	ἐπεσχήκοιτε	ἐπεσχήκοιεν
	imperative		ἐπέσχηκε	ἐπεσχηκέτω	ἐπεσχήκετον	ἐπεσχηκέτων		ἐπεσχήκετε	ἐπεσχηκόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐπέσχημαι	ἐπέσχησαι	ἐπέσχηται	ἐπέσχησθον	ἐπέσχησθον	ἐπεσχήμεθᾰ	ἐπέσχησθε	ἐπέσχηνται
	subjunctive	ἐπεσχημένος ὦ	ἐπεσχημένος ᾖς	ἐπεσχημένος ᾖ	ἐπεσχημένω ἦτον	ἐπεσχημένω ἦτον	ἐπεσχημένοι ὦμεν	ἐπεσχημένοι ἦτε	ἐπεσχημένοι ὦσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπεσχημένος εἴην	ἐπεσχημένος εἴης	ἐπεσχημένος εἴη	ἐπεσχημένω εἴητον/εἶτον	ἐπεσχημένω εἰήτην/εἴτην	ἐπεσχημένοι εἴημεν/εἶμεν	ἐπεσχημένοι εἴητε/εἶτε	ἐπεσχημένοι εἴησᾰν/εἶεν
	imperative		ἐπέσχησο	ἐπεσχήσθω	ἐπέσχησθον	ἐπεσχήσθων		ἐπέσχησθε	ἐπεσχήσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ἐπεσχηκέναι				ἐπεσχῆσθαι
participle	m	ἐπεσχηκώς				ἐπεσχημένος
	f	ἐπεσχηκυῖᾰ				ἐπεσχημένη
	n	ἐπεσχηκός				ἐπεσχημένον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Perfect: ἐπέσχηκᾰ, ἐπέσχημαι

Derived terms

• πᾰρεπέχω (parepékhō)
• προσεπέχω (prosepékhō)
• σῠνεπέχω (sunepékhō)

Related terms

• ἐπῐσχεδόν (episkhedón)
• ἐπῐσχεσῐ́ᾱ (episkhesíā)
• ἐπῐ́σχεσῐς (epískhesis)
• ἐπῐσχετέον (episkhetéon)
• ἐπῐσχετῐκός (episkhetikós)
• ἐπῐσχημᾰτῐ́ζω (episkhēmatízō)
• ἐπῐσχῐ́ζω (episkhízō)
• ἐπῐ́σχῐσμᾰ (epískhisma)
• ἐπίσχω (epískhō)
• ἐποχεύς (epokheús)
• ἐποχή (epokhḗ)
• ἐφεκῐκός (ephekikós)
• ἐφεκτέον (ephektéon)
• ἐφεκτός (ephektós)
• ἔφεξῐς (éphexis)

 

Further reading

• “ἐπέχω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “ἐπέχω”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “ἐπέχω”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• ἐπέχω in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• ἐπέχω in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• “ἐπέχω”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
• G1907 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible