πίθος

Pronunciation

Noun

πῐ́θος • (píthos) m (genitive πῐ́θου); second declension

1. large wine jar, cask

   πίθοι ξύλινοι, κεράμινοι, ἀργύρεοι ― píthoi xúlinoi, keráminoi, argúreoi ― jars wooden, of clay, silver.

2. (proverbs, expressions)
   1. of the task of the Danaids, of labour in vain

      εἰς τὸν τετρημένον πίθον ἀντλεῖν ― eis tòn tetrēménon píthon antleîn ― to the perforated jar bale water

      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Oeconomicus 7.40

        τό εἰς τὸν τετρημένον πίθον ἀντλεῖν

        tó eis tòn tetrēménon píthon antleîn

        to the perforated jar bale water

   2. of a Cynic's life, like Diogenes

      ζωὴ πίθου ― zōḕ píthou ― a life of jar (in a jar)

   3. very witty, referring to Diogenes

      πίθος φρενών ― píthos phrenṓn ― a cask [full of] wit

   4. your purse is deep

      ἐκ πίθω ἀντλεῖς ― ek píthō antleîs ― you have wine by the caskful

      • 300 BCE – 200 BCE, Theocritus, Epigrams 10.13

        ἐκ πίθω ἀντλεῖς.

        ek píthō antleîs.

        you have wine by the caskful.

Further reading

• πίθος in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• πίθος in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers

Alternative forms

• πιθάρι n (pithári) (more common)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpiθos/
• Hyphenation: πί‧θος

Etymology

From Ancient Greek πῐ́θος (píthos).

Noun

πίθος • (píthos) m (plural πίθοι)

1. (learned) large jar, cask
2. (expression) (for monotonous, impossible tasks) the jar of the Daughters of Danaus

   o πίθος των Δαναΐδων ― o píthos ton Danaḯdon ― the jar of the Danaids/daughters of Danaus