Bible Lexicons

ὠφέλ-εια, ἡ,

required by the metre (in iambics), S. El. 944, Ar. Th. 183; whereas ὠφελία is required in E. Andr. 539 (anap.), Fr. 78 (lyr.), Ar. Ec. 576 (lyr.): the best codd. of Pl. have ὠφελία more freq. than ὠφέλεια (although B always has ὠφέλεια in Phdr.), and ὠφελία is found in IG 12.69.24 (v B. C., Prose), Hyp. Eux. 9, and freq. in Phld., as Mus. p.54 K., al.: Ion. ὠφελίη Hdt. 5.98, al., AP 6.187 (Alph.): —

help, aid, succour, esp. in war, ἔπεμπον ἐς τὴν Ἐπίδαμνον.. τὴν ὠ. Th. 1.26, cf. 39; τὴν ὠ. παρέχειν τινί Id. 3.13, cf. And. 3.31; ὠ. ἀνδρὶ φέρειν E. Fr. 78 (lyr.); ὠ. προσλήψεσθαι Th. 2.7; ἀπό τινων εὑρίσκεσθαι Id. 1.31; τῆς ὠ. μεταλαμβάνειν Id. 1.39; τυγχάνειν Id. 6.17; ἐπάγεσθαί τινας ἐπ' ὠφελίᾳ for aid, Id. 1.3, cf. 5.38; ἀποχρήσασθαι τῇ ἑκατέρου ἡμῶν ὠ. to make full use of the assistance or services we both can give, Id. 6.17; μετὰ τῶν κειμένων νόμων ὠφελίας Id. 3.82, cf. D.H. Th. 31; οὐδὲν ἰατρικῆς δεῖται οὐδ' ὠφελίας or any other aid, Pl. Ly. 217a, cf. R. 559b; καὶ τοῖσιν ἑλκωθεῖσιν ὠφελίαν (ὠφέλειαν codd., unmetrically) ἔχει Com.Adesp. 106.8.

II profit, advantage, βούλευμα ἀπ' οὗ.. οὐδεμία ἔμελλε ὠφελίη ἔσεσθαι Hdt. l. c.; εἴ τις ὠφέλειά γε S. El. 944; τὴν κοινὴν ὠ. φυλάξαι the common interest of all, Th. 6.80; τίς ἂν εἴη ἡμῖν ὠ. εἰδόσιν αὐτό; Pl. Chrm. 167b; opp. βλάβη, X. Cyr. 6.2.13, Pl. (v. infr.2), etc.; opp. ζημία, X. Mem. 2.3.6; ἐπ' ὠφελείᾳ ἐστί τι ib. 1.4.4: c. gen. subjecti, τὴν ὠ. τὴν τῶν τειχέων their utility, Hdt. 7.139: c. gen. objecti, ἐπ' ὠφελίᾳ τῶν φίλων for their benefit, Pl. R. 334b; ὠφελίας ἕνεκα ib. 398b; ἐναντία τῇ ἑαυτῶν ὠ. And. 2.2; ἐν ὠ. ἐστί 'tis of use, X. Vect. 4.35; after ὠφελεῖν, cf. ὠφελέω 1.5.

2. source of gain or profit, service, freq. in pl., τὰς ὠ. τὰς ἐκ τῆς στρατείας.. ἐσομένας Isoc. 4.15; αἱ κοιναὶ ὠ. Lys. 19.62; αἱ ἀπὸ τινος γιγνόμεναι ὠ. Isoc. 4.29; ὠφελίας τε καὶ βλάβας ἀποδιδοῦσα Id. R. 332d; αἱ παρὰ τῶν μισθοδοτούντων αὐτοὺς ὠ. D. 15.32.

3. esp. gain made in war, spoil, booty, Plb. 2.3.8, 3.82.8, RArch. 6(1935).31 (pl., Amphipolis), LXX 2 Maccabees 8:20; ὠ. μεγάλαι καὶ λάφυρα Plu. 2.255b; ὠφελείας ἀθροῖσαι Id. Cleom. 12; πολλῆς ὠ. κυριεῦσαι D.S. 15.36; τὴν χώραν γέμειν ὠφελείας Plb. 3.80.3; τίθεσθαι τὰ χρήματα δι' ὠφελείας to regard as booty, D.H. 7.37; so in the chase, game, X. Cyn. 6.4; so of a thief, ὠ. ἑτοίμην καὶ κατειργασμένην ἀφῆκεν Antipho 2.1.4. (Prob. abstracted fr. οἰκ-ωφελία, which comes fr. οἶκον ὀφέλλειν 'to increase the οἶκος '; cf. ὄφελος.)