Bible Lexicons

An interesting ex. of this word occurs in the Abinnaeus correspondence, when an official writes urging him in his character of πραιπόσιτος to keep a look-out for any natron that might be smuggled into Arsinoe, and to arrest those engaged in the attempt—P Lond 231.10 (c. A.D. 346) (= II. p. 285, Chrest. I. p. 379) τὰ αὐτὰ δ ̣ηλῶ, ἵνα μετὰ πάσης ἐπιεικείας τὴν φρουρὰν τῶν ταμειακῶν νίτρων ποιήσῃ καὶ πάντας ὅσους καταλαμβάνεις ἐπισχῇς μετὰ καὶ τῶν κτηνῶν αὐτῶν. Cf. from the inscrr. OGIS 504.9 (time of Hadrian) where a certain Οὔλπιος Εὐρυκλῆς is praised ὡς. . . ἐν τῶι κοινῶι ἐπὶ παιδείαι τε καὶ τῆι ἄλληι ἀρετῆι καὶ ἐπιεικείαι διάδηλον ἑαυτὸν πεποιηκέν [αι ], ib. 507.3 (time of Hadrian) αὐτῶι τὰ αὐτὰ ἐπιεικείᾳ τε καὶ αἰδοῖ πάσηι κεχρημένωι, and Syll 932.35 (ii/A.D. ad init.) ἐντείλ ]ας μὴ ὕβρει μηδὲ βίᾳ, δικαιοσύνῃ δὲ καὶ ἐπεικείᾳ [κρατ ]εῖν τοὺς ἐνοικοῦντας. In P Oxy I. 67.6 (A.D. 338) ἅπερ ἀντέγραψεν πρὸς τὴν σὴν ἐπιείκιάν τε καὶ καθαρότητα, ";which in reply he wrote to your clemency and impartiality"; (Edd.), the abstract honorific periphrasis : cf. CPR I. 19.15, .24 (A.D. 350). The word is used by Proclus in his description (Epistologr. Gr. p. 8 ε ̄) of an ironical epistle—λίαν ἄγαμαι τὴν σὴν ἐπιείκειαν, ὅτι οὕτω ταχέως μεταβάλλῃ ἀπ᾽ εὐνομίας εἰς τὸ ἐναντίον (cited by Dibelius HZNT ad Philippians 4:5). From the above instances it will be seen that ἐπιείκεια is a very elusive term, and is by no means always = ";sweet reasonableness.";