Bible Lexicons

χαλκός,

Cret. καυχός GDI 5011.4 (iii B. C.), ὁ: —

copper, χ. ἐρυθρός Il. 9.365; with reference to its polished surface, αἶθοψ, ἦνοψ, νῶροψ, φαεινός, 4.495, 16.408, 2.578, 12.151; Τρῶες.. χαλκῷ μαρμαίροντες 13.801; πεδίον.. λάμπετο χαλκῷ 20.156; τῆλε δὲ χ. λάμφ' ὥς τε στεροπή 10.153, cf. 11.65, 19.363; σάκος.. χαλκῷ παμφαῖνον 14.11; and of the ornaments of a house, χαλκοῦ τε στεροπήν Od. 4.72; of copper as the first metal that men learnt to smelt and work, τῶν δ' ἦν χάλκεα μὲν τεύχεα, χάλκεοι δέ τε οἶκοι, χαλκῷ δ' εἰργάζοντο, μέλας δ' οὐκ ἔσκε σίδηρος Hes. Op. 151; χ. ἐρυθρός (cf. supr.) Hp. Ulc. 17, Thphr. Lap. 57, Callix. 1; χ. ἐρυθρὸς καὶ λευκός Thphr. Od. 71; χ. Κύπριος Posidon. 52J., Dsc. 1.102, cf. Polyaen. 3.10.14; alloyed with tin to form bronze, the usual meaning of the word in Hom. (v. infr. 11) and freq. in later writers: σίδηρος δὲ καὶ χ. πολέμων ὄργανα Pl. Lg. 956a, etc.; χ. κεκραμένος D.Chr. 28.3. II in Poets freq. for anything made of metal, esp. of arms (hence Pi. calls it πολιός, the proper epith. of iron, P. 3.48); of offensive arms, ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ, νηλέϊ χ., of a spear, a sword, Il. 4.540, 3.292, al.; of a knife, 1.236, al.; of an axe, 13.180, Od. 5.244, al.; of a fish-hook, Il. 16.408; of defensive arms, as the plates laid on a shield, 20.275; χαλκὸν ζώννυσθαι, of a warrior girding on his armour, 23.130; κεκορυθμένος, αἴθοπι χ. 4.495; ἐδύσετο νώροπα χ. 2.578; of both combined, πλάγχθη δ' ἀπὸ χαλκόφι χαλκός the spear of bronze glanced off the helm of bronze, 11.351.

2. of vessels, copper, cauldron, urn, 18.349, Od. 8.426; of a cinerary urn, S. El. 758; collectively of bronze plate, χ. μυρίος, Pi. N. 10.45; θάλαμον.., ὅθι νητὸς χρυσὸς καὶ χ. ἔκειτο Od. 2.338, cf. 13.19, 21.10, 62, Il. 2.226; used in payment of ransom, 22.50, cf. 340, Od. 5.38.

3. of a bronze mirror, A. Fr. 393, Call. Lav.Pall. 21, Ap 6.210 (Philet.); used as a burning-glass, Thphr. Ign. 73.

4. collectively, copper money, IPE 12.24.15 (Olbia, iv B. C.), Matthew 10:9, Mark 12:41, cf. ἰσόνομος 11; generally, money, opp. κύαμοι, IG 14.423 ii 21 (Tauromenium), cf. BGU 822.12 (iii A. D.), etc.; χαλκοῦ σπάνις Men Mon. 156; χαλκὸν ἔχων πῶς οὐδὲν ἔχεις μάθε AP 11.167 (Pollian.).

5. = cross χάλκωμα, bronze plate or tablet, τὰν προξενίαν γράψαντας εἰς χαλκὸν ἀνθέμεν IG 9(1).682 (Corcyra, iv B. C.); οὐετρανοὶ οἱ χωρὶς χαλκῶν, who have not received bronze copies of the privileges granted on discharge, BGU 113.5 (ii A. D.), etc.

6. a weight, 1 / 8 obol, Gal. 19.752.

III χαλκοῦ ἄνθος, particles thrown off by copper when cooling, Hp. Mul. 1.104, Ph. Bel. 102.34, Dsc. 5.77. χαλκοῦ λεπίς, small pieces that scale off under the hammer, ib.78. (Perh. cf. Lith. geležìs 'iron'.)