Bible Lexicons

ἀφᾰν-ής, ές, (φαίνομαι)

1. unseen, esp. of the nether world, Ταρτάρου πυθμήν Pi. Fr. 207, cf. A. Th. 860 (lyr.); ἀ. κἀν Ἀΐδα δόμῳ φοιτάσῃς Sapph. 68; χάσμα ἀ. a blind pit, Hdt. 6.76; ἡ ἀ. θεός, of Persephone, S. OC 1556 (lyr.); ὁ ἀ. πόλος, i. e. the south pole, Arist. Cael. 285b21, Mu. 394b31 (but ἀ. κόσμος starless, Vett.Val. 6.22).

2. ἀ. γίγνεσθαι, = ἀφανίζεσθαι, disappear, ὑπὸ γῆν Hdt. 3.104, cf. E. IT 757, Pl. R. 360a; so ἀ. ἦν disappeared, Hdt. 7.37, cf. X. An. 1.4.7; of soldiers missing after a battle, Th. 2.34; runaway, absconded, PGen. 5.4 (ii A. D.). στήλας ἀ. ποιῆσαι obliterate, SIG 38.38 (Teos).

3. unnoticed, secret, ἀ. νόος ἀθανἁτων Sol. 17; ἀ. νεῦμα a secret sign, Th. 1.134; ἀ. χωρίον out of sight, Id. 4.29, cf. ib. 67; ἀ. ξιφίδιον concealed, Id. 8.69; δι' ἐπιστολῶν ἀφανῶν secret or invisible writings, Ph. Bel. 102.29: c. part., ἀ. εἶναι ἀπιόντες depart without being noticed, X. An. 4.2.4; ἀ. ὄντες ἠδίκουν Th. 1.68; μαντικῇ χρώμενος οὐκ ἀ. ἦν he was well known to do.., X. Mem. 1.1.2. uncertain, doubtful, ἀ. νοῦσοι Hdt. 2.84; σὺν ἀφανεῖ λόγῳ on an uncertain charge, S. OT 657 (lyr.); ἐν ἀφανεῖ λ. Antipho 5.59; μόρος S. OC 1682 (lyr.); ὄνομα E. Tr. 1322 (lyr.); ἐλπίς Th. 5.103; πρόφασις ἀφανεστάτη λόγῳ Id. 1.23; οὐκ ἀ. τεκμήρια X. Ages. 6.1; μεθέντας τἀφανῆ, opp. τὸ πρὸς ποσί, S. OT 131; ἀ. χάρις a favour from an unknown hand, D. 19.240; ἐς ἀφανὲς τὸν μῦθον ἀνενείκας Hdt. 2.23; μισῶ μὲν ὅστις τἀφανῆ περισκοπῶν S. Fr. 737; τὰ ἀ. μεριμνᾶν Ar. Fr. 672; ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀ. φανεροῖς μαρτυρίοις χρῆσθαι Arist. EN 1104a13; of what is beyond the evidence of sense, opp. φανερόν, ἁρμονίη ἀ. φανερῆς κρείττων Heraclit. 54, cf. Phld. Sign. 1, al.; τἀφανὲς διὰ τοῦ φαινομένου συλλογίζεσθαι Epicur. Nat. 14.4; τὸ τῆς τύχης ἀ. οἷ προβήσεται E. Alc. 785; τὸ ἀ. τοῦ κατορθώσειν Th. 2.42; ἐν ἀφανεῖ ἔτι κεῖσθαι, ἐν τῷ ἀ. εἶναι, Id. 1.42, 3.23; ἐν ἀ. κεκτῆσθαί τι secretly, Pl. Lg. 954e; ἐκ τοῦ ἀφανοῦς Th. 1.51, 4.96, etc.; ἐξ ἀ. A. Fr. 57.9, Ar. Ra. 1332: neut. pl. as Adv., E. Hipp. 1289 (lyr.). Regul. Adv. ἀφανῶς Th. 3.43, etc.: Sup. -έστατα X. HG 5.1.27.

4. of persons and things, unnoticed, obscure, E. Tr. 1244; also οὐ γὰρ ἀ. κρινεῖτε τὴν δίκην Th. 3.57; ἀ. καὶ ταπεινὴ φύσις D. 61.35.

5. ἀ. οὐσία personal property, as money, which can be secreted and made away with (cf. ἀφανίζω 1.7), opp. φανερά (real), as land, Lys. 32.4, cf. BCH 27.219 (Crete); opp. ἐμφανής, IG 12(2).15.8 (Mytil.), SIG 554.17; but simply, concealed, ἀφανῆ καταστῆσαι τὴν οὐσίαν Lys. 20.23: in lit. sense, ἀ. πλοῦτος Ar. Ec. 602; πλοῦτος ἀ. ὃν σὺ κατορύξας ἔχεις Men. 128.16.