σύνθημα

A. anything agreed upon, preconcerted signal, Hdt. 8.7; given by means of a beacon-fire, Th. 4.112; συνθήματα εἶναι τὰ ὀνόματα that names are conventional signs, Pl. Cra. 433e; τὰ παρὰ φύσιν ς. Id. Grg. 492c; so δέλτοι ἐγγεγραμμένην ξυνθήμαθ’ having ciphers inscribed upon it, S. Tr. 158; dispatches or letters in cipher, Plb. 8.15.9; military signal-code, Ph. Bel. 90.45, al.; cf. συνθηματικός.

2. password, Hdt. 9.98, Th. 7.44, etc.; ς. παρέρχεται the word is passed round, X. An. 1.8.16, cf. 6.5.25; ς. παραδιδόναι to pass it, ib.7.3.34; ς. παρφέροντι E. Ph. 1140; παραγγέγγειν, παρεγγυῆσαι, X. An. 1.8.16, Cyr. 7.1.10; signal for battle, τοῦ ς. δοθέντος Plu. Sull. 28; ἐνδιδόναι Luc. Salt. 10.

3. any token or sign, ξυμφορᾶς ξ. ἐμῆς S. OC 46; τὰ Θησέως Πειρίθου τε . . ξυνθήματα the tokens or pledges of their compact, ib.1594; = Lat. tessera, Plb. 6.34.8; passport, Jul. Ep. 13; symbol, Dam. Pr. 210,213; τῆς τελετῆς τὸ ς. IG 3.173 (iv A.D.).

b. military standard, D.S. 1.86.

4. = συνθῆκαι, agreement, covenant, ς. ποιήσασθαι X. An. 4.6.20; ς. ἦν . . παίειν Id. HG 5.4.6; ἀπὸ συνθήματος by agreement, Hdt. 5.74, Th. 4.67, 6.61, etc.; so ἐκ ς. Hdt. 6.121; ἀφ’ ἑνὸς ς. Plu. Aem. 19; ὑφ’ ἑνὶ ς. Hdn. 2.13.4.

II. communion, connexion, τί ς. ἀσπίδι καὶ βακτηρίᾳ; Ath. 5.215e.