τάφρος

A. ditch, trench, freq. in Il. (once in Od. 21.120); τάφρον ὀρύξομεν Il. 7.341, cf. IG 12.94.21,34, Th. 2.78, al.; ἀμφὶ δὲ τάφρον ἤλασαν drew a trench, Il. 7.449, cf. Hdt. 4.3, Alcid. Od. 5, etc.; τάφρων ὕπερ over the trenches, S. Aj. 1279, cf. Aen.Tact. 37.3, al., OGI 90.24 (Rosetta, ii B.C.); irrigation-ditch, PHal. 1.97, al., PSI 6.597.5 (both iii B.C.): it is sts. found as masc. in codd., e.g. Ph. Bel. 99.43 (cod. V), D.S. 22.10.5; but βαθύν is Ep. for βαθεῖαν in Call. Del. 37: Dor. τράφος Tab.Heracl. 1.130, 2.51.