ἄρρητος

A. unspoken, ἔπος προέηκεν ὅ πέρ τ’ ἄρρητον ἄμεινον Od. 14.466; ἄνδρες . . ῥητοί τ’ ἄ. τε Hes. Op. 4; ἔστω ἄ. τὰ εἰρημένα Pl. Smp. 189b, etc., cf. Aeschin. 3.217; οὐκ ἐπ’ ἀρρήτοις γε τοῖς ἐμοῖς λόγοις not without warning spoken by me, S. Ant. 556; ἄ. κἀτελῆ φυλάξομαι Id. El. 1012. Adv. ‐τως, σιγᾶν Arist. Fr. 44 codd. (ἀρρήκτως Reiske, ἀρράτως Bernays).

II. that cannot be spoken or expressed, ἀδιανόητον καὶ ἄ. καὶ ἄφθεγκτον καὶ ἄλογον Pl. Sph. 238c: hence, unspeakable, immense, App. BC 3.4; ἐπιθυμία Phld. Ir. p.50 W.; εὐχαριστία Id. Lib. p.51 O.

III. not to be spoken: hence,

1. not to be divulged, ἱροργίαι, ἱρά, Hdt. 5.83, 6.135; σέβας ἀρρήτων ἱερῶν Ar. Nu. 302; ἄ. σφάγια E. IT 41; ἄ. ἀβακχεύτοισιν εἰδέναι Id. Ba. 472; διδακτά τε ἄρρητά τ’, i.e.things profane and sacred, S. OT 301; ἄ. κόρη the maid whom none may name (i.e. Persephone), E. Fr. 63, cf. Hel. 1307; ἀρρήτων θέσμια, sc. of Demeter and Persephone, IG 3.713.6.

2. unutterable, horrible, δεῖπνα S. El. 203 (lyr.); λώβη E. Hec. 200 (lyr.); ἄρρητ’ ἀρρήτων 'deeds without a name', S. OT 465 (lyr.).

3. shameful to be spoken, ῥητόν τ’ ἄ. τ’ ἔπος Id. OC 1001, cf.Aj. 214 (lyr.), 773; ῥητὰ καὶ ἄ. ὀνομάζων 'dicenda tacenda locutus', D. 18.122; πάντας ἡμᾶς ῥητὰ καὶ ἄ. κακὰ ἐξεῖπον Id. 21.79. Adv. ‐τως D.L. 7.187.

IV. of numbers, ἄρρητα,τά, irrationals, surds, opp. ῥητά, Pl. Hp.Ma. 303b, cf. R. 546c.