ἀστεῖος

A. of the town (but in the literal sense ἀστικός is used).

II. town-bred, polite, Pl. Phd. 116d; opp. ἄγροικος, Plu. Mar. 3; γένοιτ’ ἀστεῖος οἰκῶν ἐν πόλει Alc. Com.26; charming, Isoc. 2.34.

2. of thoughts and words, refined, elegant, witty, διάλεκτον ἀστείαν ὑποθηλυτέραν, opp. ἀνελεύθερον ὑπαγροικοτέραν, Ar. Fr. 685; ἀστεῖόν τι λέξαι Id. Ra. 901; ἀστεῖον λέγεις (where there is a play on the double sense, witty and popular) Id. Nu. 204; ἀ. καὶ δημωφελεῖς οἱ λόγοι Pl. Phdr. 227d; ἀστεῖον εἰπεῖν Com.Anon. 248 Mein., cf. Axiop. 1.14; ἀστειοτάτας ἐπινοίας Ar. Eq. 539; of persons, οἱ ἀ. the wits, Pl. R. 452d; τὰ ἀ. witty sayings, witticisms, Arist. Rh. 1411b21, al. Adv. ‐ως J. AJ 12.4.4, Plu. 2.123f, Luc. Nigr. 13.

3. as a general word of praise, of things and persons, pretty, charming, βοσκήματε Ar. Ach. 811; ἑορτή Pl. Grg. 447a; ἀ. καὶ εὐήθης Id. R. 349b, cf. Phdr. 242e, Hp. Ep. 13; ἐστὶ γοῦν ἁπλῆ τις;—ἀστεία μὲν οὖν Anaxil. 21; ἀστεῖόν [ἐστι] ὅτι ἐρυθριᾷς it is charming to see you blush, Pl. Ly. 204c; ἀστεῖον πάνυ εἰ . . Men. Sam. 149.

b. ironically, ἀ. κέρδος a pretty piece of luck, Ar. Nu. 1064; ἀστεῖος εἶ Diph. 73.

4. of outward appearance, pretty, graceful, LXX Ex. 2.2, al.; οἱ μικροὶ ἀ. καὶ σύμμετροι, καλοὶ δ’ οὔ Arist. EN 1123b7; handsome, LXX Jd. 3.17 (of Eglon): in Comedy, of dainty dishes, κραμβίδιον, κρεΐσκον, Antiph. 6, Alex. 189.

5. good of its kind, αἷμα Hp. Alim. 44; ἑλλέβορος Str. 9.3.3; οἶνος Plu. 2.620d; of persons, good, Ph. 1.97, Plu. Them. 5; ἀστεῖα good qualities, opp. φαῦλα, Demetr. Eloc. 114. Adv. ‐είως honourably, πράττων LXX 2 Ma. 12.43, cf. Ph. 1.244.