ἀστεμφής

A. unmoved, unshaken, βουλή Il. 2.344; βίη A.R. 4.1375; ἀστεμφὲς ἔχεσκε [τὸ σκῆπτρον] he held it stiff, Il. 3.219; οὐδός Hes. Th. 812; ἀ. οἵη νέκυς Opp. H. 2.70. Adv., ὑμεῖς ἀστεμφέως ἐχέμεν you hold fast! Od. 4.419, cf. 459; ἀστεμφῶς τὸν βίον διενήξατο Marin. Procl. 15: neut. ἀστεμφές as Adv., stiffly, starkly, Mosch. 4.113; νεφέλαι . . ἀ. μελανεῦσαι dark without relief, Arat. 878.

2. of persons, stiff, ποιηταὶ σκληροὶ καὶ ἀ. Ar. Fr. 579; ἀ. τελαμών unflinching, Theoc. 13.37; as pr. n. of a Titan, Emp. 123.

3. metaph., of a trap, relentless, AP 6.296 (Leon.); ζυγός, δεσμός, Opp. H. 1.417, 2.84; νύξ AP 9.424 (Duris).—Poet. word, also in late Prose, Agath. 1.21. (Cf. στέμβω, στέμφυλον, Skt. stabhnaā´ti `supports', `holds fast'.)