βάσανος

A. touchstone, on which pure gold leaves a yellow streak, ἐς βάσανον δ’ ἐλθὼν παρατρίβομαι ὥστε μολύβδῳ χρυσός Thgn. 417; χρυσὸν τριβόμενον βασάνῳ Id. 450, cf. 1105; παρατρίβεσθαι πρὸς τὰς β. Arist. Col. 793b1, cf. HA 597b2: metaph., β. τοῦ ἀρώματος (sc. τοῦ κινναμώμου)τὴν αἶγα εἶναι Philostr. VA 3.4.

II. the use of this as a test, χρυσὸς ἐν β. πρέπει Pi. P. 10.67: generally, test, trial of genuineness, οὐκ ἔστιν μείζων β. χρόνου [Simon.]175.1; δόμεν τι βασάνῳ ἐς ἔλεγχον Pi. N. 8.20; σοφὸς ὤφθη βασάνῳ θ’ ἁδύπολις S. OT 510 (lyr.), cf. 494; βάσανον λαμβάνειν περί τινος Pl. Lg. 648b; εἰς β. εἶ χερῶν wilt come to a trial of strength, S. OC 835; πλοῦτος β. ἀνθρώπου τρόπων Antiph. 232.5; [νόσου] ἔσχ’ ἐπὶ σοὶ βάσανον had experienced it in you, i. e. you had had it first, IG 14.1320; βάσανον ὑποκείσονται will be subjected to a test, of candidates, POxy. 58.25 (iii A. D.).

III. inquiry by torture, ἐς πᾶσαν β. ἀπικνέεσθαι Hdt. 8.110; εἰς β. αἰτεῖν Herod. 2.88; ἐξετάσαι διὰ βασάνων SIG 780.12 (Astypalaea, Aug.); esp. at Athens, used to extort evidence from slaves, εἰς β. δέχεσθαι Antipho 1.12; εἰς β. παραδοῦναι Is. 8.17; ἐκ βασάνων εἰπεῖν ib.12: in pl., confession upon torture, D. 53.24, Hyp. Fr. 5, Arist. Rh. 1355b37.

2. agony of battle, ἡ κατὰ τὸ ἔργον β. S.E. M. 6.24; tortures of disease, Ev.Matt. 4.24; cf. ἐπάγρυπνος β. Vett.Val. 211.28; also ψυχικαί Id. 182.19; torments of hell,Ev.Luc. 16.23.

3. trespass-offering, LXX 1 Ki. 6.17.—Oriental word.