βύβλος

A. the Egyptian papyrus, Cyperus Papyrus, Hdt. 2.92, A. Supp. 761, Str. 17.1.15: in pl., stalks of papyrus, PTeb. 308.7 (ii A. D.).

2. rind enclosing the pith of this plant, Thphr. HP 4.8.4, etc.: generally, bark, φελλῶν καὶ βύβλων Pl. Plt. 288e, cf. Hdt. 2.96, Plot. 2.7.2.

b. in pl., slices of the pith used as writing-material, Hdt. 5.58, Hermipp. 63.13: sg., strip of β., βύβλον εὐρύναντες ἀντὶ διαδήματος Ph. 2.522.

3. roll of papyrus, book, Hdt. 2.100, A. Supp. 947, etc.: heterocl. pl., βύβλα,τά, AP 9.98 (Stat. Flacc.); esp. of sacred or magical writings, βίβλων ὅμαδον Μουσαίου καὶ Ὀρφέως Pl. R. 364e, cf. D. 18.259, Act.Ap. 19.19, PPar. 19.1 (ii A. D.); ἱεραί β. OGI 56.70 (Canopus, iii B. C.); β. ἱερατική PTeb. 291.43 (ii A. D.); so of the Scriptures, ἡ β. γενέσεως οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς LXX Ge. 2.4, etc.; ἡ β. the Sacred Writings, Aristeas 316; β. Μωυσέως, ψαλμῶν, προφητῶν, Ev.Marc. 12.26, Act.Ap. 1.20, 7.42; β. ζωῆς Ep.Phil. 4.3: pl., of magical books, Act.Ap. 19.19.

4. a division of a book, Plb. 4.87.12, D.S. 1.4, etc.; αἱ β. the nine books of Hdt., Luc. Herod. 1.

II. β. στεφανωτρίς flowering head of papyrus, Theopomp. Hist.22c, Plu. Ages. 36. [υ, A. Supp. 761.] (βύβλος, βύβλινος, βυβλίον, etc., are the original forms: βιβλ‐seems to have arisen in Attic by assimilation in βιβλίον, and is found in earlier Attic Inscrr., cf. IG 2.1b, etc., and prevails in Ptolemaic papyri; Inscrr. vary, βυβλία Test.Epict. 8.32 (iii/ii B. C.); βιβλία IG 5(1).1390.12 (Andania, i B. C.); in Roman times βυβλ‐ was restored.)