εἰρεσία

A. rowing, oarage, πρῶτα μὲν εἰρεσίη, μετέπειτα δὲ κάλλιμος οὖρος Od. 11.640; εἰρεσίῃ χρᾶσθαι Hdt. 1.203, 4.110; εἰρεσίας ζυγόν S. Aj. 249 (lyr.); εἰ. τῶν τριήρων Arist. Mete. 369b10: metaph., εἰ. πτερῶν Luc. Tim. 40; παρὰ δ’ εἰρεσίᾳ μαστῶν ἕπεται Ἀστυάναξ close to her throbbing breast, E. Tr. 570 (anap.); εἰρεσίῃ γλώσσης Dionys.Eleg. 4.3.

2. oar, Ph. 1.352,385.

II. in collective sense, rowers, oarsmen, E. Hel. 1453(lyr.), AP 7.287 (Antip.(?)); ξυνέχειν τὴν εἰ. keep the oars together or make the rowers keep time, Th. 7.14.

2. boat-song, to which the rowers kept time, αὐλεῖν εἰρεσίαν Plu. Alc. 32, cf. Luc. VH 1.40.

III. pl., rowers' benches, Plb. 1.21.2. (The Ep. form, due to metrical lengthening, is retained in Prose.)