ἐπίκουρος

A. helper, ally, Hom. only in Il., mostly in pl. of the barbarian allies of Troy, Τρῶες . . ἠδ’ ἐ. 2.815; Τρῶες καὶ Δάρδανοι ἠδ’ ἐ. 3.456,al., cf. Hdt. 2.152, 3.91, al.

2. . mercenary troops, opp. citizen-soldiers, ἐπικούρους προσμισθοῦσθαι Th. 2.33, cf. Hdt. 1.154, 2.163, 3.145, Lys. 12.94, X. HG 7.1.12, etc.; ἀπὸ Ἀρκαδίας ἐπίκουροι Hermipp. 63.18; used as body-guard by tyrants, Hdt. 1.64, 6.39, Th. 6.55,58.

3. . οἱ ἐ. the guards, the military class in Plato's Republic, R. 414b, 415a, 545d.

II. . as Adj., assisting, aiding, c. dat. pers.,Ἀφροδίτη ἦλθεν /Αρῃ ἐπίκουρος Il. 21.431; βῆναι ἐ. τινι Pi. O. 13.97; ταῖς νήσοις ἐ. Ar. Eq. 1319; τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις ἐ. Th. 3.67: c. gen. pers., ἐπίκουρε βροτῶν their defender, h. Mart. 9; τῶν ἀνθρώπων, of Eros, Pl. Smp. 189d: abs., patron, protector, δεσπότης ἐ. X. Cyr. 7.5.61.

2. . c. gen. rei, defending or protecting against, νόσου E. Or. 211 (troch.); πῦρ ἐ. ψύχους, σκότους, X. Mem. 4.3.7; Λαβδακίδαις ἐ. θανάτων protecting them against deaths, S. OT 496 (lyr.); πατρὶ αἱμάτων ἐ. E. El. 138 (lyr.).