ἐπιστήμη

A. acquaintance with a matter, understanding, skill, as in archery, S. Ph. 1057; in war, Th. 1.121, 6.72, 7.62; ἐ. πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον Lys. 33.7 (fort. leg. περί)περὶ τὰ μαθήματα Pl. Phlb. 55d; τοῦ νεῖν Id. Grg. 511c; ἐπιστήμῃ skilfully, οἱ μὴ ἐ. τοὺς ἐπαίνους ποιούμενοι Plot. 5.5.13.

2. . professional skill: hence, profession, οἱ τὴν ἰατρικὴν ἐ. μεταχειριζόμενοι PFay. 106.22 (ii A.D.); ζωγράφος τὴν ἐ. painter by profession, POxy. 896.5 (iv A.D.).

II. . generally, knowledge, ἐπιστήμῃ σύ μου προὔχοις ἄν S. OT 1115; πάντ’ ἐπιστήμης πλέως full of knowledge in all things, Id. Ant. 721, cf. Tr. 338; ἐκ τῆς ἐ. E. Fr. 522.3; ἐ. δοξαστική, opp. ἀλήθεια, Pl. Sph. 233c: pl., kinds of knowledge, μυρίαι ἀνδρῶν ἐπιστᾶμαι πέλονται B. 9.38, cf. Pl. Smp. 208a.

2. . scientific knowledge, science, opp. δόξα, Pl. R. 477b sq., Hp. Lex 4, Pl. Plt. 301b, Arist. AP 0.88b30, EN 1139b18: coupled with ἐμπειρία and τέχνη, Pl. R. 422c, cf. Ion 536c, Arist. Metaph. 981a2: pl., the sciences, freq. in Pl.(R. 522c,al.), etc.