ἐπιστολή

A. anything sent by a messenger, message, order, commission, whether verbal or in writing, Hdt. 4.10, Th. 8.45, etc.; ἐξ ἐπιστολῆς by command, Hdt. 6.50: used by Trag. always in pl., A. Pr. 3, Pers. 783, Supp. 1012, S. Aj. 781, OC 1601, etc.; Πενθέως ἐπιστολαῖς by his commands, E. Ba. 442; τέκνων ἐπιστολὰς ἔγραψεν commands about her children, Id. Hipp. 858.

2. . letter, ἐ. διαπέμπειν, ἀποδοῦναι, Th. 1.129, 7.10; λύειν Id. 1.132; ἐ. ἔδωκεν ἀποδοῦναι Lys. 20.27; πέμπειν τινί E. IT 589 (pl.): in pl. of one letter, like γράμματα, Lat. litterae, Id. IA 111,314, Th. 1.132, etc.; ὁ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν . . τοῦ Ὄθωνος, Lat. ab epistulis Othoni, his secretary, Plu. Oth. 9; νομογραφικὴ ἐ. BGU 1135.7 (i B.C.).