ἤπειρος

A. terra firma, land, opp. the sea, Od. 3.90, 10.56, Il. 1.485, Hes. Op. 624, etc.; κατ’ ἤπειρον by land, Hdt. 4.97, 8.66; μήτ’ ἐν θαλάττῃ μήτ’ ἐν ἠπείρῳ Ar. Ach. 534, cf. Timocr. 8: hence, even of an island, ἤπειρόνδε Od. 5.56; but,

II. esp. the mainland of Western Greece, opp. the neighbouring islands, Od. 14.97, al.; ἤπειρόνδε 18.84, cf. Th. 3.114 (so as pr. n., Pi. N. 4.51, X. HG 6.1.7, etc.): generally, mainland, opp. islands, Hdt. 1.148,171, al., Th. 1.5, Philostr. VA 1.20, etc.

III. later, a continent, esp. of Asia. Hdt. 1.96, 4.91, A. Pers. 718 (troch.), X. HG 3.1.5, D. 60.11, etc.; ῥεῖθρον ἠπείροιν(‐ων codd.) ὅρον, of the Tanais or Phasis, A. Pr. 790; so δισσαὶ ἄπειροι, i.e. Europe and Asia, S. Tr. 101 (lyr.); τὼ δύ’ ἠπείρω Id. Fr. 881; ἐφ’ ἑκατέρας τῆς ἠ. Isoc. 4.35; ἤ. δοιαί, δίδυμαι, ἀμφότεραι, Mosch. 2.8, AP 7.18 (Antip. Thess.), 240 (Adaeus), Lib. Ep. 783.3; ῥίζαν ἀπείρον τρίταν, of Libya, Pi. P. 9.8.

IV. plain, opp. mountain, ἤπειρόνδε A.R. 2.734,976.

V. in Egypt, land above inundationlevel, PGiss. 48.8 (iii A.D.); more freq., γῆ ἤ. PLond. 3.1201.2 (ii B.C.), etc. (Fr. ἀπερ-yos, cf. Germ. Ufer.)