πέρας

A. end, limit, boundary,

I. in local sense, ἐκ περάτων γᾶς Alc. 33.1, cf. Th. 1.69; π. . . αὔλειος θύρα ἐλευθέρα γυναικὶ νενόμιστ’ οἰκίας Men. 546; τὸ π. tip, τοῦ αἰδοίου Arist. GA 773a21; [τῆς ῥινός] Gal. 18(2).28; τισὶ τὰ π. ἀλγέει the extremities, Aret. SD 1.7.

II. generally, limit, either opp. ἀρχή, Arist. Ph. 264b27, or including it, τελευτή γε καὶ ἀρχὴ π. ἑκάστου Pl. Prm. 137d, cf. Arist. GA 777b29, Metaph. 1022a4; οὐκ ἔχων π. κακῶν E. Andr. 1216, cf.Or. 511, A. Pers. 632, Lys. 12.88, etc.; π. ἅπασιν ἀνθρώποις ἐστὶ τοῦ βίου θάνατος D. 18.97, cf. Arist. EN 1115a26; εἰ π. μηδὲν ἔσται σφίσι τοῦ ἀπαλλαγῆναι τοῦ κινδύνου Th. 7.42; π. ἔχειν, = περαίνεσθαι, come to an end, Isoc. 4.5, Lycurg. 60, etc.; π. λαμβάνειν Plb. 5.31.2; ἐπιθεῖναι τῇ γενέσει π. Arist. GA 776a4; ἐν π. εἶναι Thphr. CP 5.18.2.

2. perfection of a thing, τὸ π. τῆς μαγειρικῆς . . εὑρηκέναι Hegesipp.Com. 1.4, cf. 10, Posidipp. 26.17.

b. Philos., τὸ τῶν ἀγαθῶν π., τὰ π. τῆς ἡδονῆς, Epicur. Ep. 3p.65U., Sent. 20; ἐν τῷ κατὰ φύσιν π. κατακέκλειται τἀγαθόν Metrod. Herc. 831.8.

3. end, object, εὐχῆς, ἐλπίδος, Luc. Harm. 2 sq.

4. Philos., that which limits or has limits, opp. τὸ ἄπειρον, Pythag. ap. Arist. Metaph. 986a23, Pl. Phlb. 30a, etc.; τὰ ἐλάχιστα καὶ ἀμιγῆ π. [τῆς ἀτόμου] Epicur. Ep. 1p.17U.: Com., of a person, τὸν καλούμενον Π. Philosteph.Com. 1.3.

III. final decision, [οἱ] τὸ π. ἔχοντες τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἁπάντων δικαίων the supreme court, from which there is no appeal, Din. 3.16.

IV. πέρας as Adv., at length, at last, Aeschin. 1.61, Plb. 2.55.6, etc.; πέρας δ’ οὖν D. 56.10; τὸ π. Lys. 9.17, Alex. 261.13 ; but also, τὸ π. 'to cut a long story short', Men. Epit. 70,316,470. [In Aeol. the first syll. is short in Alc. 33, long in 84.]