ἄνεσις

A. loosening, relaxing, τῶν χορδῶν of the strings, opp. ἐπίτασις, Pl. R. 349e; coupled with χάλασις, ib.590b; τῆς αἰσθήσεως . . δεσμὸν τὸν ὕπνον εἶναί φαμεν, τὴν δέ . . ἄνεσιν ἐγρήγορσιν Arist. Somn.Vig. 454b27; ἀέρος Thphr. CP 2.1.6; πάγων ἄ., i.e. a thaw, Plu. Sert. 17; of the ebb-tide, Str. 7.2.1.

2. metaph., remission, abatement, κακῶν Hdt. 5.28; opp. θλῖψις, 2 Ep.Cor. 8.13, al.; λύπης, μοχθηρίας, etc., Plu. 2.102b, etc.; τὴν ἡδονὴν ἄνεσιν λαμβάνειν Phld. D. 3 Fr. 1; ἄ. φόρων, τελῶν, remission of tribute, taxes, Plu. Sert. 6, IG 7.2227 (Thisbe), etc.; κολάσεως Plot. 4.3.24; of fevers, opp. παροξυσμός, Gal. 7.427.

3. relaxation, recreation, opp. σπουδή, Pl. Lg. 724a, Arist. Rh. 1371b34, cf. Cleanth.Stoic. 1.122; ἄ. καὶ σχολή Plb. 1.66.10; ψυχῆς Mnesith.Ath. ap. Ath. 11.484a.

4. solution, Dsc. 5.96.

5. = τὸ τελευταῖον τῆς παρακμῆς Archig. ap. Gal. 7.424.

II. indulgence, licence, ἡδονῶν Pl. R. 561a; ἡ τῶν γυναικῶν παρ’ ὑμῖν ἄ. Id. Lg. 637c, cf. Arist. Pol. 1270a1; δούλων ib.1313b35; relaxation of custody, Act.Ap. 24.23.

III. of musical pitch, Aristid.Quint. 1.5; of an unaccented syll., Phld. Po. 2.18.