πρεσβεύω

A. πεπρέσβευκα Ar. Ach. 610, D. 19.310:—Med., aor. ἐπρεσβευσάμην Th. 1.92, etc.:—Pass., pf. πεπρέσβευμαι (v. infr.):

I. prop. of age,

1. intr., to be the elder or eldest, S. OC 1422; οἱ ἀεὶ πρεσβεύοντες Pl. Lg. 951e: c. gen. pers., to be older than, be the eldest of a number, τῶν προτέρων ἐπρέσβευε Hdt. 7.2; π. τῶν ἄλλων κατὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν Timae. 114; π. ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ to be his eldest son, Th. 6.55; of wine, πολλαῖς π. ἐτέων . . ὥραις Archestr. Fr. 60.2; π. τοῖς χρόνοις τὰ ἡρωικά Ath. 1.19a: hence,

b. take the first place, be best, S. Ant. 720; οἷσι πρεσβεύει γένος, of the male sex, E. Heracl. 45.

c. c. gen., rank before, take precedence of others, π. τῶν πολλῶν πόλεων Pl. Lg. 752e: hence, rule over, Ολύμπου π. S. Aj. 1389; Ἴναχε . . μέγα πρεσβεύων Ἄργους γύαις Id. Fr. 270 (anap.); also, have at one's command or disposal, c. gen., καὶ εἰ(καὶ σὺ Kaibel) τῶν λόγων αὐτοῦ πρεσβεύεις Ath. 8.352d.

2. trans., place as oldest or first, put first in rank, πρῶτον . . πρεσβεύω θεῶν Γαῖαν A. Eu. 1: hence, pay special honour or worship to, πρῶτον τόνδε πρεσβεύσω τάφον Id. Ch. 488, cf.S. Tr. 1065, Pl. Smp. 186b; joined with τιμῶ Id. Cri. 46c; τὰ δίκαια πρὸ παντὸς ἰδίου συμφέροντος Plu. Luc. 3, cf. Arr. An. 6.30.3:—Pass., hold the first place, Παλλὰς . . ἐν λόγοις π. A. Eu. 21; ὁ δ’ ὕστατός γε τοῦ χρόνου π. is first in point of time, Id. Ag. 1300: c. gen., κακῶν πρεσβεύεται τὸ Αήμνιον is most notable of mischiefs, Id. Ch. 631 (lyr.); τὸ πρεσβύτερον τοῦ νεωτέρου ἐστὶ πρεσβευόμενον is more honoured than . . , Pl. Lg. 879b.

b. later, cultivate arts, etc., διαλεκτικόν, τὸ . . τοὺς λόγους πρεσβεῦον D.L. 1.18; π. παρὰ Ῥοδίοις ἃ μήπω ἐγίγνωσκον Philostr. VS 1 Praef.; πόλις ὄρχησιν μάλιστα πρεσβεύουσα Luc. Salt. 76.

II. to be an ambassador or serve as one, IG 12.135.5; ἀπὸ Κορίνθου Hdt. 5.93; εἰς Θετταλίαν And. 4.41; παρά or πρός τινα, Pl. Chrm. 158a, X. Cyr. 5.1.3; τινος for one, E. Heracl. 479: abs., Ar. Ach. 610, etc.: c. acc. cogn., ἃς ἐπρέσβευσεν [εἰς Θήβας] πρεσβείας Din. 1.16.

b. at Rome, act as legatus, Plu. Sull. 4.

2. c. acc. objecti, π. εἰρήνην negotiate peace, And. 3.23, Isoc. 4.177, D. 19.134, etc.; π. ὑπὲρ τουτωνὶ τὰ βέλτιστα ib.189; π. πολλὰ καὶ δεινά ibid.:— Pass., τὰ αὑτῷ πεπρεσβευμένα his negotiations, ib.20; πολλὰ καὶ δεινὰ πεπρεσβεῦσθαι ib.240.

3. Med., send ambassadors, ἐς χωρία, ἐς τὴν Θουρίαν, Th. 2.7, 6.104; πρεσβεύεσθαι παρά τινας Id. 4.41, etc.; πρός τινας Id. 1.126; ἐς Αακεδαίμονα περὶ καθόδου Id. 3.85.

b. go as ambassador, Id. 5.39.

III. c. acc. rei, represent, urge, maintain, Luc. Pisc. 23; [δόγματα] Gal. 6.753; τὴν ὄψιν κατὰ εἰσδοχὴν π. Olymp. in Mete. 5.6: c. inf., κατὰ ἐκπομπὴν εἶναι τὴν ὄψιν ib. 10.