φροίμιον

A. opening, introduction; in Music, prelude, overture, Pi. P. 1.4; in Ep. poems, proëm, preamble, Id. N. 2.3, Ar. Eq. 1343; in speeches, exordium, Critias 43 tit., Arist. Rh. 1414b19, Phld. Rh. 1.56S., Stoic. 2.96, etc.; προοιμίοις ἡδονῆς with prefaces about pleasure, X. Mem. 2.1.27.

2. metaph. of any prelude or beginning, φροίμιον χορεύσομαι A. Ag. 31, cf. 829; φροιμίοις δυσφροιμίοις ib. 1216, cf. Th. 7; λόγους . . μηδέπω ’ν προοιμίοις only just beginning, Id. Pr. 741; εἴ τι τοῦδε φ. ματᾷ any part of this presage, Id. Eu. 142; ὁρῶ τάδε φροίμια . . πόνων Id. Supp. 830 (lyr.), cf. E. Hipp. 568, X. Mem. 4.2.3; ἐγχέων π. Pi. Fr. 78; π. δείπνου Alex. 110.3; π. ἔχθρας Plb. 22.4.15; ἀρχῆς Id. 25.3.8 (pl.); δάκρυά μοι τὰ π. τῆς τέχνης Luc. Somn. 3; of premonitory symptoms of disease, Orib. Syn. 8.2.

II. hymn or short poem, such as those attributed to Homer, Ἀπόλλωνος Th. 3.104, cf. Pl. Phd. 60d, R. 531d; φροίμιον Ἀντιλόχου (fort. Ἀρχιλόχου) Call. Fr. 223.