πρόσχημα

A. that which is held before: hence,

I. that which is held before to cover, screen, cloak, τὸ σῶφρον τοῦ ἀνάνδρου π. Th. 3.82; pretence, pretext, πατὴρ . . σοὶ π. ἀεί, ὡς ἐξ ἐμοῦ τέθνηκεν S. El. 525; τοῦτο π. ποιούμενος Lys. 6.37; also π. τοῦ λόγου in the same sense, Hdt. 4.167, cf. 6.133: c. gen., αὗται [αἱ πόλεις] π. ἦσαν τοῦ στόλου ib.44; Φίλιππος γίγνεται π. τοῦ πολέμου Plb. 11.5.4; τῷ τῆς τέχνης π. on the ground of . ., D. 5.6; π. ποιεύμενος ὡς ἐπ’ Ἀθήνας ἐλαύνει making a pretence or show of marching against Athens, Hdt. 7.157: c. inf., π. ποιούμενοι τοὺς ἐπὶ Θρᾴκης μὴ προδώσειν pretend that they will not . ., Th. 5.30; π. ἦν ἀμύνεσθαι Id. 1.96; also π. ποιεῖσθαι or ποιήσασθαί τι to put forward as a screen or disguise, Pl. Prt. 316d, 316e, cf. 317a: πρόσχημα, as acc. abs., by way of pretext, Hdt. 9.87; καλῶν ὀνομάτων καὶ προσχημάτων μεστή full of fair words and appearances, Pl. R. 495d.

2. preface, π. καὶ ἀρχὴ τοῦ λόγου Id. Hp.Ma. 286a.

II. ornament, τῆς Ἰωνίης π., of Miletus, Hdt. 5.28, cf. Plb. 3.15.3; τῆς Ἑλλάδος Str. 10.2.3, cf. 11.11.1, Plu. Alex. 17; τὸ κλεινὸν Ἑλλάδος π. ἀγῶνος, of the Pythian games, S. El. 682; μετὰ προσχήματος ἀξίου τῆς πόλεως with a dignity, D. 18.178; τὸ τοῦ γένους π. the nobility of his birth, OGI 470.23 (i B.C. /i A.D.); Ἀχιλλέα τιν’ ἢ Νιόβην . ., π. τῆς τραγῳδίας the pomp or show of tragedy, Ar. Ra. 913; Δαρείου τὸ π. his pomp, Arist. Mu. 398a12; of a person, π. ἑαυτῆς (sc. τῆς πόλεως) IG 12(7).395.17 (Amorgos).

2. outward appearance of a wound, f.l. in Hp. Ulc. 24; aspect, τῆς ὅλης θεουργίας διττόν ἐστι π., τὸ ἱερατικὸν τῶν θεῶν π., Iamb. Myst. 4.2.

3. costume, uniform, PMasp. 334.12, PFlor. 288.9 (both vi A.D.).