πυθμήν

A. bottom, of a cup or jar, δειλὴ δ’ ἐνὶ πυθμένι φειδώ Hes. Op. 369 (so prov. ἐν τῷ πυθμένι τοῦ πίθου Lib. Ep. 127.2); τὼ δὲ πίθω πατάγεσκ’ ὀ πύθμην Alc. Supp. 25.9, cf. Arist. Pr. 936a32, Sor. 1.91; distd. from πύνδαξ, Arist. Pr. 938a14; φιάλη . . ἡ ἐπὶ τὸν π. καὶ τὸ στόμα τιθεμένη Asclep.Myrl. ap. Ath. 11.501d, cf. Apollod. ib. a; this sense is doubtful in Il. 11.635 (cf. infr. 4 and Ath. 11.488f), and in IG 12.282.111, 11(2).161 B 120, 287 B 89,131,143 (Delos, iii B.C.); ἐν τῷ π. ἐπιγραφὴν ἔχουσα Inscr.Délos 313a102, cf. 320 B 45, al. (iii B.C.).

2. generally, base, foundation, χθόνα ἐκ πυθμένων κραδαίνειν A. Pr. 1046 (anap.); π. γαίης, πέτρης, Orph. A. 92, L. 162; foot of a mountain, Arat. 989.

3. of the sea, bottom, depth, π. θαλάσσης, πόντου, λίμνης, Hes. Th. 932, Sol. 13.20, Thgn. 1035; τοῦ πελάγους Pl. Phd. 109c, cf. 112b; also Ταρτάρου, abyss, Pi. Fr. 207.

4. support under a cup's handle, δύω δ’ ὑπὸ πυθμένες ἦσαν Il. 11.635 (cf. supr. 1); legs of a tripod, 18.375.

5. pl., sockets, ἐκ πυθμένων ἔκλινε κλῇθρα S. OT 1261.

6. in Anatomy, fundus of univalves, Arist. HA 529a6, PA 680a23; lower parts of the testes, Ruf. Onom. 105 (but, upper part of the uterus, Sor. 1.7, Gal. 2.889); also γενειάδος π. A. Fr. 27; distal end of a quince, Aët. 1.111.

7. metaph., Δίκας ἐρείδεται π. the base of Justice is firmly set, A. Ch. 646 (lyr.); π. κακῶν Orph. A. 893; πυθμένες λόγων fundamental principles, Protag. ap. D.L. 9.54; Ζεὺς π. γαίης τε καὶ οὐρανοῦ Orph. Fr. 168.4.

II. stock, root of a tree, παρὰ πυθμέν’ ἐλαίης Od. 13.122,372, cf. 23.204; ἐν π. φηγοῦ Hes. Fr. 134.8; π. δρυός Ion Trag.28; ὁ π. τῆς ῥίζης Dsc. 4.104, cf. 3.126; σεύτλου πυθμένες beet-roots, BGU 1118.17 (i B.C.); ἁλικακκάβων π. ib. 1120.37 (i B.C.); ἀμπέλου Str. 2.1.14, cf. PPetr. 1p.78 (iii B.C.); ἐπὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ π. Thphr. HP 2.2.9, cf. CP 3.13.3: metaph., ἐκ νεάτου π. ἐς κορυφήν Sol. 13.10.

2. stem, stalk, πυροῦ, κριθῶν, Arist. GA 728b36, D.S. 1.14; σύκων Poll. 2.170; τυτθὸν . . ἐν χθονὶ πυθμένα τείνει Nic. Th. 639.

b. metaph., stem, stock of a family, A. Ch. 260, Supp. 106 (lyr.); σμικροῦ γένοιτ’ ἂν σπέρματος μέγας π., i.e. great things might come from small, Id. Ch. 204; πυθμένες θάλλουσιν ἐσθλῶν B. 5.198; π. δικῶν, of a litigious person, Com.Adesp. 896.

III. in Arithmetic, base of a series, i.e. lowest number possessing a given property, π. ὁ δέκα (of the numbers such that the previous integers contain an equal number of primes and non-primes) Speus. ap. Theol.Ar. 62; ἐπίτριτος π. the first couple of numbers giving the ratio 4:3, Pl. R. 546c, cf. Nicom. Ar. 1.21, 2.19. [υ in A. ll. cc.; υ by position in Ep., etc.] (Cf. Skt. budhnás 'bottom, base', Lat. fundus, OE. botm.)