σκαιός

A. left, on the left hand, poet. for ἀριστερός (used by Prose writers in metaph. sense, and once by Pl. in literal sense, Phdr. 266a; also in Dor. Prose, ἐν σκαιάν,= ἐς ἀριστεράν, SIG 636.22 (Delph., ii B.C.; σκαγαν lapis)); τὸ ς. ὄμμα παραβαλών A. Fr. 308 (cf. Ath. 7.303c); in Hom. always in dat. σκαιῇ (sc. χειρί), with the left hand, Il. 1.501, al.; χειρὶ ς. Hes. Th. 179:—hence,

II. western, westward (for the Greek diviner always turned his face northward, and so had the West on his left): hence Σκαιαὶ πύλαι the West-gate of Troy, Il. 3.145, al., cf. Hsch. (otherwise expld. by Sch. ad loc.); ς. ῥίον either, on the left, or west headland, Od. 3.295; ς. λιμήν Orac. ap.D.S. 8.21; πόρος D.P. 161,481,541.

2. unlucky, ill-omened, mischievous (cf. δεξιός 11), ἡ φιλοτιμίη κτῆμα ς. Hdt. 3.53; σεσιγαμένον οὐ σκαιότερον χρῆμ’ ἕκαστον a thing is none the worse for remaining unsaid, Pi. O. 9.104; ς. ἐκλύσων στόμα about to speak mischief, S. Aj. 1225.

III. metaph. of persons, lefthanded, awkward, clumsy, stupid, ‐ότατος καὶ ἀδικώτατος Hdt. 1.129; ς. ἰητροί Hp. Art. 42; σκαιοῖσι πολλοῖς εἷς σοφὸς διόλλυται S. Fr. 921, cf.771; ὅπου δ’ Ἀπόλλων ς. ᾖ, τίνες σοφοί; E. El. 972, cf. Heracl. 258, HF 283; ὦ σκαιὲ κἀπαίδευτε Ar. V. 1183, cf. 1266; ἐπιλης μότατον καὶ ‐ότατον γερόντιον Id. Nu. 790; οὕτω ς. ὥστε μαθεῖν οὐ δύνασθαι Lys. 10.15, cf. Pl. Euthd. 295d; ς. καὶ βάρβαρος τὸν τρόπον D. 26.17; ς. καὶ ἀναίσθητος Id. 18.120; ς. ἢ ἀνήκοος Id. 19.312. Adv., σκαιῶς λέγειν Ar. Ec. 644, cf. Pl. 60: Comp., Phld. Acad.Ind. p.7 M.

2. of words, thoughts, or actions, ‐ότατον ἔπος Ar. Av. 174, cf. Arist. Rh.Al. 1430b7; ς. καινουργία OGI 569.18 (Arycanda, iv A.D.).—In these senses σκαιός is opp. to δεξιός (q.v.).

IV. aslant, crooked, of serpents, Nic. Th. 266; cf. σκοιός. (Prob. σκαιvός, cf. Lat. scaevus.)