σόφισμα

A. acquired skill, method, in medicine, Hp. Loc.Hom. 41.

II. clever device, ingenious contrivance, Pi. O. 13.17 (pl.); ς. μηχανᾶσθαι Hdt. 3.85; ς. καὶ μηχαναί ib.152; ἀριθμὸν ἔξοχον σοφισμάτων A. Pr. 459; οὐκ ἔχω ς. ὅτῳ . . πημονῆς ἀπαλλαγῶ ib.470; μὴ . . κἀκχέω τὸ πᾶν ς. S. Ph. 14; τὸ Θεσσαλὸν ς. a trick in fighting, v. Θεσσαλός; πολλαῖσι μορφαῖς οἱ θεοὶ σοφισμάτων σφάλλουσιν ἡμᾶς E. Fr. 972; τέχναι . . καὶ ς. Ar. Pl. 160; τὸ γὰρ ς. δημοτικόν Id. Nu. 205; πρὸς μὲν Σωκράτη . . τὸ ς. μοι οὐδέν Pl. Smp. 214a; τὸ ς. τὸ τοῦ δρεπάνου Id. La. 183d.

2. in less good sense, sly trick, artifice, δίκην δοῦναι ς. κακῶν E. Ba. 489, cf. Hec. 258; ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς ταὐτὰ παρόντα ς. Th. 6.77, cf. D. 35.2; stage-trick, claptrap, Ar. Ra. 17, 872, 1104; of tricks in government, Arist. Pol. 1297a35, 1308a2; in cookery, X. Hier. 1.23 (pl.).

3. captious argument, quibble, sophism, Pl. R. 496a, D. 25.18, Epicur. Nat. 28.9, etc.; περὶ σοφισμάτων, title of work by Chrysippus; ς. τῆς ῥητορικῆς Longin. 17.2; opp. a true logical argument (φιλοσόφημα, ἐπιχείρημα), Arist. Top. 162a16:— Ar. calls a person σόφισμ’ ὅλον, Av. 431, cf.Ath. 1.11b.