σποδός

A. wood-ashes, embers, Od. 9.375, h.Merc. 238: generally, ashes, Hdt. 2.140; ἐπ’ Ἰσμηνοῦ τε μαντεία ς., of the ashes of an altar, S. OT 21, cf. Ant. 1007, Hdt. 4.35; ς. ἱερὰ ἡ ἐκ τοῦ βωμοῦ SIG 1171.18 (Lebena); of the dead, A. Ag. 435,443 (both lyr.), Ch. 687, S. El. 758, etc.; ἀμφὶ σποδὸν κάρᾳ κεχύμεθα, in sign of mourning, E. Supp. 827 (lyr.), cf. 1160; σποδὸς δὲ τἄλλα, Περικλέης, Κόδρος, Κίμων Alex. 25.12:—death by plunging into a room filled with ashes, αὐτήν μιν ῥῖψαι ἐς οἴκημα σποδοῦ πλέον Hdt. 2.100; as a Persian punishment (cf. Val. Max. 9.2.6), εἰς τὴν σποδὸν ἐμβάλλεται Ctes. Fr. 29.48, cf. 51, al., LXX 2 Ma. 13.5 sq.—There seems to be no difference in sense between σποδός and τέφρα: both occur in Trag., the latter alone in Att. Prose.

II. dust, τῆς χαμᾶθεν σποδοῦ Hdt. 4.172; μετρεῖν τὴν ς., of labour in vain, Arr. Epict. 3.26.17.

III. oxide of certain metals, ς. Κυπρίη copper oxide, Hp. Mul. 1.104; ς. Ἰλλυριῶτις Id. Ulc. 13; ς. χρυσῖτις Id. Mul. 1.103, cf. Dsc. 5.75.

IV. metaph., κυλίκων, πίθων ς., of a bibulous old woman, 'soaker', 'sponge', AP 6.291, 7.455 (Leon.).

V. lava, Str. 6.2.3.