πρέσβυς an old man, Lat. senex, (the prose form is πρεσβύτης) , Soph., Eur.:— ὁ πρέσβυς is used much like ὁ πρεσβύτερος, the elder, Aesch.:—pl. πρέσβεις, elders, always implying dignity, chiefs, princes, Aesch.; Epic πρέσβηες Hes. Hom. uses only the comp. and Sup., comp. πρεσβύτερος, α, ον, elder, older, Il., Hdt., Pind., Attic; ἐνιαυτῷ by a year, Ar.; βουλαὶ πρεσβύτεραι the wise councils of age, Pind.;—Sup. πρεσβύτατος, η, ον, eldest, Il., Hes., etc.: —the comp. and Sup. were used of things, πρεσβύτερόν τι (or οὐδὲν ἔχειν) ἔχειν = Lat. aliquid (or nihil) antiquius habere, to deem higher, more important, τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ πρεσβύτερα ποιεῖσθαι ἢ τὰ τῶν ἀνδρῶν Hdt.; πρεσβύτατον κρίνειν τι Thuc.; πρεσβυτέρως γυμναστικὴν μουσικῆς τετιμηκέναι more highly than . . , Plat.: —hence, merely of magnitude, πρεσβύτερον κακὸν κακοῦ one evil greater than another, Soph. like πρεσβευτής, an ambassador, Aesch., Ar.;—pl. πρέσβεις is more used than πρεσβευταί, Ar., Xen., etc. a chief, president: comp. πρεσβύτερος, an elder of the Jewish Council, NTest., etc.: an elder of the Church, presbyter, NTest.