ὥρα .ὥρα, Ionic ὥρη, ἡ, Lat. hora: any time or period, whether of the year, month, or day (νυκτός τε ὥραν καὶ μηνὸς καὶ ἐνιαυτοῦ Xen.): hence a part of the year, a season; in pl. the seasons, Od., Hes., etc.; περιτελλομέναις ὥραις Soph.; τῆς ὥρας τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ Thuc.:—at first three seasons were distinguished — spring, ἔαρος ὥρη, ὥρη εἰαρινή Hom.;— summer, θέρεος ὥρη Hes.; ὥρα θερινή Xen.;— winter, χείματος ὥρη Hes.; ὥρῃ χειμερίῃ Od.;—a fourth, ὀπώρα, first in Alcman. absol. the prime of the year, springtime, ὅσα φύλλα γίγνεται ὥρῃ Hom.:—in historians, the part of the year available for war, the summer-season, or (as we say) the season, Thuc., etc. the year generally, Hdt.; ἐν τῇ πέρυσιν ὥρᾳ last year, Dem., etc. in pl. the quarters of the heavens, the summer being taken as south, winter as north, Hdt. a part of the day, αἱ ὧραι τῆς ἡμέρας the times of day, i. e. morning, noon, evening, night, Xen.; also, νυκτὸς ἐν ὥρῃ in night time, Hhymn.; ὀψὲ τῆς ὥρας late in the day, Dem. day and night were prob. first divided into twenty-four hours by Hipparchus (about 150 B. C.): but the division of the natural day (from sunrise to sunset) into twelve parts is mentioned by Hdt. (2. 109). the time or season for a thing, ὅταν ὥ. ἥκῃ Xen., etc. c. gen. rei, ὥρη κοίτοιο, ὕπνου the time for sleep, bed- time, Od.; ὥρη δόρποιο Od.; καρπῶν ὧραι Ar. ὥρα ἐστίν, c. inf., ʼtis time to do a thing, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὥρη εὕδειν Od.; δοκεῖ οὐχ ὥρα εἶναι καθεύδειν Xen., etc. in adverb. usages, τὴν ὥρην at the right time, Hdt., Xen.; but, τὴν ὥ. at that hour, Hes.:— ἐν ὥρῃ in due time, in good time, Od., Ar.:—also, αἰεὶ ἐς ὥρας in successive seasons, Od.;— καθʼ ὥραν Theocr.;— πρὸ τῆς ὥρας Xen. metaph. the prime of life, youth, early manhood, ὥραν ἔχειν Aesch.; πάντες οἱ ἐν ὥρᾳ Plat., etc.; φεῦ φεῦ τῆς ὥρας. τοῦ κάλλους. ah! what youth! what beauty! Ar., etc. = τὰ ὡραῖα, the fruits of the year, Xen. in mythol. sense, αἱ Ὧραι, the Hours, keepers of heavenʼs gate, Il.; and ministers of the gods, Il.; three in number, daughters of Zeus and Themis, Hes.; often therefore joined with the Χάριτες, Hhymn., Hes.