ἄεθλος -ου, ὁ, alsoἆθλος Od. 8.160. 1 A contest for a prize or as a trial of strength or skill Il. 16.590: Od. 4.659, Od. 8.22, 133, 160, 197, Od. 19.576, Od. 21.135, Od. 22.5, etc. A verbal contest Od. 11.548. 2 In pl., a series of contests as a part of funeral rites: ἑταῖρον ἀέθλοισι κτερέϊζε Il. 23.646. In sing., one of the contests Il. 23.707, 753 = 831. 3 a In pl., fights, struggles: ἀέθλους Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν Il. 3.126. Feats Od. 4.241. Trials of endurance, hardships Od. 3.262, Od. 4.170. Trials, troubles Od. 1.18, Od. 23.248, 350. b A trial or trouble Od. 23.261. A task imposed Od. 8.363, Il. 19.133: Od. 11.622, 624. 4 The material for a contest: καταθήσω ἄεθλον, τοὺς πελέκεας Od. 19.572. Cf. Od. 21.91.
πειράω Also in mid. and pass. as deponent. 1 To make a trial or test : αἰγανέης, ἣν ἀνὴρ ἀφέῃ πειρώμενος (for practice) Il. 16.590. To make trial of, try, test. With genit. : πειρήθη ἕο αὐτοῦ Il. 19.384. Cf. Il. 15.359, Il. 23.432 : Od. 21.282, 410. With acc.: τροχόν Il. 18.601. 2 In hostile sense, to make an attempt upon a person or place, try one's fortune, try conclusions : πρίν γε νὼ σὺν ἔντεσι πειρηθῆναι Il. 5.220, τρὶς τῇ γʼ ἐλθόντες ἐπειρήσαντο (delivered an assault) Il. 6.435. Cf. Il. 5.129, 279, Il. 11.386, Il. 13.457, 806, Il. 22.381 (make a demonstration), Il. 23.553. With dependent clause. With ἢ ... ἦ ...φ 225. Of trying one's fortune in a contest Od. 8.205, 213. With genit., to make an attempt upon, try conclusions with : μήλων Il. 12.301, Ἀχιλῆος Il. 21.580. Cf. Il. 19.70, Il. 20.349, 352, Il. 23.804 : Od. 6.134. 3 To make trial of a person, tempt him, lead him on Il. 2.73, 193. With genit. : πειρᾷ ἐμεῖο Il. 24.390, 433. Cf. Il. 9.345. 4 To try, test, put to the proof, in regard to veracity, knowledge, fidelity, ability, or the like. With genit. : ἀέθλους, τοὺς (cognate acc., in which) Φαίηκες ἐπειρήσαντʼ Ὀδυσῆος Od. 8.23, νῦν σευ ὀΐω πειρήσεσθαι Od. 19.215. Cf. Il. 10.444 : Od. 13.336, Od. 16.305, Od. 23.181, Od. 24.216. Absol. Od. 4.119 = Od. 24.238, Od. 24.240. 5 To try to find out about something, go in quest of information : πειρήσομαι ἠδὲ ἴδωμαι Od. 6.126. With genit. : τῶνδʼ ἀνδρῶν πειρήσομαι, οἵ τινές εἰσιν Od. 9.174. So, to examine : τόξον ἐνώμα, πειρώμενος [αὐτοῦ] Od. 21.394. 6 To find out about to one's cost, experience. With genit. : τῶν ἔμελλον Ἀχαιοὶ πειρήσεσθαι Od. 21.418. 7 To make trial, try what one can do, make an attempt, try one's skill : εἰ δʼ ἄγε μὴν πείρησαι (try it) Il. 1.302. Cf. Il. 8.18 : ἐπειρήσαντο πόδεσσιν Od. 8.120. Cf. Od. 3.23 (am not practised in ...), Od. 4.417 (will try to escape), Od. 8.149, 377, Od. 21.184. To attempt, try one's hand at or on, set one's hand to. With genit. : ἵνα πειρησαίμεθα ἔργου Od. 18.369. Cf. Il. 23.707, 753 = 831 : Od. 8.100, 126, 145, 184, Od. 21.113, 135, 159, 180 = 268. 8 To endeavour, do one's endeavours, try, attempt, set oneself, to do something. With infin. : τῷ πειρήσω ἀλαλκεῖν ἄγρια φῦλα Il. 19.30. Cf. Il. 4.5, Il. 8.8, Il. 12.341. With dependent clause. With ὡς: πειρᾶν ὡς πεπίθοιεν Πηλεΐωνα Il. 9.181. Cf. Il. 4.66 = 71, Il. 21.459 : Od. 2.316. With ὅπως Od. 4.545.