ἀδεῶς

Ancient Greek

Etymology

ᾰ̓δεής (adeḗs, “fearless”) +‎ -ως (-ōs, adverbial suffix).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /a.de.ɔ̂ːs/ → /a.ðeˈos/ → /a.ðeˈos/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /a.de.ɔ̂ːs/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /a.deˈos/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /a.ðeˈos/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /a.ðeˈos/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /a.ðeˈos/

Adverb

ᾰ̓δεῶς • (adeôs) (comparative ᾰ̓δεέστερον, no superlative) (Attic, Ionic)

1. without fear, fearlessly, confidently
   • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.1.2:

     τῆς γὰρ ἐμπορίας οὐκ οὔσης, οὐδ’ ἐπιμειγνύντες ἀδεῶς ἀλλήλοις οὔτε κατὰ γῆν οὔτε διὰ θαλάσσης

     tês gàr emporías ouk oúsēs, oud’ epimeignúntes adeôs allḗlois oúte katà gên oúte dià thalássēs

     For there being no commerce, and not being secure in their dealings with one another by land or sea

   • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 4.92.5:

     εἰώθασί τε οἱ ἰσχύος που θράσει τοῖς πέλας, ὥσπερ Ἀθηναῖοι νῦν, ἐπιόντες τὸν μὲν ἡσυχάζοντα καὶ ἐν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ μόνον ἀμυνόμενον ἀδεέστερον ἐπιστρατεύειν, τὸν δὲ ἔξω ὅρων προαπαντῶντα καί, ἢν καιρὸς ᾖ, πολέμου ἄρχοντα ἧσσον ἑτοίμως κατέχειν.

     eiṓthasí te hoi iskhúos pou thrásei toîs pélas, hṓsper Athēnaîoi nûn, epióntes tòn mèn hēsukházonta kaì en têi heautoû mónon amunómenon adeésteron epistrateúein, tòn dè éxō hórōn proapantônta kaí, ḕn kairòs êi, polémou árkhonta hêsson hetoímōs katékhein.

     • Translation by J. M. Dent

       Besides, people who, like the Athenians in the present instance, are tempted by pride of strength to attack their neighbours, usually march most confidently against those who keep still, and only defend themselves in their own country, but think twice before they grapple with those who meet them outside their frontier and strike the first blow if opportunity offers.

   • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 3.65.3:

     ἐξεργασθέντος δὲ κακοῦ τοσούτου ἀδεῶς διαιτώμην

     exergasthéntos dè kakoû tosoútou adeôs diaitṓmēn

     • Translation by A. D. Godley

       When that great wrong was done I lived without fear

Further reading

• “ἀδεής”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press