LogeionPerseus analysis of φέρτερός:
φέρτατος (bravest, best): masc nom sg
LSJ entry
φέρτᾰτος
φέρτατος,
η,
ον,
A. bravest, best, πολὺ φ. Il. 1.581,
etc.; μέγα φ. 16.21,
cf. Lyr.Alex.Adesp. 25,
etc.: c. dat. modi, χερσίν τε βίηφί τε φ. ἦσαν Od. 12.246;
περὶ δʼ ἔγχει Ἀχαιῶν φ. ἐσσι Il. 7.289;
ὄλβῳ φ. Pi. N. 10.13:
of things, κακῶν φέρτατον the best, i.e. least bad, among evils, Il. 17.105;
λόγοι φ. best, Pi. P. 5.48;
ὄ τι φέρτατον ἀνδρὶ τυχεῖν Id. O. 7.26.
II. Comp. φέρτερος,
α,
ον,
braver, better, of persons, πολὺ φ. Il. 4.56,
etc.: c. dat. modi, βίῃ καὶ χερσὶ καὶ ἔγχεϊ φ. 3.431,
cf. Od. 6.6;
φ. οὐκ ὀλίγον ἔγχει Il. 19.217:
c. inf.,
θεοὶ . . φέρτεροί εἰσι νοῆσαι Od. 5.170;
φ. γόνος πατρός Pi. I. 8(7).35;
παῖδα φ. πατρός A. Pr. 768:
of things, ἀγών, νόστος, Pi. O. 1.7,
P. 1.35;
πολὺ φέρτερόν ἐστιν ʼtis much better, Il. 1.169;
τί φ. ἢ . .
c. inf.,
B. 4.18:
c. inf.,
Od. 12.109,
21.154;
εἰς τὸ φ. τίθει τὸ μέλλον E. Hel. 346 (lyr.). Adv.,
τέττιγος φέρτερον ᾄδεις Theoc. 1.148.
(From root φερ- ‘bring’, ‘produceʼ: ἀπὸ τοῦ φέρειν βέλτιον Hsch.)