LogeionPerseus analysis of ὀφθαλμοῖσιν:
ὀφθαλμός (eye): masc dat pl (epic ionic aeolic)
LSJ entry
ὀφθαλμός
ὀφθαλμός,
ὁ, (
ὄπωπ-α, ὀφ-θῆναι, v. ὄψ B) A. eye,
used by Hom. and Hes. mostly in pl.; ὀφθαλμοὶ δʼ ὡς εἰ κέρα ἕστασαν . . ἀτρέμας ἐν βλεφάροισι Od. 19.211:
sg., παίειν τινὰ ἐς τὸν ὀ.
Hdt. 9.22:
the pl. continued most common, but the dual also occurs, as in Ar. Nu. 362:
pl. is used in many phrases, ἐλθέμεν ἐς ὀφθαλμούς τινος before oneʼs eyes,
Il. 24.204;
οὐδʼ Ἀχιλῆος ὀφθαλμοὺς εἴσειμι ib.463;
ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἰδεῖν, ὁρᾶσθαι,
etc., 10.275,
Od. 4.47,
etc.; but ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ὁρᾶν, νοεῖν,
to see before oneʼs eyes,
8.459,
Il. 24.312;
ἔχειν ἐν ὀ. to have before oneʼs eyes,
X. An. 4.5.29;
τὰ ἐν ὀ. what is before oneʼs eyes,
Pl. Tht. 174c;
τὸ ἐν τοῖς ὀ. δὴ γελοῖον what was ridiculous to the eye,
Id. R. 452d;
ἐπίπροσθε τῶν ὀ.
Id. Smp. 213a;
πρὸ τῶν ὀ. προφαίνεσθαι Aeschin. 2.148;
ἐπʼ ὀφθαλμῶν Luc. Tox. 20;
γενέσθαι τινὶ ἐξ ὀφθαλμῶν to get out of any oneʼs sight,
Hdt. 5.106;
ἐξ ὀ. ἀποπέμψασθαι Id. 1.120;
ἐξ ὀ. ποιεῖν Alciphr. 3.20;
κατʼ ὀφθαλμοὺς λέγειν τινί to tell one to oneʼs face,
opp. εἰς οὖς,
Ar. Ra. 626;
τυράννου κατʼ ὀ. κατηγορεῖν to accuse him to his face,
X. Hier. 1.14:
sg. in the phrase πρὸς ὀφθαλμὸν ἐπιχεῖν, μίσγειν,
by eye, PHolm. 7.23,
PLeid.X. 62;
eyes were painted on the bows of vessels, βλοσυροῖς κατὰ πρῷραν ὀφθαλμοῖς οἷον βλέπει Philostr. Im. 1.19,
cf. IG 22.1607.24,
Poll. 1.86;
whence the joke in Ar. Ach. 97.
II. in sg., the eye of a master or ruler, πάντα ἰδὼν Διὸς ὀ.
Hes. Op. 267;
Δίκης ὀ. ὃς τὰ πάνθʼ ὁρᾷ Men. Mon. 179;
δεσπότου ὀ. X. Oec. 12.20;
ἀκοίμητος ὀ.,
of God, Secund. Sent. 3;
so a king is called ὀ. οἴκων A. Ch. 934 (so ὄμμα Pers. 169);
and in Persia ὀφθαλμὸς βασιλέως the kingʼs eye was a confidential officer, through whom he beheld his kingdom and subjects, A. Pers. 979(lyr.), Hdt. 1.114,
Ar. Ach. 92,
X. Cyr. 8.2.10 sq., Arist. Pol. 1287b29,
Ph. 1.642;
cf. οὖς.
IV. the dearest, best,
as the eye is the most precious part of the body, hence of men, ὀ. Σικελίας, στρατιᾶς,
Pi. O. 2.10,
6.16;
also, light, cheer, comfort,
μέγας <γʼ> ὀ. οἱ πατρὸς τάφοι S. OT 987,
cf. E. Andr. 406.