LOGOI

The corpus record

χάος

chaos · τό

chaos, infinite space, unformed matter

Generated live from the audited corpus — every figure on this page is a database query, not prose from memory.

Where it lives

  • Michaeas 1 · 4.39/10k
  • Theogony 2 · 2.9/10k
  • Zacharias 1 · 2.07/10k
  • Metaphysics 3 · 0.38/10k
  • Meditations 1 · 0.34/10k
  • Lives of Eminent Philosophers 1 · 0.09/10k
  • Enneads 1 · 0.05/10k

What it meant — LSJ

1. χάος · chaos

chaos, infinite space, unformed matter, water

chaos, the first state of the universe, πρώτιστα χ. γένετʼ, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα Γαῖʼ εὐρύστερνος κτλ. Hes. Th. 116, cf. Ibyc. 28, Epich. 170.3, Acus. Fr. 5J., Arist. Metaph. 1091b6, Ar. Av. 693 (anap.); χάους . . παῖς καλεῦμαι Simm. Alae 7; represented sts. as infinite space, S.E. P. 3.121, cf. Plot. 6.8.11; sts. as unformed matter, Luc. Am. 32 (esp., acc. to the Stoics, water, Zeno Stoic. 1.29 (with deriv. fr. χέω)).

2 space, the expanse of air

space, the expanse of air, ἄτρυτον χ. B. 5.27, cf. Ar. Nu. 424 (anap.), 627, Av. 1218.

b infinite

τὸ χ. τοῦ ἐφʼ ἑκάτερα ἀπείρου αἰῶνος, of infinite time, M.Ant. 4.3.

3 the nether abyss, infinite darkness

the nether abyss, infinite darkness, joined with Ἔρεβος, Pl. Ax. 371e; with ὄρφνη, Q.S. 2.614; represented as in the interior of the globe, Plu. Frig. 2.953a; χάους κύνα, of Cerberus, APl. 16.91.

b darkness

generally, darkness, A.R. 4.1697.

4 any vast gulf, chasm, pit, gaping jaws

any vast gulf or chasm, LXX Mi. 1.6, Za. 14.4; of a pit, Opp. C. 4.92; of the gaping jaws of the crocodile, ib. 3.414, cf. 4.161, H. 5.52.

5 one

Pythag. name for one, Theol.Ar. 6.

2. χᾱός · chaos

In the wild

6 of 10 attestations shown. Ask for more.

Where it came from

No etymology authority pointer is recorded for this lemma yet — an honest gap, not an omission. The etymological dictionaries (Beekes, Chantraine, Frisk) are matched incrementally.

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