ἐπιστρέφω

See also: επιστρέφω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From ἐπι- (epi-, “upon”) +‎ στρέφω (stréphō, “to turn”).

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /e.pis.tré.pʰɔː/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /e.pisˈtre.pʰo/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /e.pisˈtre.ɸo/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /e.pisˈtre.fo/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /e.pisˈtre.fo/

Verb

ἐπιστρέφω • (epistréphō)

to turn about, turn round, wheel about
- 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 7.141
- 430 BCE, Euripides, Herakles' Children 942
- 10 CE – 70 CE, Hero, Automata 23.3
- 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 2.90
- 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Hellenica 6.4.9
- 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Sulla 19
- 100 BCE – 1 BCE, Asclepiodotus, Tactics 10.5
1. to turn towards
  - 6th century BC, Theognis of Megara, Elegies 1083
  - 6th century BC, Theognis of Megara, Elegies 213
  - 125 CE – 200 CE, Lucian, Timon 11
  - 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Moralia 2.21C
  - 412 BCE – 323 BCE, Diogenes of Sinope, Letters 34.1
  - 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Women of Trachis 1182
  - 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Mark Antony 42
  1. (intransitive) to turn oneself towards
    - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, On Horsemanship 8.12
    - AD 254–270, Plotinus, Enneades 5.3.1
    - 412 CE – 485 CE, Proclus, Elements of Theology 15
2. to turn or convert from an error, to correct, make to repent
  - 125 CE – 200 CE, Lucian, How to Write History 5
  - 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Alcibiades 16
  - 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Cato the Younger 14
  - 230 CE – 238 CE, Philostratus, Lives of the Sophists 1.7.1
  1. (intransitive) to repent
    - 300 BCE – 200 BCE, Septuagint, Judith 5.19
    - 70 CE – 110 CE, The Gospel of Matthew 13:15
    - 50 CE – 100 CE, The Gospel of Luke 22:32
3. to curve, twist
  - 388 BCE, Aristophanes, Plutus 1131
  - Palatine Anthology 11.376.8
  - 460 BCE – 370 BCE, Hippocrates of Kos, Aphorisms 4.35
  - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Problems 963B.10
  - 371 BCE – 287 BCE, Theophrastus, Enquiry into Plants 3.8.4
  - 371 BCE – 287 BCE, Theophrastus, Enquiry into Plants 3.9.6
(middle voice, passive voice, especially in second aorist) to turn oneself around, turn about
- Oppian, Cynegetica 4.179
- 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 3.156
- 438 BCE, Euripides, Alcestis 187
- 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, History of Animals 629B.15
- 380 BCE, Plato, The Republic 616C
- 442 BCE, Sophocles, Antigone 1111
1. to go back and forth
  - Second Homeric Hymn to Artemis 10
  - 470 BCE, Aeschylus, The Suppliants 508
  - 750 BCE – 650 BCE, Hesiod, Theogony 753
  - 412 BCE, Euripides, Helen 83
  - 413 BCE, Euripides, Ion 352
  - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Oeconomicus 4.13
  - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Phaedrus 247A
  - 100 CE – 300 CE, Dionysius Periegetes, Periegesis 584
2. to turn the mind towards, pay attention to
  - 409 BCE, Sophocles, Philoctetes 599
  - 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.88
  - c. 440 BCE, Euripides, Rhesus 400
  - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Aristocrates 136
3. (perfect passive participle) earnest, vehement
  - 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 8.62
  - 230 CE – 238 CE, Philostratus, Lives of the Sophists 1.7.1

Inflection

Present: ἐπιστρέφω, ἐπιστρέφομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπιστρέφω	ἐπιστρέφεις	ἐπιστρέφει	ἐπιστρέφετον	ἐπιστρέφετον	ἐπιστρέφομεν	ἐπιστρέφετε	ἐπιστρέφουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ἐπιστρέφω	ἐπιστρέφῃς	ἐπιστρέφῃ	ἐπιστρέφητον	ἐπιστρέφητον	ἐπιστρέφωμεν	ἐπιστρέφητε	ἐπιστρέφωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπιστρέφοιμῐ	ἐπιστρέφοις	ἐπιστρέφοι	ἐπιστρέφοιτον	ἐπιστρεφοίτην	ἐπιστρέφοιμεν	ἐπιστρέφοιτε	ἐπιστρέφοιεν
	imperative		ἐπίστρεφε	ἐπιστρεφέτω	ἐπιστρέφετον	ἐπιστρεφέτων		ἐπιστρέφετε	ἐπιστρεφόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐπιστρέφομαι	ἐπιστρέφῃ / ἐπιστρέφει	ἐπιστρέφεται	ἐπιστρέφεσθον	ἐπιστρέφεσθον	ἐπιστρεφόμεθᾰ	ἐπιστρέφεσθε	ἐπιστρέφονται
	subjunctive	ἐπιστρέφωμαι	ἐπιστρέφῃ	ἐπιστρέφηται	ἐπιστρέφησθον	ἐπιστρέφησθον	ἐπιστρεφώμεθᾰ	ἐπιστρέφησθε	ἐπιστρέφωνται
	optative	ἐπιστρεφοίμην	ἐπιστρέφοιο	ἐπιστρέφοιτο	ἐπιστρέφοισθον	ἐπιστρεφοίσθην	ἐπιστρεφοίμεθᾰ	ἐπιστρέφοισθε	ἐπιστρέφοιντο
	imperative		ἐπιστρέφου	ἐπιστρεφέσθω	ἐπιστρέφεσθον	ἐπιστρεφέσθων		ἐπιστρέφεσθε	ἐπιστρεφέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ἐπιστρέφειν				ἐπιστρέφεσθαι
participle	m	ἐπιστρέφων				ἐπιστρεφόμενος
	f	ἐπιστρέφουσᾰ				ἐπιστρεφομένη
	n	ἐπιστρέφον				ἐπιστρεφόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Imperfect: ἐπέστρεφον, ἐπεστρεφόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπέστρεφον	ἐπέστρεφες	ἐπέστρεφε(ν)	ἐπεστρέφετον	ἐπεστρεφέτην	ἐπεστρέφομεν	ἐπεστρέφετε	ἐπέστρεφον
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐπεστρεφόμην	ἐπεστρέφου	ἐπεστρέφετο	ἐπεστρέφεσθον	ἐπεστρεφέσθην	ἐπεστρεφόμεθᾰ	ἐπεστρέφεσθε	ἐπεστρέφοντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Future: ἐπιστρέψω, ἐπιστρέψομαι, ἐπιστραφήσομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπιστρέψω	ἐπιστρέψεις	ἐπιστρέψει	ἐπιστρέψετον	ἐπιστρέψετον	ἐπιστρέψομεν	ἐπιστρέψετε	ἐπιστρέψουσῐ(ν)
active	optative	ἐπιστρέψοιμῐ	ἐπιστρέψοις	ἐπιστρέψοι	ἐπιστρέψοιτον	ἐπιστρεψοίτην	ἐπιστρέψοιμεν	ἐπιστρέψοιτε	ἐπιστρέψοιεν
middle	indicative	ἐπιστρέψομαι	ἐπιστρέψῃ / ἐπιστρέψει	ἐπιστρέψεται	ἐπιστρέψεσθον	ἐπιστρέψεσθον	ἐπιστρεψόμεθᾰ	ἐπιστρέψεσθε	ἐπιστρέψονται
middle	optative	ἐπιστρεψοίμην	ἐπιστρέψοιο	ἐπιστρέψοιτο	ἐπιστρέψοισθον	ἐπιστρεψοίσθην	ἐπιστρεψοίμεθᾰ	ἐπιστρέψοισθε	ἐπιστρέψοιντο
passive	indicative	ἐπιστραφήσομαι	ἐπιστραφήσῃ	ἐπιστραφήσεται	ἐπιστραφήσεσθον	ἐπιστραφήσεσθον	ἐπιστραφησόμεθᾰ	ἐπιστραφήσεσθε	ἐπιστραφήσονται
passive	optative	ἐπιστραφησοίμην	ἐπιστραφήσοιο	ἐπιστραφήσοιτο	ἐπιστραφήσοισθον	ἐπιστραφησοίσθην	ἐπιστραφησοίμεθᾰ	ἐπιστραφήσοισθε	ἐπιστραφήσοιντο
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		ἐπιστρέψειν			ἐπιστρέψεσθαι		ἐπιστραφήσεσθαι
participle	m	ἐπιστρέψων			ἐπιστρεψόμενος		ἐπιστραφησόμενος
	f	ἐπιστρέψουσᾰ			ἐπιστρεψομένη		ἐπιστραφησομένη
	n	ἐπιστρέψον			ἐπιστρεψόμενον		ἐπιστραφησόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: ἐπέστρεψᾰ, ἐπεστρεψᾰ́μην, ἐπεστράφην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπέστρεψᾰ	ἐπέστρεψᾰς	ἐπέστρεψε(ν)	ἐπεστρέψᾰτον	ἐπεστρεψᾰ́την	ἐπεστρέψᾰμεν	ἐπεστρέψᾰτε	ἐπέστρεψᾰν
	subjunctive	ἐπιστρέψω	ἐπιστρέψῃς	ἐπιστρέψῃ	ἐπιστρέψητον	ἐπιστρέψητον	ἐπιστρέψωμεν	ἐπιστρέψητε	ἐπιστρέψωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπιστρέψαιμῐ	ἐπιστρέψειᾰς / ἐπιστρέψαις	ἐπιστρέψειε(ν) / ἐπιστρέψαι	ἐπιστρέψαιτον	ἐπιστρεψαίτην	ἐπιστρέψαιμεν	ἐπιστρέψαιτε	ἐπιστρέψειᾰν / ἐπιστρέψαιεν
	imperative		ἐπίστρεψον	ἐπιστρεψᾰ́τω	ἐπιστρέψᾰτον	ἐπιστρεψᾰ́των		ἐπιστρέψᾰτε	ἐπιστρεψᾰ́ντων
middle	indicative	ἐπεστρεψᾰ́μην	ἐπεστρέψω	ἐπεστρέψᾰτο	ἐπεστρέψᾰσθον	ἐπεστρεψᾰ́σθην	ἐπεστρεψᾰ́μεθᾰ	ἐπεστρέψᾰσθε	ἐπεστρέψᾰντο
	subjunctive	ἐπιστρέψωμαι	ἐπιστρέψῃ	ἐπιστρέψηται	ἐπιστρέψησθον	ἐπιστρέψησθον	ἐπιστρεψώμεθᾰ	ἐπιστρέψησθε	ἐπιστρέψωνται
	optative	ἐπιστρεψαίμην	ἐπιστρέψαιο	ἐπιστρέψαιτο	ἐπιστρέψαισθον	ἐπιστρεψαίσθην	ἐπιστρεψαίμεθᾰ	ἐπιστρέψαισθε	ἐπιστρέψαιντο
	imperative		ἐπίστρεψαι	ἐπιστρεψᾰ́σθω	ἐπιστρέψᾰσθον	ἐπιστρεψᾰ́σθων		ἐπιστρέψᾰσθε	ἐπιστρεψᾰ́σθων
passive	indicative	ἐπεστράφην	ἐπεστράφης	ἐπεστράφη	ἐπεστράφητον	ἐπεστραφήτην	ἐπεστράφημεν	ἐπεστράφητε	ἐπεστράφησᾰν
	subjunctive	ἐπιστραφῶ	ἐπιστραφῇς	ἐπιστραφῇ	ἐπιστραφῆτον	ἐπιστραφῆτον	ἐπιστραφῶμεν	ἐπιστραφῆτε	ἐπιστραφῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπιστραφείην	ἐπιστραφείης	ἐπιστραφείη	ἐπιστραφεῖτον / ἐπιστραφείητον	ἐπιστραφείτην / ἐπιστραφειήτην	ἐπιστραφεῖμεν / ἐπιστραφείημεν	ἐπιστραφεῖτε / ἐπιστραφείητε	ἐπιστραφεῖεν / ἐπιστραφείησᾰν
	imperative		ἐπιστράφηθῐ	ἐπιστραφήτω	ἐπιστράφητον	ἐπιστραφήτων		ἐπιστράφητε	ἐπιστραφέντων
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		ἐπιστρέψαι			ἐπιστρέψᾰσθαι		ἐπιστραφῆναι
participle	m	ἐπιστρέψᾱς			ἐπιστρεψᾰ́μενος		ἐπιστραφείς
	f	ἐπιστρέψᾱσᾰ			ἐπιστρεψᾰμένη		ἐπιστραφεῖσᾰ
	n	ἐπιστρέψᾰν			ἐπιστρεψᾰ́μενον		ἐπιστραφέν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Perfect: ἐπέστροφᾰ, ἐπέστραμμαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπέστροφᾰ	ἐπέστροφᾰς	ἐπέστροφε(ν)	ἐπεστρόφᾰτον	ἐπεστρόφᾰτον	ἐπεστρόφᾰμεν	ἐπεστρόφᾰτε	ἐπεστρόφᾱσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ἐπεστρόφω	ἐπεστρόφῃς	ἐπεστρόφῃ	ἐπεστρόφητον	ἐπεστρόφητον	ἐπεστρόφωμεν	ἐπεστρόφητε	ἐπεστρόφωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπεστρόφοιμῐ / ἐπεστροφοίην	ἐπεστρόφοις / ἐπεστροφοίης	ἐπεστρόφοι / ἐπεστροφοίη	ἐπεστρόφοιτον	ἐπεστροφοίτην	ἐπεστρόφοιμεν	ἐπεστρόφοιτε	ἐπεστρόφοιεν
	imperative		ἐπέστροφε	ἐπεστροφέτω	ἐπεστρόφετον	ἐπεστροφέτων		ἐπεστρόφετε	ἐπεστροφόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐπέστραμμαι	ἐπέστραψαι	ἐπέστραπται	ἐπέστραφθον	ἐπέστραφθον	ἐπεστράμμεθᾰ	ἐπέστραφθε	ἐπεστράφᾰται
	subjunctive	ἐπεστραμμένος ὦ	ἐπεστραμμένος ᾖς	ἐπεστραμμένος ᾖ	ἐπεστραμμένω ἦτον	ἐπεστραμμένω ἦτον	ἐπεστραμμένοι ὦμεν	ἐπεστραμμένοι ἦτε	ἐπεστραμμένοι ὦσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἐπεστραμμένος εἴην	ἐπεστραμμένος εἴης	ἐπεστραμμένος εἴη	ἐπεστραμμένω εἴητον / εἶτον	ἐπεστραμμένω εἰήτην / εἴτην	ἐπεστραμμένοι εἴημεν / εἶμεν	ἐπεστραμμένοι εἴητε / εἶτε	ἐπεστραμμένοι εἴησᾰν / εἶεν
	imperative		ἐπέστραψο	ἐπεστράφθω	ἐπέστραφθον	ἐπεστράφθων		ἐπέστραφθε	ἐπεστράφθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ἐπεστροφέναι				ἐπεστρᾶφθαι
participle	m	ἐπεστροφώς				ἐπεστραμμένος
	f	ἐπεστροφυῖᾰ				ἐπεστραμμένη
	n	ἐπεστροφός				ἐπεστραμμένον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Pronunciation

Verb

Inflection

Further reading