ὀρεύς

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

οὐρεύς (oureús) — Ionic, Epic

Etymology

From ὄρος (óros) + -εύς (-eús). Case-forms show Attic shortening of the original stem ὀρηϝ- (orēw-); see quantitative metathesis. (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /o.rěu̯s/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /oˈreʍs/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /oˈreɸs/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /oˈrefs/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /oˈrefs/

Noun

ὀρεύς • (oreús) m (genitive ὀρέως); third declension

mule, beast of burden
- 405 BCE, Aristophanes, The Frogs 289–291:
  δεινόν: παντοδαπὸν γοῦν γίγνεται
  τοτὲ μέν γε βοῦς, νυνὶ δ' ὀρεύς, τοτὲ δ' αὖ γυνὴ / ὡραιοτάτη τις.
  deinón: pantodapòn goûn gígnetai
  totè mén ge boûs, nunì d’ oreús, totè d’ aû gunḕ / hōraiotátē tis.
  Awful... well, it takes all kinds of shapes:
  at one time it was a cow, just now it was a mule, and then again a woman, / a very youthful one.

Usage notes

Attic speakers preferred the term ἡμίονος, though the adjectival form ὀρικός was used in place of ἡμιονικός.

Inflection

Third declension of ὁ ὀρεύς; τοῦ ὀρέως (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὁ ὀρεύς ho oreús	τὼ ὀρῆ tṑ orê	οἱ ὀρῆς / ὀρεῖς hoi orês / oreîs
Genitive	τοῦ ὀρέως toû oréōs	τοῖν ὀρέοιν toîn oréoin	τῶν ὀρέων tôn oréōn
Dative	τῷ ὀρεῖ tōî oreî	τοῖν ὀρέοιν toîn oréoin	τοῖς ὀρεῦσῐ / ὀρεῦσῐν toîs oreûsĭ(n)
Accusative	τὸν ὀρέᾱ tòn oréā	τὼ ὀρῆ tṑ orê	τοὺς ὀρέᾱς toùs oréās
Vocative	ὀρεῦ oreû	ὀρῆ orê	ὀρῆς / ὀρεῖς orês / oreîs
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Third declension of ὀρεύς; ὀρῆος (Epic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ὀρεύς oreús	ὀρῆε orêe	ὀρῆες orêes
Genitive	ὀρῆος / ὀρέος orêos / oréos	ὀρήοιν / ὀρήοιῐν orḗoi(ĭ)n	ὀρήων orḗōn
Dative	ὀρῆῐ̈ / ὀρέῐ̈ orêĭ̈ / oréĭ̈	ὀρήοιν / ὀρήοιῐν orḗoi(ĭ)n	ὀρήεσσῐ / ὀρήεσσῐν / ὀρεῦσῐ / ὀρεῦσῐν orḗessĭ(n) / oreûsĭ(n)
Accusative	ὀρῆᾰ / ὀρέᾰ orêă / oréă	ὀρῆε orêe	ὀρῆᾰς orêăs
Vocative	ὀρεῦ oreû	ὀρῆε orêe	ὀρῆες orêes
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Derived terms

ὀρεωκόμος (oreōkómos)