A.terra firma, land, opp. the sea, Od.3.90, 10.56, Il.1.485, Hes.Op.624, etc.; κατ᾽ ἤπειρον by land, Hdt.4.97, 8.66; “μήτ᾽ ἐν θαλάττῃ μήτ᾽ ἐν ἠπείρῳ” Ar.Ach.534, cf. Timocr.8: hence, even of an island, “ἤπειρόνδε” Od.5.56; but,
II. esp. the mainland of Western Greece, opp. the neighbouring islands, Od.14.97, al.; “ἤπειρόνδε” 18.84, cf. Th.3.114 (so as pr. n., Pi.N.4.51, X.HG6.1.7, etc.): generally, mainland, opp. islands, Hdt.1.148,171, al., Th.1.5, Philostr. VA1.20, etc.
III. later, a continent, esp. of Asia. Hdt.1.96, 4.91, A.Pers.718 (troch.), X.HG3.1.5, D.60.11, etc.; ῥεῖθρον ἠπείροιν （-ων codd.) ὅρον, of the Tanais or Phasis, A.Pr.790; so δισσαὶ ἄπειροι, i.e. Europe and Asia, S.Tr.101 (lyr.); “τὼ δύ᾽ ἠπείρω” Id.Fr.881; ἐφ᾽ ἑκατέρας τῆς ἠ. Isoc.4.35; ἤ. δοιαί, δίδυμαι, ἀμφότεραι, Mosch. 2.8, AP7.18 (Antip. Thess.), 240 (Adaeus), Lib.Ep.783.3; ῥίζαν ἀπείρον τρίταν, of Libya, Pi.P.9.8.
