A.one who comes to seek aid or protection, suppliant; freq. in Hom. of one who comes to seek for purification after homicide, ἀνὴρ ἱ. Il. 24.158, cf. Od.9.270,al.: later generally, “ἱκέται ἱζόμενοι τοῦ θεοῦ” Hdt.2.113, cf. 5.71; “ἱ. σέθεν ἔρχομαι” Pi.O.5.19, cf. S.OC634, Th.1.136; “ἱ. πατρῴων τάφων” Id.3.59; “δέξασθαι ἱκέτην” A.Supp.27 (anap.); of pilgrims to a healing shrine, “ἐγκεκοιμις μένων τῶν ἱκετᾶν” IG4.951.90 (Epid.); “ὑβρίζειν . . εἰς ἱκέτας” Phld.Ir.p.35 W.:—wrongly expld.as protector of suppliants by some Gramm. in Od.16.422.
ἱκέτ-ης , ου, ὁ, (ἱκνέομαι)