A.“ἀνθῶν” Pherecr.46, Pl.Criti. 115a, X.Cyn.5.5:—blossom, flower, “πέτονται ἐπ᾽ ἄνθεσιν εἰαρινοῖσιν” Il.2.89; “ὑακινθίνῳ ἄνθει ὁμοίας” Od.6.231; “βρύει ἄνθεϊ λευκῷ” Il.17.56; “τέρεν᾽ ἄνθεα ποίης” Od.9.449; “ἐπ᾽ ἄνθεσιν ἵζειν” Ar.Eq.403; “δένδρα καὶ ἄνθη καὶ καρπούς” Pl.Phd.110d; “ἡ κατ᾽ ἄνθη δίαιτα” Id.Smp.196a; ἄνθεα τεθρίππων the chaplets of flowers which graced them, Pi.O.2.50, cf.7.80; [Δάφνιν] φέρβον μαλακοῖς ἄνθεσσι μέλισσαι, i.e. with honey, Theoc.7.81.
2. generally, anything thrown out upon the surface, eruption, “προσώπου” Hp.Coac.416; cf. ἐξανθέω. froth or scum, “ἄ. οἴνου” Gal.11.628, Gp.6.3.9,7.15.6; ἄνθη χαλκοῦ, = χάλκανθος, Nic.Th.257; ἄ. χαλκοῦ, v. χαλκός; ἄ. χρυσοῦ, = ἀδάμας, Poll.7.99.
II. metaph., bloom, flower of life, “ἥβης ἄ.” Il.13.484, Pi.P. 4.158, A.Supp.663; “ἥβης ἄνθεσι” Sol.25; “κουρήιον ἄ.” h.Cer.108; “ὥρας ἄ.” X.Smp.8.14; “παῖς καλὸν ἄ. ἔχων” Thgn.994; χροιᾶς ἀμείψεις ἄ. the bloom of complexion, A.Pr.23; τὸ τοῦ σώματος ἄ. its youthful bloom, Pl.Smp.183e; “ὅταν [τὰ πρόσωπα] τὸ ἄ. προλίπῃ” Id.R.601b; also, the flower of an army and the like , “ἄ. Ἄργους” A.Ag.197; “ἄ. Περσίδος αἴας” Id.Pers.59, cf. 252,925, E.HF876 (lyr.); “ὅ τι ἦν αὐτῶν ἄ. ἀπολώλει” Th.4.133; ἄνθεα ὕμνων νεωτέρων the choice flowers of new songs, Pi.O.9.48; τὸ σὸν . . ἄ, παντέχνου πυρὸς σέλας thy pride or honour, A.Pr.7; τὰ ἄνθη flowers or choice passages, elegant extracts, APl.4.274, Cic.Att.16.11.1.
2. like ἀκμή, the bloom, i.e. height of anything, bad as well as good, “δηξίθυμον ἔρωτος ἄ.” A.Ag.743; “ἀκήλητον μανίας ἄ.” S.Tr.999; “ἀ. τοῦ νοῦ” Procl.in Alc.p.248C., Dam.Pr. 70; “τῆς οὐσίας” Procl. in Ti.1.412D.; τῆς ψυχῆς ib.472D.
III. brightness, brilliancy, as of gold, Thgn.452; “χαλκήϊον ἄ.” Orph.Fr. 174; of dyes, lustre, PHolm.17.37; freq. of purple, in sg., Pl. R.429d, Arist.HA547a7, J.AJ3.6.1; “ἁλὸς ἄνθεα” AP6.206 (Antip. Sid.); of bright colours generally, “περιβόλαια παντὸς ἄνθους” D.H.7.72; ἄ. θαλάσσιον seaweed dye, Ps.-Democr.Alch.p.42B.