θηρίον,τό(in form Dim. of
θήρ),
A. wild animal, esp. of such as are hunted,μάλα γὰρ μέγα θηρίον ἦεν, of a stag, Od. 10.171 , 180 (never in Il. ); in Trag. only in Satyric drama, S. Ichn. 147 (dub. in A. Fr. 26 ): used in Prose forθήρ, X. An. 1.2.7 , Isoc. 12.163 , etc.; of the spider'sprey, Arist. HA 623a27 ; freq. of elephants, Plb. 11.1.12 , al.: pl.,beasts, opp. men, birds, and fishes, h.Ven. 4 , Hdt. 3.108 .
2. generally,animal, Id. 1.119 ; νενόμισται πῦρ θ. εἶναι ἔμψυχον
Id. 3.16
; of men, ἄνθρωπος πάντων θ. θεειδέστατον
Antipho Soph. 48
; εἰς θηρίου βίον ἀφικνεῖσθαι
Pl. Phdr. 249b
; also θ. ὕειον
Id. R. 535e
; of the dog, Theoc. 25.79 ; of fishes, Arist. HA 598b1 ; of eels, Antiph. 147.7 ; of leeches, IG 4.951.101 (Epid.); of other small creatures, Arist. HA 552b11 , 625b32 , Hp. ap. Gal. 19.103 , Theoc. 19.6 ; οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν θ. τῶν ἰχθύων ἀτυχέστερον