σκαι-ός,ά,όν,
A. left, on the left hand, poet. forἀριστερός(used by Prose writers in metaph. sense, and once by Pl. in literal sense, Phdr. 266a ; also in Dor. Prose,ἐν σκαιάν,=ἐς ἀριστεράν, SIG 636.22 (Delph.,ii B.C.;σκαγανlapis)); τὸ ς. ὄμμα παραβαλών
A. Fr. 308
(cf. Ath. 7.303c ); in Hom. always in dat.σκαιῇ(sc.χειρί),with the left hand, Il. 1.501 , al.;χειρὶ ς. Hes. Th. 179 :—hence,
II. western, westward(for the Greek diviner always turned his face northward, and so had the West on his left): henceΣκαιαὶ πύλαιtheWest-gate of Troy, Il. 3.145 , al., cf. Hsch. (otherwise expld. by Sch. ad loc.);ς. ῥίονeither,on the left, orwestheadland, Od. 3.295 ;ς. λιμήνOrac. ap. D.S. 8.21 ; πόρος
D.P. 161
, 481 , 541 .
2. unlucky, ill-omened, mischievous(cf. δεξιός
11
),ἡ φιλοτιμίη κτῆμα ς. Hdt. 3.53 ;σεσιγαμένον οὐ σκαιότερον χρῆμ' ἕκαστονa thing is nonethe worsefor remaining unsaid, Pi. O. 9.104 ;ς. ἐκλύσων στόμαabout to speakmischief, S. Aj. 1225 .
III. metaph. of persons,lefthanded, awkward, clumsy, stupid, -ότατος καὶ ἀδικώτατος