ἀφορμ-ή, ἡ,
starting-point, especially in war, base of operations, ἀναχώρησίς τε καὶ ἀ.[[ 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.90, compare 2nd c.BC: Polybius Historicus 1.41.6, etc.] Refs 5th c.BC+]; place of safety, [[ 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Medea” 342. ] Refs 5th c.BC+]
__2 generally, starting-point, origin, occasion or pretext, ἀφορμαὶ λόγων[[ [prev. author] “Hec.” 1239, “Ph.” 199; ἀφορμὴν παρέχειν 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 18.156; δεδωκέναι [prev. author] 21.98, cf. NT.2Cor.5.12; λαβεῖν ἀ. 5th-6th c.BC: Isocrates Orator 4.61, NT.Rom.7.8; εὑρεῖν “BGU” 615.6(2nd c.AD), 923.22 (1st-2nd c.AD)] NT+5th c.BC+]; ἵνα ἀ. γένοιτο τιμῆς[[ “Inscription Prien.” 105.16 (1st c.BC)] Refs 1st c.BC+]; ἀ. καὶ πρόφασις[[ 2nd c.BC: Polybius Historicus 2.52.3] Refs 2nd c.BC+]; occasion, origin of an illness, [[ 5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “ἐπιδημίαι” 2.1.11, 2nd c.AD: Soranus Medicus 1.29] Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰδέ τις οἴεται μικρὰν ἀ. εἶναι σιτηρέσιον τοῖς στρατευομένοις ὑπάρχειν a small inducement, [[ 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 4.29; τὸ γὰρ εὖ πράττειν παρὰ τὴν ἀξίαν ἀ. τοῦ κακὼς φρονεῖν [prev. author] 1.23] Refs 4th c.BC+]; instigation, incitement, [[ POxy. 237 vii 21 (2nd c.AD). ] Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__3 means with which one begins a thing, resources, ἀ. τοῦ βίου[[ 5th c.BC: Lysias Orator 24.24; εἰς τὸν βίον 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Memorabilia” 3.12.4; τίνας εἶχεν ἀφορμὰς ἡ πόλι; 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 18.233; ἀφελεῖν τὴν ἀ. δι᾽ ἣν ὑβρίζει [prev. author] 21.98] Refs 5th c.BC+]; πίστις ἀ. μεγίστη πρὸς χρηματισμόν good faith is the best asset for business, [[ [prev. author] 36.44, compare 11.16] Refs]; ἀ. ἐπί.. [[ [prev. author] 3.33] Refs]; especially means of war, [[ 5th-6th c.BC: Andocides Orator 1.109; ἀ. εἰς ξένους χιλίους ] Refs 5th c.BC+]means for levying [[ 1000 mercenaries, 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Historia Graeca (Hellenica)” 4.8.33] Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ. ἔργων means for undertaking.., [[ [prev. author] “Mem.” 2.7.11, compare 3.5.11; πρὸς ἀφορμὴν ἐμπορίας ἢ γεωργίας 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Politica” 1320a39; πάντων ἀ. τῶν καλῶν 4th-3rd c.BC: Philemo Comicus 110. ] Refs 4th c.BC+]