δεσπότ-ης, ου, ;
vocative δέσποτᾰ: Ionic dialect accusative δεσπότεα [[ 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.91, +others, 2nd c.AD: Lucianus Sophista “Syr.D.” 25 ] Refs 5th c.BC+]:—master, lord, properly the master of the house, δόμων [[ 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Eumenides” 60, etc.; ὄμμα γὰρ δόμων νομίζω δεσπότου παρουσίαν [prev. author] “Pers.” 169 ] Refs 4th c.BC+]: plural, of a family, [[ [prev. author] “Ag.” 32, “Ch.” 53, 82 (Lyric poetry)] Refs]; in respect of slaves, [[ 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Parmenides” 133d; δοῦλοι καὶ δ. οὐκ ἄν ποτε γένοιντο φίλοι [prev. author] “Lg.” 757a, etc.; δ. καὶ δοῦλος 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Politica” 1253b6, compare 1278b35; ὦ δέσποτ᾽ ἄναξ 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Pax” 90 (_anapaest meter_)] Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὦναξ δέσποτα[[ [prev. work] 389, “fragment” 598; δέσποτ᾽ ἄναξ 4th-3rd c.BC: Menander Comicus 312.5. ] Refs 4th c.BC+]
__2 despot, absolute ruler, [[ 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 3.89, 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 6.77; τύραννος καὶ δ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Leges” 859a ] Refs 5th c.BC+]; of the Roman Emperors, [[ 1st c.AD: Philo Judaeus 2.568, 2nd-3rd c.AD: Dio Cassius Historicus 55.12, 2nd c.AD: Herodianus Grammaticus 1.6.4; γᾶς καὶ θαλάσσας δ. “IG” 12(2).216 (from Mytilene). ] Refs 1st c.AD+]
__3 of the gods, [[ 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Fragmenta” 535, 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Hippolytus” 88, 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Vespae” 875, 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 3.2.13. ] Refs 5th c.BC+]
__4 dominant planet, [[Vett. Val. 5.16. ] Refs]