σπέρμ-α, ατος, τό,
(σπείρω) seed, only once in [[ 8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus, in _metaphorically_ sense, see below 1.2: ] Refs 8th c.BC+]
__I mostly, seed of plants, σ. ἀνιέναι, κρύπτειν, [[ “hymnus ad Cererem” 307, compare 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 3.97: _plural_, 8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Opera et Dies” 446 ] Refs 8th c.BC+]; σ. τῇ γῇ διδόναι, ἐμβαλεῖν, [[ 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Oeconomicus” 17.8, 10: proverbial, εἰς πέλαγος σ. βαλεῖν “epigram Gr.” 1038.8 (from Pamphylia) ] Refs 5th c.BC+]; of fruit, [[ 4th c.BC: Antiphanes Comicus 58.4 ] Refs 4th c.BC+]; τοῖς γαίης σπέρμασι with the products of earth, of corn-stalks, [[“Anthologia Graeca” 9.89 (1st c.AD: Philippus Epigrammaticus). ] Refs 1st c.AD+]
__I.2 metaphorically, germ, origin of anything, σ. πυρός [[ 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 5.490; φλογός 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “O.” 7.48, compare “P.” 3.37 ] Refs 8th c.BC+]; σπέρματα, ={στοιχεῖα}, elements, [[ 5th c.BC: Anaxagoras Philosophus 4, compare 4th-3rd c.BC: Epicurus Philosophus ] Refs 5th c.BC+]Ep.2p.38 U., [[ “fragment” 250; ὁ τὸ σπέρμα παρασχών, οὗτος τῶν φύντων αἴτιος 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 18.159; συκοφάντου σ. καὶ ῥίζαν οἴεται δεῖν ὑπάρχειν τῇ πόλει [prev. author] 25.48; σ. τῆς στάσεως 1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus “Marius” 10; τοῦ ὅρκου 3rd c.AD: Longinus Rhetor 16.3. ] Refs 4th c.BC+]
__I.3 seed-time, sowing, [[ 8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Opera et Dies” 781. ] Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II of animals, seed, semen, φέροισα σ. θεοῦ pregnant by the god, [[ 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “P.” 3.15 ] Refs 5th c.BC+]; but σ. φέρειν Ἡρακλέους to be pregnant of Heracles, [[ [prev. author] “N.” 10.17; μυελὸν.. εἰς σ. καὶ γόνον μερίζεσθαι 5th-4th c.BC: Timaeus Locrus Philosophus 100b, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Timaeus” 86c; σ. παραλαβεῖν 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Orestes” 553; σπέρματος πλῆσαι 1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus “Lycurgus” 15: _plural_, κατ᾽ ἀμφότερα τὰ σ. θεῶν ἀπόγονος 5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “ἐπιστολαί” 2. ] Refs 5th c.BC+]