τᾰλαντ-ον, τό,
balance, Ζεὺς.. τὸ τ. ἐπιρρέπει ἄλλοτε ἄλλως [[ 6th c.BC: Theognis Elegiacus 157; ζυγὸν ταλάντου 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Supplices” 823 (Lyric poetry); ταλάντῳ μουσικὴ σταθμήσεται 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Ranae” 797 ] Refs 6th c.BC+]: in this sense used by [[ 8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus ] Refs 8th c.BC+] only in plural, pair of scales, ἔχον ὥς τε τάλαντα γυνή.., ἥ τε σταθμὸν ἔχουσα καὶ εἴριον ἀμφὶς ἀνέλκει ἰσάζουσα [[ 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 12.433 ] Refs 8th c.BC+]; especially of the scales in which Zeus weighed the fortunes of men, χρύσεια πατὴρ ἐτίταινε τ. [[ 8.69, 22.209; γνῶ γὰρ Διὸς ἱρὰ τ. 16.658 ] Refs]; ἐπὴν κλίνῃσι τ. Ζεύς, i.e. when he decides the issue of battle,[[ 19.223; τ. βρίσας οὐκ ἰσορρόπῳ τύχῃ 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Persae” 346 ] Refs 4th c.BC+]; of the scales of justice, δίκης κατέκειτο τάλαντα [[ “hymnus ad Mercurium” 324, compare “Anthologia Graeca” 6.267.4 (3rd c.BC(?): Diotimus Epigrammaticus)] Refs 3rd c.BC+]: so in singular, δίκας ῥέπει τάλαντον [[ 5th c.BC: Bacchylides Lyricus 17.25. ] Refs 5th c.BC+]
__2 tax paid for the use of the public scales, [[ “SIG” 4.7 (Cyzicus, 6th c.BC). ] Refs 6th c.BC+]
__II anything weighed,
__II.1 a definite weight, talent, in [[ 8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus ] Refs 8th c.BC+] always of gold, δέκα χρυσοῖς τάλαντα [[ 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 9.122; δύω χρ. τ. 18.507; δέκα πάντα τ. ten in all, 19.247, 24.232 ] Refs 8th c.BC+]; χρυσοῦ.. εὐεργέος ἑπτὰ τ. [[ 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 9.202; χρυσοῖο τάλαντον.. τιμήεντος 8.393 ] Refs 8th c.BC+]: from the order of the prizes in [[ 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 23.262f ] Refs 8th c.BC+] and other passages its weight was probably not great,[[compare 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Fragmenta” 164. ] Refs 4th c.BC+]