πυθμήν, ένος, ὁ,
bottom, of a cup or jar, δειλὴ δ᾽ ἐνὶ πυθμένι φειδώ [[ 8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Opera et Dies” 369 (so proverbial ἐν τῷ πυθμένι τοῦ πίθου 4th c.AD: Libanius Sophista “Epistulae” 127.2); τὼ δὲ πίθω πατάγεσκ᾽ ὀ πύθμην 7th-6th c.BC: Alcaeus Lyricus “Supp.” 25.9, compare 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Problemata” 936a32, 2nd c.AD: Soranus Medicus 1.91 ] Refs 8th c.BC+]; distinguished from πύνδαξ, [[ 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Problemata” 938a14; φιάλη.. ἡ ἐπὶ τὸν π. καὶ τὸ στόμα τιθεμένη 2nd-1st c.BC: Asclepiades Myrleanus Historicus cited in 2nd c.AD: Athenaeus Epigrammaticus 11.501d, compare 2nd c.AD: Apollodorus Damascenus Mechanicus [prev. work] a] Refs 4th c.BC+]; this sense is doubtful in [[ 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 11.635 (compare below 4 and 2nd c.AD: Athenaeus Epigrammaticus 11.488f), and in “IG” 12.282.111, 11(2).161 B 120, 287 B 89,131,143 (Delos, 3rd c.BC)] Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐν τῷ π. ἐπιγραφὴν ἔχουσα [[ “Inscription Délos” 313a102, compare 320 B 45, +others (3rd c.BC). ] Refs 3rd c.BC+]
__2 generally, base, foundation, χθόνα ἐκ πυθμένων κραδαίνειν [[ 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 1046 (_anapaest meter_)] Refs 4th c.BC+]; π. γαίης, πέτρης, [[ 5th-6th c.AD: Orphica “Argonautica” 92, “L.” 162 ] Refs 5th c.AD+]; foot of a mountain, [[ 4th-3rd c.BC: Aratus Epicus 989. ] Refs 4th c.BC+]
__3 of the sea, bottom, depth, π. θαλάσσης, πόντου, λίμνης, [[ 8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Theogonia” 932, 6th c.BC: Solon Lyricus 13.20, 6th c.BC: Theognis Elegiacus 1035; τοῦ πελάγους 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 109c, compare 112b ] Refs 8th c.BC+]; also Ταρτάρου, abyss, [[ 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “Fragmenta.” 207. ] Refs 5th c.BC+]