ἀγών
Etym. ἄγομαι
I. "a number of people brought together, a gathering, assembly", like ἀγορά, ἵζανεν εὐρὺν ἀγῶνα, λῦτο δ᾽ ἀγών, ἐν ἀγῶνι νεῶν Hom.: esp. "an assembly met to see games", id=Hom., etc.
2. "a place of contest, the arena", id=Hom., etc.; βήτην ἐς μέσσον ἀγῶνα Il.
II. "an assembly" of the Greeks "at their great national games", ὁ ἐν Ὀλυμπίῃ ἀγών Hdt.; ὁ Ὀλυμπικὸς ἀγών Ar.
2. "the contest for a prize" at the games, ἀγὼν ἱππικός, γυμνικός Hdt., etc.; ἀγὼν τῶν ἀνδρῶν, in which the chorus was composed of men, opp. to τῶν παίδων, Dem., etc.:— hence, ἀγῶνα ἄγειν, καθιστάναι, τιθέναι, προτιθέναι, ποιεῖν, to hold or propose "a contest"; ἀγῶν or ἐν ἀγῶνι νικᾶν, to win one or "at" one.
III. generally, "any struggle, trial", or "danger", πολλοὺς ἀγῶνας ἐξιών, of Hercules, Soph.; ἀγὼν προκέαται, c. inf., it is "hard or dangerous" to do a thing, Hdt.:— also, ἀγὼν περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς, περὶ μεγίστων "a struggle" for life and death, for one's highest interests, Eur.
2. "a battle, action", Thuc.
3. "an action at law, trial", Plat., etc.
4. metaph., οὐ λόγων ἔθ᾽ ἁγών now is not "the time for" speaking, etc., Eur.; οὐχ ἕδρας ἀγ. 'tis no "time for" sitting still, id=Eur.