αἰτία
Etym. αἰτέω
I. "a charge, accusation", Lat. crimen, and then "the guilt or fault implied in such accusation", Pind., Hdt.:—Phrases: αἰτίαν ἔχειν "to be accused", τινός "of" a thing, id=Pind., etc.;—reversely, αἰτία ἔχει με id=Pind.; ἐν αἰτίαι εἶναι or γίγνεσθαι Xen., etc.; αἰτίαν ὑπέχειν to lie under "a charge", Plat.; αἰτίαν φέρεσθαι Thuc.; αἰτίαις ἐνέχεσθαι Plat.:—opp. to these are ἐν αἰτίαι ἔχειν or δι᾽ αἰτίας to hold one guilty, accuse, Hdt., Thuc., etc.; ἐν αἰτίαι βάλλειν Soph.; αἰτίαν νέμειν τινί id=Soph., etc.
2. in good sense, εἰ εὖ πράξαιμεν, αἰτία θεοῦ "the credit" is his, Aesch.; οἳ ἔχουσι ταύτην τὴν αἰτίαν who have this "as their characteristic", Plat.
3. "expostulation", μὴ ἐπ᾽ ἔχθραι τὸ πλέον ἢ αἰτίαι Thuc.
II. "a cause", Lat. causa, Plat., etc.; dat. αἰτίαι, like Lat. causa, for the sake of, κοινοῦ ἀγαθοῦ Thuc.
III. "an occasion, opportunity", αἰτίαν παρέχειν Luc.
IV. "the head" under which a thing comes, Dem.