τέλος
Alt. τέλος, ος, εος, τό,
I. "the fulfilment or completion" of anything, Lat. effectus, i.e. its "consummation, issue, result, end", Hom., etc.; τ. πολέμου its "issue", Il.; τ. ἐπιτιθέναι τινί to put "a finish" to a thing, i. e. give it effect, id=Il.; τ. ἐπιγίγνεται ἀρῇσι one's prayers are "accomplished", Od.:— τέλος ἔχειν to have reached "the end, to be finished or ready", Il.; τ. ἔχει δαίμων ὅπα θέλει the deity keeps "the result" in his own power, Eur.:— τ. λαβεῖν to be "completed", Plat.
2. esp. of "the end" of life, τὸ τ. βίου, Soph., Eur.; and without βίου, "the end, death", Hdt.
3. periphr. in various phrases, τέλος θανάτου "the point or term" of death, Lat. exitus mortis, Hom.; so, τ. γάμοιο ῀ γάμος, Od., etc.
4. Adverbial usages:
a. τέλος "at last", Hdt., Thuc.: so, εἰς or ἐς τέλος Hdt.:— διὰ τέλους "throughout, for ever, completely", Trag.:— τέλει, Lat. omnino, at all, Soph.
II. "the end proposed, chief matter", μύθου τ. Il.
2. "the end of action", Plat.:—hence = τὸ ἀγαθόν, "the chief good", Cicero's "finis bonorum", Arist.
3. "perfection, full age", ἀνδρὸς τ. man's "full age", man "hood", Plat.; τέλος ἔχειν or λαμβάνειν "to be grown up", id=Plat.
4. "a final decision, determination", Aesch.
5. "the prize" at games, Pind.
III. "supreme authority", Eur., etc.
2. "a magistracy, office", οἱ ἐν τέλει "men in office, magistrates", Soph., Thuc., etc.; οἱ ἐν τέλει βεβῶτες Soph.:—then, τὸ τέλος "the government", Aesch.; τὰ τέλη "the magistrates", Thuc., Xen., etc.
3. generally, "a task, office", Aesch.; ὀμμάτων τέλη the "duties" of the eyes, Eur.
IV. "a body of soldiers", Il.; ἐν τελέεσσιν in "squadrons", Il.; so, κατὰ τέλεα Hdt.: —δίρρυμα τέλη "troops" of chariots, Aesch.; and of ships, τρία τέλη τῶν νεῶν Thuc.
V. "that which is paid for state purposes, a toll, tax, duty", Ar., Plat., etc.; ἀγορᾶς τ. a market- "due", Ar.; τέλος πρίασθαι, πωλεῖν to farm "a tax", or let "it", Dem., Aeschin.; for λύειν τέλη, v. λύω V. 2:—generally, "outlay, expense", Thuc.:—hence, at Athens, "the property at which a citizen was rated for taxation", Lat. census; and then, "a class, order", of citizens, Dem., etc.
VI. in pl. "offerings or sacred rites" due to the gods, Trag.:—esp. of the Eleusinian mysteries, Soph., Eur., etc.
2. of marriage, "as the consummation of life", Aesch., Soph.