μέλω
Etym. on II., most usual in 3rd sg. and pl. of act. pres. μέλει, μέλουσι.
A. neuter, with perf. μέμηλα, "to be an object of care or thought" to anyone, c. dat. pers., ἀνθρώποισι μέλω "I am a source of care" to men, i. e. "am well known" to them, Od.; so, Ἀργὼ πᾶσι μέλουσα id=Od.; νερτέροισι μέλω Eur., etc.
II. μή τοι ταῦτα μελόντων "let" not these things "be a care" to thee, Hom.; πόλεμος ἄνδρεσσι μελήσει Il.; ὧι τόσσα μέμηλε to whom so great things are a care, Od., etc.:—an inf. often stands as nom., οὐκ ἔμελέν μοι ταῦτα μεταλλῆσαι id=Od.
2. in attic 3rd sg. is commonly used impers. with the object in gen., and pers. in dat., ὧι μέλει μάχας to whom "there is care" for the battle, who "careth for" it, Aesch.; Ζηνὶ τῶν σῶν μέλει πόνων Eur., etc.;—also, μέλει μοι περί τινος Hdt., attic; ὑπέρ τινος Dem.
3. absol., with a neg., οὐδέν μοι μέλει I "care" not, Ar.
4. μέλον ἔστι periphr. for μέλει, as, ἐστί τι μέλον τινί Soph.; τοῦτο ἴσασιν ἐμοὶ μεμεληκός Xen.:—also absol., μέλον γέ σοι "since you have thought about it", Plat.
III. Mid. is used by Poets like Act., "to be an object of care", ἐμοὶ δέ κε ταῦτα μελήσεται Il.; τἀνθάδ᾽ ἂν μέλοιτό μοι what remains "should be a care" to you, Soph., etc.; rarely impers., μέλεταί μοί τινος Theocr.
2. in epic Poets are found perf. and plup. pass. μέμβλεται, μέμβλετο, shortd. for μεμέληται, μεμέλητο, with pres. and imperf. sense, οὐκέτι μέμβλετ᾽ Ἀχιλλεύς (for μέλει) Achilles "cares" no longer for it, Il.; μέμβλετο οἱ τεῖχος (for ἔμελε) the wall "was a care" to him, id=Il.:—the regul. perf. occurs in later Poets, Φοίβωι μεμελήμεθα Anth.; 2 and 3rd sg. plup. μεμέλησο, -ητο, id=Anth., Theocr.
B. trans., c. gen. of persons, "to care for, take care of, take an interest in" a thing, πλούτοιο μεμηλώς "busied with" riches, Il.; πολέμοιο μεμηλώς id=Il.; θεοὶ τῶν ἀδίκων μέλουσιν Eur.:—absol. "to be anxious", μέλει κέαρ Aesch., etc.
II. Mid. μέλομαι, "to care for, take care of", c. gen., Trag.; so in aor1 pass., τάφου μεληθείς "having provided for" the burial, Soph.:—also μεληθέν, as Pass. "cared for", Anth.; and perf. part. μεμελημένος, id=Anth.