τίθημι

From Proto-Hellenic *t(e/i)tʰēmi, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰé-dʰeh₁-ti, reduplicated present from *dʰeh₁- (“to put, place”). The pay/offer senses are from conflation with δίδωμι (dídōmi) in PIE, see Latin -dō.

Cognates include Latin faciō, Sanskrit दधाति (dadhāti), Old Armenian դնեմ (dnem), Old English dōn (English do), and Albanian dhatë.

τῐ́θημῐ • (títhēmi)

1. to put, place, set
   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 21.405:

     τόν ῥ’ ἄνδρες πρότεροι θέσαν ἔμμεναι οὖρον ἀρούρης

     tón rh’ ándres próteroi thésan émmenai oûron aroúrēs

     [a stone] that men of former days had set to be the boundary mark of a field

   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 14.518:

     τίθει δ’ ἄρα οἱ πυρὸς ἐγγὺς εὐνήν

     títhei d’ ára hoi puròs engùs eunḗn

     he sprang up and placed a bed for Odysseus near the fire

   • 431 BCE, Euripides, Medea 1160:

     χρυσοῦν τε θεῖσα στέφανον ἀμφὶ βοστρύχοις

     khrusoûn te theîsa stéphanon amphì bostrúkhois

     setting the gold crown around her locks

   1. in phrases
      1. (with πόδα (póda)) to plant the foot, i.e. walk, run
         • 458 BCE, Aeschylus, The Eumenides 294:

           τίθησιν ὀρθὸν ἢ κατηρεφῆ πόδα

           títhēsin orthòn ḕ katērephê póda

           she is in action or at rest

      2. (with ἐν χειρί, ἐν χερσίν (en kheirí, en khersín)) to put something into someone's hands
         • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.441:

           Ὀδυσσεὺς πατρὶ φίλῳ ἐν χερσὶ τίθει

           Odusseùs patrì phílōi en khersì títhei

           Odysseus placed her in the arms of her dear father

      3. (with παῖδα (paîda), υἱὸν (huiòn), etc. ὑπὸ ζώνῃ (hupò zṓnēi)) to have a child put under one's girdle, i.e. to conceive
         • 7th–6th centuries BC, Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 282:

           ἢν δέ τις εἴρηταί σε καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων,
           ἥ τις σοι φίλον υἱὸν ὑπὸ ζώνῃ θέτο μήτηρ

           ḕn dé tis eírētaí se katathnētôn anthrṓpōn,
           hḗ tis soi phílon huiòn hupò zṓnēi théto mḗtēr

           And if any mortal man ask you who got your dear son beneath her girdle

      4. (with ἐν ὄμμασι (en ómmasi)) to set before one's eyes
         • 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Nemean Ode 8.43:

           μαστεύει δὲ καὶ τέρψις ἐν ὄμμασι θέσθαι πιστόν

           masteúei dè kaì térpsis en ómmasi thésthai pistón

           yet delight also seeks to set a trustworthy pledge before the eyes

      5. (with ψῆφον (psêphon)) to give one's vote or opinion, to vote
         • 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 816:

           ἀνδροθνῆτας Ἰλίου φθορὰς
           ἐς αἱματηρὸν τεῦχος οὐ διχορρόπως
           ψήφους ἔθεντο

           androthnêtas Ilíou phthoràs
           es haimatēròn teûkhos ou dikhorrhópōs
           psḗphous éthento

           they cast into the bloody urn their ballots for the murderous destroying of Ilium

      6. (with ἐν στήθεσσι (en stḗthessi), ἐν φρεσί (en phresí), etc.) to put or plant in one's heart
         • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 13.732:

           ἄλλῳ δ’ ἐν στήθεσσι τιθεῖ νόον εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς ἐσθλόν

           állōi d’ en stḗthessi titheî nóon eurúopa Zeùs esthlón

           and in the breast of another Zeus, whose voice is borne afar, [he] puts a mind of understanding

      7. (with τὰ ὅπλα (tà hópla))
         1. to rest arms, halt
            • 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 4.44.1:

              ὑπεχώρησαν πρὸς τὸν λόφον καὶ ἔθεντο τὰ ὅπλα

              hupekhṓrēsan pròs tòn lóphon kaì éthento tà hópla

              and they retired to the summit of the ridge, where they grounded their arms

         2. to bear arms, fight
            • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians 8.5:

              ὃς […] μὴ θῆται τὰ ὅπλα μηδὲ μεθ’ ἑτέρων, ἄτιμον εἶναι

              hòs […] mḕ thêtai tà hópla mēdè meth’ hetérōn, átimon eînai

              whoever […] did not join forces with either party was to be disenfranchised

         3. to lay down one's arms, surrender
            • 100 BCE – 1 BCE, Diodorus Siculus, 20 31
            • 100 BCE – 1 BCE, Diodorus Siculus, 20 45:

              οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Δημήτριον ἐκ διαδοχῆς κινδυνεύοντες καὶ νεαλεῖς ἀεὶ γινόμενοι, διὰ τῶν πετροβόλων ἐρημωθέντος τοῦ τείχους, ἐνέπεσον εἰς τὴν Μουνυχίαν καὶ τοὺς μὲν φρουροὺς ἠνάγκασαν θέσθαι τὰ ὅπλα, τὸν δὲ φρούραρχον Διονύσιον ἐζώγρησαν.

              hoi dè perì tòn Dēmḗtrion ek diadokhês kinduneúontes kaì nealeîs aeì ginómenoi, dià tôn petrobólōn erēmōthéntos toû teíkhous, enépeson eis tḕn Mounukhían kaì toùs mèn phrouroùs ēnánkasan thésthai tà hópla, tòn dè phroúrarkhon Dionúsion ezṓgrēsan.

              • 1938 translation by Russell M. Geer

                the men of Demetrius, who were fighting in relays and were continually relieved, after the wall had been cleared by the ballistae, broke into Munychia, forced the garrison to lay down its arms, and took the commander Dionysius alive.

            • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Moralia 2.759a:

              Ἦ γὰρ οὐχ ὁρᾷς, ὡς ὁ μὲν στρατιώτῆς τὰ ὅπλα θεὶς πέπαυται τῆς πολεμιχῶς μανίας […] ;

              Ê gàr oukh horâis, hōs ho mèn stratiṓtês tà hópla theìs pépautai tês polemikhôs manías […] ;

              You have observed, have you not, that as soon as the soldier lays down his arms he is relieved from the madness of war […] ?

         4. (with εὖ (eû)) to keep arms in good order
            • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 4.5.3:

              τὰ δ’ ἐν ταῖς σκηναῖς αὐτοὶ ὁρᾶτε καὶ τὰ ὅπλα εὖ τίθεσθε

              tà d’ en taîs skēnaîs autoì horâte kaì tà hópla eû títhesthe

              but look out for what may happen in the tents and have your arms stacked conveniently

      8. (with τὰ γόνατα (tà gónata)) to kneel
         • The Gospel of Mark 15:19:

           τιθέντες τὰ γόνατα προσεκύνουν αὐτῷ

           tithéntes tà gónata prosekúnoun autôi

           bowing their knees they did homage to him

   2. to deposit
      • 390 BCE – 322 BCE, Hyperides, Against Athenogenes 5:

        θεὶς ἐπὶ τὴν τράπεζαν τὰς τετταράκοντα μνᾶς

        theìs epì tḕn trápezan tàs tettarákonta mnâs

        I deposited the forty minas in the bank

   3. to pay
      • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Androtion 43:

        τὴν εἰσφορὰν μὴ τιθέναι

        tḕn eisphoràn mḕ tithénai

        to fail to pay the property-tax

   4. to put down in writing
      • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laws 793b:

        τε καὶ κειμένων καὶ τῶν ἔτι θησομένων

        te kaì keiménōn kaì tôn éti thēsoménōn

        both those already enacted in writing and those still to be enacted

   5. to bury
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 23.83:

        μὴ ἐμὰ σῶν ἀπάνευθε τιθήμεναι ὀστέ’ Ἀχιλλεῦ

        mḕ emà sôn apáneuthe tithḗmenai osté’ Akhilleû

        Lay not my bones apart from thine, Achilles

   6. to offer, set before
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 23.263:

        ἱππεῦσιν μὲν πρῶτα ποδώκεσιν ἀγλά’ ἄεθλα θῆκε

        hippeûsin mèn prôta podṓkesin aglá’ áethla thêke

        For swift charioteers first he set forth goodly prizes

      • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laws 719a:

        ὁ δὲ προάγων λόγος ὅ γέ μοι ἀπείργασται, βούλομαι ὑμῖν εἰς τὸ μέσον αὐτὸ θεῖναι.

        ho dè proágōn lógos hó gé moi apeírgastai, boúlomai humîn eis tò méson autò theînai.

        Now I wish to put before you what I take to be the result of the foregoing argument.

   7. to assign, award
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 24.57:

        εἰ δὴ ὁμὴν Ἀχιλῆϊ καὶ Ἕκτορι θήσετε τιμήν

        ei dḕ homḕn Akhilêï kaì Héktori thḗsete timḗn

        if indeed ye gods will vouchsafe like honour to Achilles and to Hector

      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 18.5:

        Ἀρναῖος δ’ ὄνομ’ ἔσκε: τὸ γὰρ θέτο πότνια μήτηρ ἐκ γενετῆς:

        Arnaîos d’ ónom’ éske: tò gàr théto pótnia mḗtēr ek genetês:

        Arnaeus was his name, for this name his honored mother had given him at his birth.

   8. (often with νόμον (nómon)) to lay down, enact
      • 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Electra 580:

        ὅρα τιθεῖσα τόνδε τὸν νόμον βροτοῖς
        μὴ πῆμα σαυτῇ καὶ μετάγνοιαν τιθῇς.

        hóra titheîsa tónde tòn nómon brotoîs
        mḕ pêma sautêi kaì metágnoian tithêis.

        See that by laying down such a law for men, you do not lay down trouble and remorse for yourself.

      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Constitution of Sparta 15.2:

        ἔθηκε γὰρ θύειν μὲν βασιλέα πρὸ τῆς πόλεως τὰ δημόσια ἅπαντα

        éthēke gàr thúein mèn basiléa prò tês póleōs tà dēmósia hápanta

        He ordained that the King shall offer all the public sacrifices on behalf of the state

      1. (middle voice) to agree upon
         • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Phaenippus 13:

           ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς συγχωρήσαντες ἐθέμεθα

           hēmîn autoîs sunkhōrḗsantes ethémetha

           we fix upon another [day] by mutual agreement

      2. (of a legal document) to execute
   9. to establish, institute
      • 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 845:

        ἀγῶνας θέντες ἐν πανηγύρει βουλευσόμεσθα

        agônas théntes en panēgúrei bouleusómestha

        we shall establish open debates and consider

   10. to order, ordain, cause to happen
       • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 8.465:

         οὕτω νῦν Ζεὺς θείη, […] οἴκαδέ τ’ ἐλθέμεναι

         hoútō nûn Zeùs theíē, […] oíkadé t’ elthémenai

         so may Zeus grant, […] that I may reach my home

       • 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 1673:

         ἐγὼ καὶ σὺ θήσομεν κρατοῦντε τῶνδε δωμάτων καλῶς.

         egṑ kaì sù thḗsomen kratoûnte tônde dōmátōn kalôs.

         I and you will be masters of this house and order it aright.

       1. (in board games) to place (pieces)
          • 380 BCE, Plato, The Republic 604c:

            ὥσπερ ἐν πτώσει κύβων πρὸς τὰ πεπτωκότα τίθεσθαι τὰ αὑτοῦ πράγματα

            hṓsper en ptṓsei kúbōn pròs tà peptōkóta títhesthai tà hautoû prágmata

            as it were in the fall of the dice, to determine the movements of our affairs

2. (copulative) to make, cause to be
   1. (with attributive substantive)
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.290:

        εἰ δέ μιν αἰχμητὴν ἔθεσαν θεοὶ αἰὲν ἐόντες

        ei dé min aikhmētḕn éthesan theoì aièn eóntes

        If the gods who exist for ever made him a spearman

      1. (middle voice) to cause to be one's
         • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 21.72:

           ἀλλ’ ἐμὲ ἱέμενοι γῆμαι θέσθαι τε γυναῖκα

           all’ emè hiémenoi gêmai thésthai te gunaîka

           save only as desiring to wed me and make me your wife

   2. (with infinitive)
      • 431 BCE, Euripides, Medea 718:

        παύσω γέ σ’ ὄντ’ ἄπαιδα καὶ παίδων γονὰς σπεῖραί σε θήσω

        paúsō gé s’ ónt’ ápaida kaì paídōn gonàs speîraí se thḗsō

        I will put an end to your childlessness and cause you to beget children

   3. to regard, consider as; to hold, reckon that
      • 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Electra 1270:

        δαιμόνιον αὐτὸ τίθημ’ ἐγώ.

        daimónion autò títhēm’ egṓ.

        I regard it as a work of the divine.

      • 442 BCE, Sophocles, Antigone 1166:

        τὰς γὰρ ἡδονὰς ὅταν προδῶσιν ἄνδρες, οὐ τίθημ’ ἐγὼ ζῆν τοῦτον

        tàs gàr hēdonàs hótan prodôsin ándres, ou títhēm’ egṑ zên toûton

        When a man has forfeited his pleasures, I hold not that he lives

      1. to assume
         • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Phaedo 79a:

           θῶμεν οὖν βούλει, ἔφη, δύο εἴδη τῶν ὄντων;

           thômen oûn boúlei, éphē, dúo eídē tôn óntōn?

           "Now," said he, "shall we assume two kinds of existences?"

      2. to affirm
         • 204 CE – 270 CE, Plotinus, Collected Works 5.5.6
3. to make
   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 12.418:

     οὔτε γὰρ ἴφθιμοι Λύκιοι Δαναῶν ἐδύναντο
     τεῖχος ῥηξάμενοι θέσθαι παρὰ νηυσὶ κέλευθον

     oúte gàr íphthimoi Lúkioi Danaôn edúnanto
     teîkhos rhēxámenoi thésthai parà nēusì kéleuthon

     For neither could the mighty Lycians break the wall of the Danaans, and make a path to the ships

   1. (in periphrasis)
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 1.116:

        εἴ ποθεν ἐλθὼν μνηστήρων τῶν μὲν σκέδασιν κατὰ δώματα θείη

        eí pothen elthṑn mnēstḗrōn tôn mèn skédasin katà dṓmata theíē

        should he perchance come from somewhere and make a scattering of the wooers in the palace

The first aorist is used only in the indicative, and mostly in the singular and third-person plural.

• Greek: θέτω (théto)

• κεῖμαι (keîmai)

• “τίθημι”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Bauer, Walter et al. (2001) A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
• G5087 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
• Woodhouse, S. C. (1910) English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language‎, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited.
  • appoint idem, page 36.
  • assume idem, page 47.
  • begin idem, page 70.
  • class idem, page 135.
  • commence idem, page 147.
  • deposit idem, page 212.
  • devote idem, page 220.
  • display idem, page 236.
  • enact idem, page 270.
  • establish idem, page 283.
  • evince idem, page 286.
  • exercise idem, page 291.
  • exhibit idem, page 291.
  • frame idem, page 342.
  • hold idem, page 402.
  • imprint idem, page 424.
  • lay idem, page 480.
  • make idem, page 508.
  • manifest idem, page 511.
  • mortgage idem, page 542.
  • offer idem, page 571.
  • ordain idem, page 578.
  • pass idem, page 595.
  • place idem, page 616.
  • plant idem, page 617.
  • posit idem, page 628.
  • postulate idem, page 629.
  • print idem, page 641.
  • put idem, page 660.
  • rank idem, page 671.
  • render idem, page 694.
  • secondary idem, page 747.
  • set idem, page 756.
  • show idem, page 770.
  • time idem, page 875.
  • upside down idem, page 939.
  • wage idem, page 958.