πύλη [ῠ], ἡ, properly
one wing of a pair of double gates, ὀλίγον τι παρακλίναντες τὴν ἑτέρην π. [
Refs 5th c.BC+]: mostly in
plural,
gates of a town (whereas θύρα = house-door), Σκαιαὶ π. [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἄνεσάν τε π. καὶ ἀπῶσαν ὀχῆας[
Refs 5th c.BC+]:
plural of several
gates, [
Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἐν πύλαις in or at
the gates, [
Refs]; ἐπὶ ταῖς πύλαισιν, οὗ τὸ τάριχος ὤνιον [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
2) in Trag. sometimes of the
house-door, δωμάτων πύλαι [
Refs 4th c.BC+]; γυναικείους π.
gate or
door leading to the women's apartments,[
Refs 5th c.BC+]: also in
singular,[
Refs]; of the
door of a tent, [
Refs]
3) πύλαι Ἀΐδαο the
gates of the nether world,
periphrasticfor
hell, [
NT+8th c.BC+]
4)
custom-house, [
Refs 2nd c.BC+]; τετελώνηται διὰ πύλης has paid the
customs, [
Refs 3rd c.AD+]; τὸ σύμβολον τῆς ἱερᾶς Συηνιτικῆς π. [
Refs 1st c.BC+]; μισθωταὶ ἱερᾶς π. Σοήνης [
Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II) generally,
entrance, orifice, ἀμφὶ πύλας ἰσθμοῖο [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡλίου πύλαι, [
Refs 4th c.BC+];
portal fissure of the liver, π. καὶ δοχαὶ χολῆς [
Refs 5th c.BC+];
portal vein of the liver, [
Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.b)
plural, of the
carceres in the circus, [
Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.c)
metaphorically, πύλας ὕμνων ἀναπιτνάμεν [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2)
entrance into a country through mountains, pass, [
Refs 5th c.BC+],
the Gates of Greece, [
Refs]: of other
passes, π. τῆς Κιλικίας καὶ τῆς Συρίας [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; αἱ Κάσπιαι π. [
Refs 1st c.BC+]; Ἀμανίδες π. [
Refs 2nd c.AD+]: these
passes were sometimes really barred by
gates, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; Πέλοπος νάσου θεόδματοι π[
Refs 1st c.AD+]
II.3) of
narrow straits, by which one enters a broad sea, Πύλαι Γαδειρίδες the [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπ᾽ αὐταῖς στενοπόροις λίμνης π, of the Thracian Bosporus, [
Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἐν πύλαις, of the Euripus, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]