# τίθημι
## Ancient Greek
### Etymology

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.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /tí.tʰɛː.mi/ → /ˈti.θi.mi/ → /ˈti.θi.mi/
* (5th BCE Attic) IPA: /tí.tʰɛː.mi/
* (1st CE Egyptian) IPA: /ˈti.tʰe̝.mi/
* (4th CE Koine) IPA: /ˈti.θi.mi/
* (10th CE Byzantine) IPA: /ˈti.θi.mi/
* (15th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA: /ˈti.θi.mi/

### Verb

τῐ́θημῐ • (tĭ́thēmĭ)
* to put, place, set
** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 21.405:τόν ῥ’ ἄνδρες πρότεροι θέσαν ἔμμεναι οὖρον ἀρούρηςtón 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 εὐνήνtíthei d’ ára hoi puròs engùs eunḗnhe sprang up and placed a bed for Odysseus near the fire
** 431 BCE, Euripides, Medea 1160:χρυσοῦν τε θεῖσα στέφανον ἀμφὶ βοστρύχοιςkhrusoûn te theîsa stéphanon amphì bostrúkhoissetting the gold crown around her locks
** in phrases
*** (with πόδα (póda)) to plant the foot, i.e. walk, run
**** 458 BCE, Aeschylus, The Eumenides 294:τίθησιν ὀρθὸν ἢ κατηρεφῆ πόδαtíthēsin orthòn ḕ katērephê pódashe is in action or at rest
*** (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 τίθειOdusseùs patrì phílōi en khersì títheiOdysseus placed her in the arms of her dear father
*** (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 μήτηρḕn dé tis eírētaí se katathnētôn anthrṓpōn, hḗ tis soi phílon huiòn hupò zṓnēi théto mḗtērAnd if any mortal man ask you who got your dear son beneath her girdle
*** (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 πιστόνmasteúei dè kaì térpsis en ómmasi thésthai pistónyet delight also seeks to set a trustworthy pledge before the eyes
*** (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 ἔθεντοandrothnêtas Ilíou phthoràs es haimatēròn teûkhos ou dikhorrhópōs psḗphous éthentothey cast into the bloody urn their ballots for the murderous destroying of Ilium
*** (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 ἐσθλόνállōi d’ en stḗthessi titheî nóon eurúopa Zeùs esthlónand in the breast of another Zeus, whose voice is borne afar, [he] puts a mind of understanding
*** (with τὰ ὅπλα (tà hópla))
**** to rest arms, halt
***** 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 4.44.1:ὑπεχώρησαν πρὸς τὸν λόφον καὶ ἔθεντο τὰ ὅπλαhupekhṓrēsan pròs tòn lóphon kaì éthento tà hóplaand they retired to the summit of the ridge, where they grounded their arms
**** to bear arms, fight
***** 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians 8.5:ὃς […] μὴ θῆται τὰ ὅπλα μηδὲ μεθ’ ἑτέρων, ἄτιμον εἶναιhòs […] mḕ thêtai tà hópla mēdè meth’ hetérōn, átimon eînaiwhoever […] did not join forces with either party was to be disenfranchised
**** 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. Geerthe 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 […] ?
**** (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 τίθεσθεtà d’ en taîs skēnaîs autoì horâte kaì tà hópla eû títhesthebut look out for what may happen in the tents and have your arms stacked conveniently
*** (with τὰ γόνατα (tà gónata)) to kneel
**** The Gospel of Mark 15:19:τιθέντες τὰ γόνατα προσεκύνουν αὐτῷtithéntes tà gónata prosekúnoun autôibowing their knees they did homage to him
** to deposit
*** 390 BCE – 322 BCE, Hyperides, Against Athenogenes 5:θεὶς ἐπὶ τὴν τράπεζαν τὰς τετταράκοντα μνᾶςtheìs epì tḕn trápezan tàs tettarákonta mnâsI deposited the forty minas in the bank
** to pay
*** 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Androtion 43:τὴν εἰσφορὰν μὴ τιθέναιtḕn eisphoràn mḕ tithénaito fail to pay the property-tax
** to put down in writing
*** 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laws 793b:τε καὶ κειμένων καὶ τῶν ἔτι θησομένωνte kaì keiménōn kaì tôn éti thēsoménōnboth those already enacted in writing and those still to be enacted
** to bury
*** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 23.83:μὴ ἐμὰ σῶν ἀπάνευθε τιθήμεναι ὀστέ’ Ἀχιλλεῦmḕ emà sôn apáneuthe tithḗmenai osté’ AkhilleûLay not my bones apart from thine, Achilles
** to offer, set before
*** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 23.263:ἱππεῦσιν μὲν πρῶτα ποδώκεσιν ἀγλά’ ἄεθλα θῆκεhippeûsin mèn prôta podṓkesin aglá’ áethla thêkeFor 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.
** to assign, award
*** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 24.57:εἰ δὴ ὁμὴν Ἀχιλῆϊ καὶ Ἕκτορι θήσετε τιμήνei dḕ homḕn Akhilêï kaì Héktori thḗsete timḗnif 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.
** (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 ἅπανταéthēke gàr thúein mèn basiléa prò tês póleōs tà dēmósia hápantaHe ordained that the King shall offer all the public sacrifices on behalf of the state
*** (middle voice) to agree upon
**** 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Phaenippus 13:ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς συγχωρήσαντες ἐθέμεθαhēmîn autoîs sunkhōrḗsantes ethémethawe fix upon another [day] by mutual agreement
*** (of a legal document) to execute
** to establish, institute
*** 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 845:ἀγῶνας θέντες ἐν πανηγύρει βουλευσόμεσθαagônas théntes en panēgúrei bouleusómesthawe shall establish open debates and consider
** to order, ordain, cause to happen
*** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 8.465:οὕτω νῦν Ζεὺς θείη, […] οἴκαδέ τ’ ἐλθέμεναιhoútō nûn Zeùs theíē, […] oíkadé t’ elthémenaiso 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.
*** (in board games) to place (pieces)
**** 380 BCE, Plato, The Republic 604c:ὥσπερ ἐν πτώσει κύβων πρὸς τὰ πεπτωκότα τίθεσθαι τὰ αὑτοῦ πράγματαhṓsper en ptṓsei kúbōn pròs tà peptōkóta títhesthai tà hautoû prágmataas it were in the fall of the dice, to determine the movements of our affairs
* (copulative) to make, cause to be
** (with attributive substantive)
*** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.290:εἰ δέ μιν αἰχμητὴν ἔθεσαν θεοὶ αἰὲν ἐόντεςei dé min aikhmētḕn éthesan theoì aièn eóntesIf the gods who exist for ever made him a spearman
*** (middle voice) to cause to be one's
**** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 21.72:ἀλλ’ ἐμὲ ἱέμενοι γῆμαι θέσθαι τε γυναῖκαall’ emè hiémenoi gêmai thésthai te gunaîkasave only as desiring to wed me and make me your wife
** (with infinitive)
*** 431 BCE, Euripides, Medea 718:παύσω γέ σ’ ὄντ’ ἄπαιδα καὶ παίδων γονὰς σπεῖραί σε θήσωpaúsō gé s’ ónt’ ápaida kaì paídōn gonàs speîraí se thḗsōI will put an end to your childlessness and cause you to beget children
** 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 τοῦτονtàs gàr hēdonàs hótan prodôsin ándres, ou títhēm’ egṑ zên toûtonWhen a man has forfeited his pleasures, I hold not that he lives
*** 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?"
*** to affirm
**** AD 254–270, Plotinus, Enneades 5.5.6
* to make
** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 12.418:οὔτε γὰρ ἴφθιμοι Λύκιοι Δαναῶν ἐδύναντο τεῖχος ῥηξάμενοι θέσθαι παρὰ νηυσὶ κέλευθονoúte gàr íphthimoi Lúkioi Danaôn edúnanto teîkhos rhēxámenoi thésthai parà nēusì kéleuthonFor neither could the mighty Lycians break the wall of the Danaans, and make a path to the ships
** (in periphrasis)
*** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 1.116:εἴ ποθεν ἐλθὼν μνηστήρων τῶν μὲν σκέδασιν κατὰ δώματα θείηeí pothen elthṑn mnēstḗrōn tôn mèn skédasin katà dṓmata theíēshould he perchance come from somewhere and make a scattering of the wooers in the palace

#### Usage notes

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

#### Derived terms

* ᾰ̓γωνοθετέω (ăgōnothetéō)
* ᾰ̓́θετος (ắthetos)
* ᾱ̓θλοθετέω (āthlothetéō)
* ἀκμοθέτης (akmothétēs)
* ᾰ̓μφῐτῐ́θημῐ (ămphĭtĭ́thēmĭ)
* ᾰ̓νᾰτῐ́θημῐ (ănătĭ́thēmĭ)
* ᾰ̓ντῐτῐ́θημῐ (ăntĭtĭ́thēmĭ)
* ᾰ̓οιδοθέτης (ăoidothétēs)
* ᾰ̓ποτῐ́θημῐ (ăpotĭ́thēmĭ)
* ᾰ̔ρμᾰτοθεσῐ́ᾱ (hărmătothesĭ́ā)
* ᾰ̓στρόθετος (ăstróthetos)
* αὐλοθετέω (aulothetéō)
* αὐτόθετος (autóthetos)
* δεινοθέτης (deinothétēs)
* διᾰγωνοθετέω (diăgōnothetéō)
* δῐᾰτῐ́θημῐ (dĭătĭ́thēmĭ)
* δῐκαιοθέτης (dĭkaiothétēs)
* δῠ́σθετος (dŭ́sthetos)
* ἐγχειρῐ́θετος (enkheirĭ́thetos)
* εἰστῐ́θημῐ (eistĭ́thēmĭ)
* ἐκτῐ́θημῐ (ektĭ́thēmĭ)
* ἐλαιοθετέω (elaiothetéō)
* ἐντῐ́θημῐ (entĭ́thēmĭ)
* ἐπεντίθημι (epentíthēmi)
* ἐπῐτῐ́θημῐ (epĭtĭ́thēmĭ)
* εὔθετος (eúthetos)
* ζωοθετέω (zōothetéō)
* θεσμοθετέω (thesmothetéō)
* θημωνοθετέω (thēmōnothetéō)
* θῠγᾰτροθετέω (thŭgătrothetéō)
* ῐ̔εροθετέω (hĭerothetéō)
* κᾰτᾰτῐ́θημῐ (kătătĭ́thēmĭ)
* κεντροθεσῐ́ᾱ (kentrothesĭ́ā)
* κρεοθέτης (kreothétēs)
* λῐθοθεσῐ́ᾱ (lĭthothesĭ́ā)
* λογοθετέω (logothetéō)
* μελοθεσῐ́ᾱ (melothesĭ́ā)
* μετᾰτῐ́θημῐ (metătĭ́thēmĭ)
* μοιροθεσῐ́ᾱ (moirothesĭ́ā)
* νομοθετέω (nomothetéō)
* νουθετέω (nouthetéō)
* οἰκόθετος (oikóthetos)
* οἰωνοθέτης (oiōnothétēs)
* ὀνομᾰτοθετέω (onomătothetéō)
* ὀργᾰνοθετέω (orgănothetéō)
* ὁρῐοθετέω (horĭothetéō)
* ὁροθετέω (horothetéō)
* οὐρᾰνοθεσῐ́ᾱ (ourănothesĭ́ā)
* πᾰλαίθετος (pălaíthetos)
* πᾰρᾰτῐ́θημῐ (părătĭ́thēmĭ)
* πᾰρεμβολοθέτης (părembolothétēs)
* πεντάθετος (pentáthetos)
* περιτῐ́θημῐ (peritĭ́thēmĭ)
* προστῐ́θημῐ (prostĭ́thēmĭ)
* προτῐ́θημῐ (protĭ́thēmĭ)
* σημόθετος (sēmóthetos)
* στηριγμοθέτης (stērigmothétēs)
* συμψηφοθετέω (sumpsēphothetéō)
* συνεπιτίθημι (sunepitíthēmi)
* συντῐ́θημῐ (suntĭ́thēmĭ)
* σφαιροθεσῐ́ᾱ (sphairothesĭ́ā)
* τοποθετέω (topothetéō)
* τρῐ́θετος (trĭ́thetos)
* υἱόθετος (huióthetos)
* ῠ̔μνοθέτης (hŭmnothétēs)
* ῠ̔περτῐ́θημῐ (hŭpertĭ́thēmĭ)
* ῠ̔ποτῐ́θημῐ (hŭpotĭ́thēmĭ)
* χειροθεσῐ́ᾱ (kheirothesĭ́ā)
* χωροθεσῐ́ᾱ (khōrothesĭ́ā)
* ψηφοθέτης (psēphothétēs)
* ὠμοθετέω (ōmothetéō)
* ᾠοθεσῐ́ᾱ (ōiothesĭ́ā)
* ὡροθετέω (hōrothetéō)

#### Related terms

* ἔθω (éthō)
* θέμᾰ (thémă)
* θέμεθλᾰ (thémethlă)
* θεμέλῐος (themélĭos)
* θέμις (thémis)
* θεός (theós)
* θέσῐς (thésĭs)
* θέσμῐον (thésmĭon)
* θέσμῐος (thésmĭos)
* Θέσμῐος (Thésmĭos)
* θεσμός (thesmós)
* θετέος (thetéos)
* θετήρ (thetḗr)
* θέτης (thétēs)
* θετῐκός (thetĭkós)
* θετός (thetós)
* θήκη (thḗkē)
* θῆμᾰ (thêmă)
* θημών (thēmṓn)
* θής (thḗs)
* Θησεύς (Thēseús)

#### Descendants

* Greek: θέτω (théto)

#### See also

* κεῖμαι (keîmai)

### References

* ↑ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “τίθημι”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 1482-3

### Further reading

* “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.
* τίθημι, in ΛΟΓΕΙΟΝ [Logeion] Dictionaries for Ancient Greek and Latin (in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch and Chinese), University of Chicago, since 2011