θεωρ-ία,
Ion. -ίη, Dor. θεᾱρία (v. infr.), Boeot. θιαωρία Ἐφ.Ἀρχ. 1892.34: ἡ: -
I
1. sending of θεωροί or state-ambassadors to the oracles or games, or, collectively, the θεωροί themselves, embassy, mission, θεωρίαν ἀπάγειν εἰς Δῆλον Pl. Phd. 58b: pl., opp. στρατεῖαι, Id. R. 556c; ἄγειν τῷ Διὶ τῷ Νεμείῳ τὴν κοινὴν ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως θ. D. 21.115, cf. X. Mem. 4.8.2, Decr.Byz. ap. D. 18.91 (θεᾱρία), Plb. 28.19.4.
2. office of θεωρός, discharge of that office, τῆς Ὀλυμπίαζε θ. Th. 6.16, cf. Isoc. 19.10, etc.
II being a spectator at the theatre or games, S. OT 1491; οὔτ’ ἐπὶ θεωρίαν πώποτε ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἐξῆλθες Pl. Cri. 52b; personified in Ar. Pax 523,al.
III
1. viewing, beholding, θεωρίης εἵνεκεν ἐκδημεῖν to go abroad to see the world, Hdt. 1.30; κατὰ θεωρίης πρόφασιν ib. 29; ἐκπέμπειν τινὰ κατ’ ἐμπορίαν καὶ κατὰ θεωρίαν Isoc. 17.4, cf. Arist. Ath. 11.1, Th. 6.24; pilgrimage, E. Ba. 1047.
2. of the mind, contemplation, consideration, Pl. Phlb. 38b: pl., θεῖαι θ. Id. R. 517d: c. gen., παντὸς μὲν χρόνου πάσης δὲ οὐσίας ib. 486a; ἡ τῶν ἀρχῶν, ἡ τῶν ὅλων θ., Epicur. Ephesians 2 p.55U., Phld. Rh. 1.288S.; θ. ποιεῖσθαι περί τινος Arist. Metaph. 989b25; ἡ περὶ φύσεως θ. Epicur. Ephesians 1 p.3U., etc.: pl., τὰς σαθρὰς αὐτοῦ θ. Demetr. Lac. Herc. 124.12. theory, speculation, opp. practice, Plb. 1.5.3; ἡ περὶ τὰ στρατόπεδα θ. Id. 6.42.6; αἱ νυκτεριναὶ καὶ ἡμεριναὶ θ. theoretic reckoning of night and day, Id. 9.14.6; ἡ μαθηματικὴ θ. Plu. [Rom 12:1-21].
3. Pass., sight, spectacle, A. Pr. 802, etc.; esp. public spectacle at the theatre or games, Ar. V. 1005, X. Hier. 1.12; ἡ τοῦ Διονύσου θ. the Dionysia, Pl. Lg. 650a.
4. Rhet., explanatory preface to a μελέτη, Chor. in Hermes 17.208, etc.: so in Philos., continuous exposition, Olymp. in Mete. 18.30, al.