ἀστεῖος, α, ον,
also ος, ον Diph. 73: (ἄστυ): -
I. of the town (but in the literal sense ἀστικός is used).
II town-bred, polite, Pl. Phd. 116d; opp. ἄγροικος, Plu. Ma 3; γένοιτ’ ἀστεῖος οἰκῶν ἐν πόλει Alc. Com. 26; charming, Isoc. 2.34.
2. of thoughts and words, refined, elegant, witty, διάλεκτον ἀστείαν ὑποθηλυτέραν, opp. ἀνελεύθερον ὑπαγροικοτέραν, Ar. Fr. 685; ἀστεῖόν τι λέξαι Id. Ra. 901; ἀστεῖον λέγεις (where there is a play on the double sense, witty and popular) Id. Nu. 204; ἀ. καὶ δημωφελεῖς οἱ λόγοι Pl. Phdr. 227d; ἀστεῖον εἰπεῖν Com.Anon. 248 Mein., cf. Axiop. 1.14; ἀστειοτάτας ἐπινοίας Ar. Eq. 539; of persons, οἱ ἀ. the wits, Pl. R. 452d; τὰ ἀ. witty sayings, witticisms, Arist. Rh. 1411b21, al. Adv. -ως J. AJ 12.4.4, Plu. 2.123f, Luc. Nigr. 13.
3. as a general word of praise, of things and persons, pretty, charming, βοσκήματε Ar. Ach. 811; ἑορτή Pl. Grg. 447a; ἀ. καὶ εὐήθης Id. R. 349b, cf. Phdr. 242e, Hp. 13; ἐστὶ γοῦν ἁπλῆ τις; - ἀστεία μὲν οὖν Anaxil. 21; ἀστεῖόν [ἐστι] ὅτι ἐρυθριᾷς it is charming to see you blush, Pl. Ly. 204c; ἀστεῖον πάνυ εἰ.. Men. Sam. 149. ironically, ἀ. κέρδος a pretty piece of luck, Ar. Nu. 1064; ἀστεῖος εἶ Diph. 73.
4. of outward appearance, pretty, graceful, LXX [Exo 2:2], al.; οἱ μικροὶ ἀ. καὶ σύμμετροι, καλοὶ δ’ οὔ Arist. EN 1123b7; handsome, LXX Jd. 3.17 (of Eglon): in Comedy, of dainty dishes, κραμβίδιον, κρεΐσκον, Antiph. 6, Alex. 189.
5. good of its kind, αἷμα Hp. Alim. 44; ἑλλέβορος Str. 9.3.3; οἶνος Plu. 2.620d; of persons, good, Ph. 1.97, Plu. Them. 5; ἀστεῖα good qualities, opp. φαῦλα, Demetr. Eloc. 114. Adv. -είως honourably, πράττων LXX [2Ma 12:43], cf. Ph. 1.244.
G791 — ἀστεῖος
ἀστεῖον (ἄστυ a city);
1. of the city; of polished manners (opposed to ἄγροικος rustic), genteel (from Xenophon, and Plato down).
2. elegant (of body), comely, fair (Judith 11:23; Aristaenet. 1, 4, 1 and 19, 8): of Moses ([Exo 2:2]), [Heb 11:23]; with τῷ Θεῷ added, unto God, God being judge, i. e. truly fair, [Act 7:20]; cf. Winers Grammar, § 31, 4 a., p. 212 (199); (248 (232)); Buttmann, 179 (156); (Philo, vit. Moys. i., § 3, says of Moses γεννηθείς ὁ παῖς εὐθύς ὄψιν ἐνεφηνεν ἀστειοτεραν ἤ κατ' ἰδιωτην). (Cf. Trench, § cvi.)
ἀστεῖος , - ον
( < ἄστυ , a city),
[in LXX : [Exo 2:2] (H2896), [Num 22:32] ( οὐκ ἀ . H3399), [Jdg 3:17] (H1277), Jdt 11:23 , Da LXX , Sus 1:7, 2Ma 6:23 * ;]
1. of the town.
2. (Like Lat. urbanus),
(a) courteous,
(b) elegant (in Papyri, of clothing, MM , s.v. ), comely, fair (as in Ex, l.c ), [Heb 11:23], [Act 7:20]. †