ἀσφαλ-ής, ές, (σφάλλομαι, σφαλῆναι)
I
1. not liable to fall, immovable, steadfast, in Hom. only once as Adj. (cf. infr. III), θεῶν ἕδος ἀ. αἰεί Od. 6.42, cf. Hes. Th. 128, Pi. N. 6.3, Theoc. 2.34, etc.; ἀσφαλῆ θεῶν νόμιμα S. Ant. 454; unshaken, of purpose, ἀ. ὁ νοῦς Id. Fr. 351.
2. of friends and the like, unfailing, trusty, οὐ γὰρ οἱ.. εὐρύνωτοι φῶτες ἀσφαλέστατοι Id. Aj. 1251; ἀ. στρατηλάτης E. Ph. 599, cf. Th. 1.69: c. inf., φρονεῖν γὰρ οἱ ταχεῖς οὐκ ἀσφαλεῖς the hasty in counsel are not safe, S. OT 617, cf. Pl. Sph. 231a; σῴζειν τὰ κοινὰ πράγματ’ ἀσφαλέσταται E. IT 1062; of things, sure, certain, Th. 4.108,etc.
3. assured from danger, safe, ἀ. αἰών Pi. P. 3.86; ἀσφαλεῖ σὺν ἐξόδῳ S. OC 1288; ἀ. ὄρος X. Lac. 12.1; ὁδός -εστέρα Id. HG 5.4.51; ἐν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ in safety, Th. 1.137, 8.39, cf. Pl. Lg. 892e; ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ τοῦ μὴ παθεῖν X. Cyr. 3.3.31; τοῦ λαλεῖν Men. Sam. 25; ἐν -εστέρῳ, -εστάτῳ, X. Cyr. 7.1.21, An. 1.8.22; ἐν ἀ. βίου E. Hipp. 785; μένειν ἐν τῷ ἀ. X. An. 4.7.8; ἐξ ἀσφαλοῦς from a place of safety, Id. Eq.Mag. 4.16; τοῦ ἀσφαλέος εἵνεκα Hdt. 1.109; τὸ ἀ., = cross ἀσφάλεια, Th. 6.55, etc.; μετὰ τοῦ αὑτῆς ἀ. with no risk to herself, Plot. 4.8.7; ἀσφαλές [ἐστι], c. inf., it is safe to.., Hdt. 3.75, E. Ph. 891, Ar. Av. 1489: abs., ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἀσφαλές Pl. Phlb. 61d, etc.; φεύγειν αὐτοῖς ἀσφαλέστερόν ἐστιν ἢ ἡμῖν X. An. 3.2.19.
4. ἀ. ῥήτωρ a convincing speaker, Id. Mem. 4.6.15.
5. in Lit. Crit., sound, not risky, of language or rhythm, Demetr. Eloc. 19, 41. Adv. -ῶς, ἐρεῖ ib. 78.
II Subst. ἀσφαλές, τό, = cross ἀσφάλεια 6, BGU 984.14 (iv A. D.), etc.
III Adv. ἀσφαλέως, ἔχειν, μένειν, to be, remain firm, steady, Il. 23.325, Od. 17.235: neut. ἀσφαλές as Adv., Il. (v. infr.); δρακεῖσ’ ἀσφαλές Pi. P. 2.20; ἀ. ἀγορεύει without faltering, Od. 8.171, Hes. Th. 86; ἔμπεδον ἀσφαλέως Il. 13.141, Od. 13.86; ἔμπεδον ἀσφαλὲς αἰεί Il. 15.683. Adv. ἀσφαλῶς (-έως) is used in all senses of the Adj., -έως βεβηκὼς ποσσί Archil. 58.4; in safety, with certainty, S. OT 613; ἀ. βουλεύειν And. 3.34; ἀ. ἔχει Hdt. 1.86: c. inf., Lys. 27.6; ἀ. προσθεῖναι as a precaution, Alex.Aphr. in Mete. 14.10: Comp. -έστερον Hdt. 2.161, Pl. Phd. 85d; but -εστέρως Hp. Prorrh. 2.15, Th. 4.71: Sup. -έστατα Hp. Prorrh. 2.23, Pl. R. 467e.
G804 — ἀσφαλής
ἀσφαλές (σφάλλω to make to totter or fall, to cheat (cf. Latinfallo, German fallen, etc., English fall, fail), σφάλλομαι to fall, to reel) (from Homer down);
a. firm (that can be relied on, confided in): ἄγκυρα, [Heb 6:19] (where I, and Tr have received as the form of accusative singular ἀσφαλην (Tdf.7ἀσφαλην; cf. Tdf. at the passage; Delitzsch, commentary at the passage) see ἄρσην). Tropically, certain, true: [Act 25:26]; τό ἀσφαλές, [Act 21:34]; [Act 22:30].
b. suited to confirm: τίνι, [Phi 3:1] (so Josephus, Antiquities 3, 2, 1).