θηρίον, θηρίου, τό (diminutive of θήρ; hence, a little beast, little animal; Plato, Theact., p. 171 e.; of bees, Theocritus, 19, 6; but in usage it had almost always the force of its primitive; the later diminutive is θηριδιον (cf. Epictetus diss. 2, 9, 6)); (from Homer down); the Sept. for ηΗιΘδ and αΐΜδΕξΘδ, an animal; a wild animal, wild beast, beast: properly, Mar_1:13; Act_10:12 Rec.; ; Heb_12:20; (Jas_3:7); Rev_6:8; in Rev_11:7 and Rev_13:1-18; Rev_14:1-20; Rev_15:1-8; Rev_16:1-21; Rev_17:1-18; Rev_18:1-24; Rev_19:1-21; Rev_20:1-15, under the figurative of a 'beast' is depicted Antichrist, both his person and his kingdom and power (see ἀντίχριστος); metaphorically, a brutal, bestial man, savage, ferocious, Tit_1:12 (colloquial, 'ugly dogs') (so in Aristophanes eqq. 273; Plutarch, 439; nub. 184; (cf. Schmidt, chapter 70, 2; apparently never with allusion to the stupidity of beasts); still other examples are given by Kypke, Observations, ii., p. 379; θηρία ἀνθρωπομορφα, Ignatius Smyrn. 4 [ET], cf. ad Ephes. 7 [ET]). (Synonym: see ζοων.)

θηρίον thērion 46x a beast, wild animal, Mar_1:13 ; Act_10:12 ; met. a brute, brutish man, Tit_1:12 beast.

θηρίον , -ου , τό (dimin. of θήρ ), [in LXX chiefly for H2416 ;] a wild beast, beast: Mar_1:13 , Act_11:6 ; Act_28:4-5 , Tit_1:12 , Heb_12:20 , Jas_3:7 , Rev_6:8 ; of Antichrist, Rev_11:7 ; Rev_11:13-19 .†

θήριον [page 291] In P Tebt II. 355 .6 ( c. A.D. 145) we read of a tax of 1 obol θηρ (ίων ), and in ib. 638 (A.D, 180 192) 2 obols are charged for the same purpose : cf. also the reference to a μερισμὸς θηρ̣ι̣ων̣ in P Lond 844 .6 (A.D. 174) (= III. p. 55), where the editors note that the nature of the tax must remain doubtful. A letter to a prefect of date iii/iv A.D. contains an apology, because the writer had not been able to procure some wild animals which were required P Oxy I. 122 .9 ἡμεῖ [ς ] δ̣ε̣̣ ἀγρεύειν τῶν θηρίων δυνά [με ]θ̣α οὐδὲ ἕν , we cannot catch a single animal (Edd.), and BGU IV. 1024 iv. 5 ff. (iv/v A.D.) conveys a stern rebuke by the prefect to one who had dug up a dead man whom the city had buried publicly σύ μοι δοκεῖς [ψυχὴν ἔ ]χειν θηρίου καὶ [ο ]ὐκ ἀνθρώπου , [μᾶλλον δ ]ὲ οὐδὲ θηρίου . καὶ γὰρ τὰ θήρια [τ ]οῖς μὲν ἀνθρώποις πρόσισιν , τῶν δὲ [ἀ ]ποθνησκόντων φίδοντα [ι ]. σὺ δὲ ἐπεβούλευσας σώμα ( l. σώματι ) ἀλλοτρ [ι ]ωθέντι ὑπὸ τοῦ [γ ]ένους τῶν ἀνθρώπων : cf. Vett. Val. p. 78 .9 γίνονται γὰρ οἱ τοιοῦτοι θηρίου παντὸς χείρονες . For the adj. θηριώδης see s.v. ἀνήμερος , and cf. OGIS 424 .3 (Ist half i/A.D.) θηριώδους καταστάσεω [ς . In MGr the subst. appears as θηρίο , θερί .

θηρίον θηρίον, ου, τό, [Etym: in form a Dim. of θήρ, but in usage equiv. to it.] "a wild animal, beast", of a stag, Od. ;—of "savage beasts", Hdt. , Xen. , etc.; but, of a pig, Plat. ; of a dog, Theocr. :—in pl. "beasts", opp. to men, birds, and fishes, "wild animals, game", Hdt. , Plat. :—proverb., ἢ θηρίον ἢ θεός, i. e. either below or above the nature of man, Arist. "an animal", Hdt. , Plat. "a poisonous animal, reptile, serpent", NTest. also as real Dim. "a little animal, insect", of bees, Theocr. as a term of reproach, "beast!" like Lat. bellua, French "bete", Ar. , Plat.

θηρίον, -ου, τό (dimin. of θήρ), [in LXX chiefly for חַי ;] a wild beast, beast: Mrk.1:13, Act.11:6 28:4-5, Tit.1:12, Heb.12:20, Jas.3:7, Rev.6:8; of Antichrist, Rev.11:7, 13-19.† (AS)