ὀψώνιον, -ov, τό, (fr. ὄψον ---- on which see ὀψάριον, init. —and ὠνέομαι to buy), a later Grk. word (cf. Sturz, De dial. Maced. et Alex. p. 187; Phryn. ed. Lob. p. 418), prop. whatever is bought to be eaten with bread, as fish, flesh, and the like (see ὀψάριον). And as corn, meat, fruits, salt, were given to soldiers instead of pay (Caes. b. g. 1, 23, 1; Polyb. 1, 66 sq.; 3, 13, 8), ὀψώνιον began to signify 1. univ. a soldier’s pay, allowance, (Polyb. 6, 39,12; Dion. Hal. antt. 9, 36), more commonly in the plur. [W. 176 (166); B. 24 (21)] ὀψώνια, prop. that part of a soldier’s support given in place of pay [i e. rations] and the money in which he is paid (Polyb. 1, 67, 1; 6, 39, 15; 1 Mace. iii. 28; xiv. 82; 1 Esdr. iv. 56; Joseph. antt. 12, 2, 3): Lk. iii. 14; 1 Co. ix. 7 [οἷ W. § 31, 7 d.]. 2. metaph. rages: sing. 2 Co. xi. 8; τῆς ἁμαρτίας, the hire that sin pays, Ro. vi 23.° IT

ὀψώνιον opsōnion 4x

provisions; a stipend or pay of soldiers, Lk. 3:14; 1 Cor. 9:7; wages of any kind, 2 Cor. 11:8; due wages, a stated recompense, Rom. 6:23*

**† ὄψώνιον, -ου, τό

(< ὄψον—v.s. ὀψάριον—and ὠνέομαι), [in LXX: I Es 4:56, I Mac 3:28 14:32*;]

provisions, provision-money, soldiers' pay: Lk 3:14, I Co 9:7.

Generally, wages, hire: II Co 11:8; ὄ. τῆς ἁμαρτίας, Ro 6:23 (v. Deiss, BS, 148, 266).†

ὀψώνιον. This interesting word (derived from the classical ὀψωνέω), which is banned by the Atticists (Lob. Φάγε. p. 420), is said tohave entered the Greek language with Menander (Fr. 1051 : cf. Sturz Dial. Mac. p. 187), and is freely used by Polybius (vi. 39.12 ὀψώνιον δ᾽ οἱ πεζοὶ λαμβάνουσι τῆς ἡμέρας δύο ὀβολούς : cf. Kalker, p. 294) and other late writers (see Wetstein ad Lk 3! and Durham Jfenander, p. 83). It is very common in the papyri and inscrr., and its various uses may be illustrated as follows :—(1) For the meaning “‘ provisions” see P Oxy III. 531 (ii/a.D.) where, after various pieces of good advice, a father writes to his son—? ® ἕως πρὸς σὲ ἔλθῃ ᾿Ανουβᾶς ἀπὸ Tod σοῦ χαλκοῦ Td ὀψώνιόν σου καὶ τῶν σῶν ἐξοδίασον ἕως πέμψω, ‘until however Anoubas arrives, you must pay for the provisions of yourself and your household out of your own money, until I send you some” (Edd.). (2) The reference is particularly to a soldier’s “pay,” ‘‘ration-money,” ‘‘allowance” (as in Lk 3}4, cf. 1 Cor 9’), in P Lond 23 (a) 35 (B.c. 158-157) (=I. p. 38), where a certain Ptolemy petitions King Ptolemy Philometer that his brother may obtain a place in a company stationed at Memphis, and receive the usual allowance—écoy kal αὐτοὶ λαμβάνουσιν μετρήματα καὶ ὀψόί-- ὠγνια : cf. 70. 15(8) & 2° (B.c. 131-130) (=I. pp. 55, 56). Similarly in BGU I. 698 (a.p. 120) (= Chrest. 11. p. 755) a soldier wriles promising the repayment of a loan of 140 drachmae τῷ ἔνγιστα δοθησομένῳ ὀψωνίῳ, ‘with my next pay,” and in OG/S 266? (iii/B.c.) provision is made for mercenary soldiers—8rrws τὸ ὀψώνιον λαμβάνωσι τοῦ προειργασμένου χρόνου. (3) From this the transition is easy to ‘‘pay,” ““wages,’’ ‘‘salary” in general. Thus for the sing. ὀψώνιον may be cited the early P Petr II. 13 (7)! (B.c. 258253) TOU χρηματισθέντος σοι ὀψωνίου, 10. (17)* διπλεῖον εἰληφέναι τοῦ διαγεγραμμένου ὀψωνίου, ‘that I received double the allowance of provision-money,” and Osfr 1538 (ii/B.C.) δοθήτω Μέμνονι: . . Bp τὸ καθῆ(κον) μέτρη(μα) καὶ ὀψώνιον 47 ὀψώνιον. Cf. also P Oxy IV. 7447 (B.c. 1) (= Selections, p. 33) ἐὰν εὐθὺς ὀψώνιον λάβωμεν (cf. 2 Cor 115) ἀποστελῶ σε ἄνω, ‘fas soon as we receive wages I will send them to you,” P Grenf 11. 43!% (A.D. 92) the payment of an ὀψό(-- ὠ)νιον of 80 drachmae to a watchman, P Tebt IT. 39129 (A.D. 99) τὸ δὲ ὀψό(--- ὦγνιον τοῦ μαχαιροφόρου, ‘the salary of the sword-bearer,”” P Oxy VI. 898"! (A.D. 123) οὐδὲ ὀψώνιόν μοι ἐχορήγησεν ἔτι πρὸ μηνῶν τριῶν, ‘‘she has failed to supply my allowance for the last three months”—the complaint of a minor regarding his mother, and from the inscrr. Sy// 790 (= 5 1157)?" (c. B.C. 100?) διδόσθω δὲ τῷ ῥαβδούχωι ἐκ τῶν λογευθησομένων χρημάτων ὀψώνιον ἡμερῶν δύο, and A/agn 116** (time of Hadrian) ὀψωνίου, ‘wages’ for the cultivation of arable land. The plur. ὀψώνια is seen in P Petr II. 33 (a) 4%” , ’ 2 ὀψώνιον (Ptol.) τὰ ὀψώνια τοῖς κατὰ τὴν οἰκίαν, P Par 62 7.3 (c. B.C. 170) τοῖς δ᾽ ἀναπληρώσουσιν τὰς ὠνὰς δοθήσεται ὀψώνια, P Ryl 11. 15325 (A.D. 138-161) ὀψώνια, ‘ allowances,” to crowned athletes, P Tebt II. 420% (iii/A.p.) ἵνα καὶ αὐτὸς δῦ (/. Sot) ἀρτάβην κριθῆς els λόγον ὀψωνίων, ‘that he also may give an artaba of barley on account of wages,” and for a wider sense Priene 121*4 (i/B.Cc.), where certain citizens are described as having rendered public services χωρὶς ὀψωνίωγ, ‘without recompense”’: cf. 2d. 109% 106 (c. B.C. 120) ἄτερ éwvlov, and the question to an oracle, P Oxy XII. 14777 (iii/iv A.D.) et λήμψομαι τὸ ὀψώνιον ; ‘shall I receive the present?” (Edd.): see Rom 67%. (4) In P Grenf II. 63" (iii/A.D.) ἔσχον παρὰ σοῦ cis λόγον ὀψωνίου ἐπὶ λόγου ὑπί(ὲρ) [- . .] δραχμὰς εἴκοσι τέσσαρες, the editors suggest that ὀψωνίου is perhaps = ‘‘ interest.” II , εν παγιδεύω---παιδαριον

ὀψώνιον (opsōnion) — compensation. ὀψώνιον, τό, (ὄψον, ὠνέομαι) salary, reckoned in money, τό τε ὀ. καὶ σιτομετρίαν καὶ τὸ ἔλαιον [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; μετρήματα καὶ ὀ. corn- and money-payments, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; φυλακιτῶν [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; of a bank clerk, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; χωρὶς ὀψωνίων, of unsalaried services, [Refs 1st c.BC+]

2. a policeman's pay, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; frequently a soldier's pay, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]: so in plural, pay of an army, [LXX+4th c.BC+]

3. allowance paid to a victorious athlete, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; allowance or scholarship paid to a music-student, προδοῦναί μοι τὸ ὀ. καὶ τὸ κατὰ μῆνα ἀνάλωμα [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; allowance to a son or daughter, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; to a slave, distinguished from ἱματις μός, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]

4. wages of labour, τὰ σώματα ἐνοχλεῖ ἡμᾶς τὰ ὀ. ἀπαιτοῦντα [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; ἀρτάβην κριθῆς εἰς λόγον ὀψωνίων [Refs 3rd c.AD+] the wages of sin, [NT]

5. a magician's fee, [Refs]

6. gratuity to tax-farmers, [Refs]

7. ={ὄψον} [Refs]obsonium), τῶν ἀνηλωμάτων πάντων σίτου καὶ ὀψωνίων [Refs 2nd c.BC+]—The word is rejected by [Refs 4th c.BC+]