θηρίον

θηρίον — thēríon

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 חַיָה and בְּהֵמָה, 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.)