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[Meaning] units of armies, phalanxes, numbers, legion.[1]
Also [called] spei=rai are the twistings-together of cordage. And [there is] a proverb: "rope as well as cord," [meaning] the most critical.[2]
Also [called] spei=rai are the coils of a snake.[3]
And Aelian [writes]: "but the serpent had gathered the dead in its twists and was guarding them unharmed, lest either any of the land-animals or of the birds approach to maltreat [them]."[4] Meaning in its coils.
Also [attested is the related adverb] speirhdo/n ["in/with coils, in maniples"], [meaning] in a braided manner.[5]
Also [attested is the related noun] spei/rhma, [meaning] the coiling of the snake.[6]

*spei=rai: plh/qh strateuma/twn, fa/lagges, nou/mera, legew/n. *spei=rai kai\ ai( sustrofai\ tou= sxoini/ou. kai\ paroimi/a: *)epi\ spei/ra| sxoini/on, to\ a)nagkaio/taton. *spei=rai kai\ oi( o(lkoi\ tou= o)/fews. kai\ *ai)liano/s: o( de\ dra/kwn tai=s spei/rais tou\s nekrou\s sunagagw\n e)fu/latten a)paqei=s, w(s a)\n mh/te ti tw=n xersai/wn, mh/te mh\n tw=n pthnw=n e)pi\ lu/mh| prose/lqoi. a)nti\ tou= toi=s o(lkoi=s. kai\ *speirhdo/n, parapeplegme/nws. kai\ *spei/rhma, to\ tou= o)/fews ei)/ligma.

[1] The headword is used to translate Latin manipulus 'maniple': see LSJ s.v. II, and already sigma 931. Same or similar glossing in other lexica (references at Photius sigma447 Theodoridis).
[2] LSJ s.v. I.A.3; and see already at epsilon 2598.
[3] See LSJ s.v. I.A.2.
[4] Aelian fr. 85c Domingo-Forasté (82 Hercher).
[5] Same gloss in other lexica, and cf. also the scholia to Oppian, Halieutica 1.516, from where it is probably quoted.
[6] Ionic equivalent of Attic spei/rama, which appears as a gloss at mu 981. Same or similar glossing in other lexica.

David Whitehead (augmented notes and keywords; cosmetics) on 22 April 2012@04:30:42.
David Whitehead (tweaking) on 31 December 2013@06:38:34.
Catharine Roth (coding) on 5 April 2014@02:01:58.

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