00156: 156. αἰτία [αἰτέω] I. a charge, accusation, Lat. crimen, and then the guilt or fault implied in such accusation, Pind., Hdt.:—Phrases: αἰτίαν ἔχειν to be accused, τινός of a thing, id=Pind., etc.;—reversely, αἰτία ἔχει με id=Pind.; ἐν αἰτίαι εἶναι or γίγνεσθαι Xen., etc.; αἰτίαν ὑπέχειν to lie under a charge, Plat.; αἰτίαν φέρεσθαι Thuc.; αἰτίαις ἐνέχεσθαι Plat.:—opp. to these are ἐν αἰτίαι ἔχειν or δι᾽ αἰτίας to hold one guilty, accuse, Hdt., Thuc., etc.; ἐν αἰτίαι βάλλειν Soph.; αἰτίαν νέμειν τινί id=Soph., etc.
2. in good sense, εἰ εὖ πράξαιμεν, αἰτία θεοῦ the credit is his, Aesch.; οἳ ἔχουσι ταύτην τὴν αἰτίαν who have this as their characteristic, Plat.
3. expostulation, μὴ ἐπ᾽ ἔχθραι τὸ πλέον ἢ αἰτίαι Thuc.
II. a cause, Lat. causa, Plat., etc.; dat. αἰτίαι, like Lat. causa, for the sake of, κοινοῦ ἀγαθοῦ Thuc.
III. an occasion, opportunity, αἰτίαν παρέχειν Luc.
IV. the head under which a thing comes, Dem.