: in the Ancient Physics, from the time of Anaximander (cf. Placit. 2.16.5), of the
spheres
believed to revolve round the earth carrying the heavenly bodies, and according to the Pythagoreans arranged after the intervals of the musical scale (cf. Alex.Eph. ap. Theon.Sm.p.139 H., Cic.de Rep.6.18), Arist.Metaph.1073b18, Cael. 286b24, Mete.341b20, 354b24, Thphr.Ign.4; ς. ἀπλανής, = ἡ τῶν ἀπλανῶν σ. the
sphere
of the fixed stars, Procl.Hyp.5.1; so ἡ ἀπλανήσ, without σ., ib.7.25; αἱ πλανώμεναι σ. planetary
spheres
, Plu.2.1028a; Astrol., ἡ ὀρθὴ σ. right
sphere
, i.e. the celestial sphere as viewed from the equator, Rhetorius in Cat.Cod.Astr.8(1).231. 4.
a weapon ofboxers
, prob.
iron ball
, worn with padded covers (ἐπίσφαιρα) instead of boxing-gloves (ἱμάντεσ) in the σφαιρομαχίαι, Pl.Lg.830b, cf. Plu. 2.80b. 5.αἱ ς. τῶν ὀμμάτων eye-
balls
, Arist.Pr.958a7. 6.ς. θαλάττιαι sea-
balls
, Id.HA616a20, Crito ap.Gal.12.437. 7.
pill
, Archig. ap. Orib.8.2.18. 8.πλατάνου σφαῖραι, i.e. globular catkins, Dsc.4.73. 9. as a quantitative measure, ἐπίβαλε ..φύκους στυπτηρίου ὡς σφαῖρανPHolm.16.32.