Etym.: Prob. from * e)/rgw e)/rdw, r(e/zw, in the sense of performing sacred rites, sacra facere.

Sense

1. orgies, secret rites, secret worship, rites of Bacchus
2. any worship, rites, sacrifices

Examples

• εἶδον δὲ καὶ ἐν Βύβλῳ μέγα ἱρὸν Ἀφροδίτησ Βυβλίησ, ἐν τῷ καὶ τὰ ὄργια ἐσ Ἄδωνιν ἐπιτελέουσιν ἐδάην δὲ καὶ τὰ ὄργια. (Lucian, De Syria dea, (no name) 6:1)
• λέγουσι γὰρ δὴ ὦν τὸ ἔργον τὸ ἐσ Ἄδωνιν ὑπὸ τοῦ συὸσ ἐν τῇ χώρῃ τῇ σφετέρῃ γενέσθαι, καὶ μνήμην τοῦ πάθεοσ τύπτονταί τε ἑκάστου ἔτεοσ καὶ θρηνέουσι καὶ τὰ ὄργια ἐπιτελέουσι καὶ σφίσι μεγάλα πένθεα ἀνὰ τὴν χώρην ἵσταται. (Lucian, De Syria dea, (no name) 6:2)
• εἰσὶ δὲ ἔνιοι Βυβλίων οἳ λέγουσι παρὰ σφίσι τεθάφθαι τὸν Ὄσιριν τὸν Αἰγύπτιον, καὶ τὰ πένθεα καὶ τὰ ὄργια οὐκ ἐσ τὸν Ἄδωνιν ἀλλ’ ἐσ τὸν Ὄσιριν πάντα πρήσσεσθαι. (Lucian, De Syria dea, (no name) 7:1)
• Ἄττησ δὲ γένοσ μὲν Λυδὸσ ἦν, πρῶτοσ δὲ τὰ ὄργια τὰ ἐσ Ῥέην ἐδιδάξατο. (Lucian, De Syria dea, (no name) 15:2)
• πηξάμενοσ γὰρ λύρην ὄργιά τε ἐποιέετο καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ ἠείδεν· (Lucian, De astrologia, (no name) 10:2)

Source: Henry George Liddell. Robert Scott. "A Greek-English Lexicon". revised and augmented throughout by. Sir Henry Stuart Jones.

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