Matthew 5:33

ὅρκος: In Ancient Greek, ὅρκος has two primary meanings: (1) the entity or object by which one swears, acting as a witness to the oath. For the gods, this included sacred entities like the Styx (Il. 15.38), Zeus, Earth, or the Erinyes (Il. 2.755, 3.276ff., Od. 14.394), while for men, symbolic objects such as Achilles' sceptre (Il. 1.234) could serve this purpose; (2) the oath itself, as a solemn promise or binding agreement often invoking divine witnesses. Examples include taking an oath from someone (ἑλέσθαι τινός or τινί, Il. 22.119, Od. 4.746), swearing "by the gods" (ὅρκος θεῶν, Il. 20.313), or being bound by an oath (ὅρκῳ πιστωθῆναι, Od. 15.436). This dual meaning reflects the profound religious, social, and legal significance of oaths in Greek culture.