A.meal to which each contributed his share, picnic, “εἰλαπίνη ἠὲ γάμος ; ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἔρανος τάδε γ᾽ ἐστίν” Od.1.226, cf. 11.415 : metaph., Pl.Smp.177c.
2. generally, feast, festival, Pi.O.1.38 ; “πολύθυτος ἔ.” Id.P.5.77 ; wedding-banquet, ib.12.14, Pherecyd.11 J.; “ἔρανον εἰς θεοὺς..ἐποίεις” E.Hel.388.
II. loan raised by contributions for the benefit of an individual, bearing no interest, but recoverable at law, in instalments, “παρὰ τῶν φίλων ἔ. συλλέξαι” Antipho 2.2.9, cf. Thphr.Char.22.9 ; κομισόμενος τὸν ἔ. recover the loan, Arist.Ph.196b34 ; “ἔ. εἰσενεγκεῖν τινι” Thphr.Char.15.7, Philem.213.14 ; “ἔ. τινι εἰς τὰ λύτρα εἰσφέρειν” D.53.8 ; “ἔ. εἰς ἐλευθερίαν” Id.59.31, cf. GDI2317 (Delph.), al.; “ἔ. ἀναλαμβάνειν” BGU 1165.16 (i B. C., with mention of interest); “ἔ. εἰκοσίμνως” Lys.Fr.19 ; “πεντακοσιόδραχμος” SIG1215.5 (Myconos); “διτάλαντον εἶχες ἔ. [δωρεὰν] παρά τινων” D.18.312 : in pl., debts thus contracted, Ar.Ach.615 (prob.), Hyp.Ath.9 ; τοὺς ἐ. διενεγκεῖν pay off such debts, Lycurg.22 ; ἐράνους λέλοιπε he has left repayment-instalments unpaid, D.27.25 ; ἔ. συνεφήβοις ἀπενεγκεῖν (cf. infr. III) Luc. DMeretr.7.1.
2. metaph, τοὐράνου γάρ μοι μέτεστι: καὶ γὰρ ἄνδρας εἰσφέρω (spoken by Lysistrata), Ar.Lys.651 ; “δεῖ τοῖς γονεῦσι τὸν ὡρισμένον ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων ἔ. καὶ παρὰ τῆς φύσεως καὶ παρὰ τοῦ νόμου δικαίως φέρειν” D.10.40, cf. 21.101, Isoc.10.20, Pl.Lg.927c ; “κάλλιστον ἔ. [τῇ πόλει] προϊέμενοι” Th.2.43, cf. X.Cyr.7.1.12, Ph.2.553, etc.: generally, favour, service, esp. one which brings a return, “κάλλιστον ἔ., δοὺς γὰρ ἀντιλάζυται” E.Supp.363 ; “ἔ. ἀντιλαμβάνειν” Arist.Pol.1332b40 ; “ἀποδοῦναι” Alex.280 ; ironically, τὸν αὐτὸν ἔ. ἀποδοῦναι 'pay him back in his own coin', D.59.8.
III. a permanent association apparently religious in character (cf. ἐρανιστής), IG12(1).155.12 (Rhodes, ii B.C.), 22.1369 (Athens, ii A. D.); ἔ. συνάγειν Μηνὶ Τυράννῳ ib.3.74 ; “καλεῖται ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ ἔ. καὶ θίασος” Ath.8.362e ; functioning as a friendly society, Plin.Ep.Trai.92 ; it could apparently lend to a non-member, “ὅρος χωρίων ὑποκειμένων τῷ ἐ. καὶ τῷ ἀρχεράνῳ” SIG1198 (Amorgos, iii B. C.), cf. BGU1133-6 (i B. C.).
