The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Epitasis \E*pit"a*sis\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? a stretching, fr. ? to stretch upon or over; 'epi` upon + ? to stretch.] 1. That part which embraces the main action of a play, poem, and the like, and leads on to the catastrophe; -- opposed to protasis. [1913 Webster] 2. (Med.) The period of violence in a fever or disease; paroxysm. --Dunglison. [1913 Webster]