Greek Proverbs

Here are today's Greek proverbs with LOLCats! These are repeats of previous proverbs, but now with illustrations... and with a quiz too! See how you do on the questions up top, and then try them again down below after you've read through the proverbs (the quiz results display only at the blog, not in the email):

Διώκει ______ ποτανὸν ὄρνιν.

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Διώκει παῖς ποτανὸν ὄρνιν.

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Βελλεροφόντης τὰ ______.

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Βελλεροφόντης τὰ γράμματα.

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Οὐδείς ἐστιν ἅπαντα ______.

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Οὐδείς ἐστιν ἅπαντα σοφός.

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______ ἵπτασθαι διδάσκεις.

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Ἀετὸν ἵπτασθαι διδάσκεις.

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Οὐδὲν γλύκιον ἧς ______.

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Οὐδὲν γλύκιον ἧς πατρίδος.

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Διώκει παῖς ποτανὸν ὄρνιν.

The child is chasing a winged bird.

The saying is invoked by the chorus of Aeschylus's Agamemnon. It refers to something like what we call a "wild goose chase" in English, a futile endeavor or something even more sinister, leading to disaster. The chorus goes on to invoke Paris's theft of Helen a few lines later, so the proverb appears to be associated with a presumed fable, otherwise lost to us, about a child who, in pursuit of a bird, somehow brings destruction on a city as Paris brought destruction on Troy.

Βελλεροφόντης τὰ γράμματα.

The letter of Bellerophon.

This saying alludes to a story about the hero Bellerophon who was sent to King Iobates bearing a letter (Greek γράμματα, plural, means a "letter" in English) that said "Kill Bellerophon." You can read more at Wikipedia: Bellerophon. Another famous letter like this appears in the story of King David in the Hebrew Bible; David sends Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, on a mission carrying a letter intended to secure Uriah's death. Uriah does, in fact, die, but Bellerophon survives and goes on to other heroic adventures. More about Uriah in Wikipedia: Bathsheba. You can also read about this motif at the great TVTropes website: Kill The Messenger.

Οὐδείς ἐστιν ἅπαντα σοφός.

No one is wise in all things.

The saying is adapted from the ancient Greek poet, Theognis (see below). From the Greek word σοφός we get words like philosophy and sophomore.

Ἀετὸν ἵπτασθαι διδάσκεις. 

You're teaching an eagle to fly.

This is one of those proverbial fool's errands. Not only does an eagle not need you to teach it to fly, the eagle can fly far higher and faster than you can. Compare the saying that you saw in an earlier post: Ἰχθὺν νήχεσθαι διδάσκεις, "You're teaching a fish to swim."

Οὐδὲν γλύκιον ἧς πατρίδος.

Nothing is sweeter than one's fatherland.

The word γλύκιον is comparative ("sweeter"), so it takes a genitive complement: πατρίδος. The words appear in Homer's Odyssey, and so echo on throughout Greek literature, quoted by later authors.

For example, here is a line from the Greek Anthology, with "said Odysseus" at the end: ὡς οὐδὲν γλύκιον ἧς πατρίδος, εἶπεν Ὀδυσσεύς. The complete line in the Odyssey includes parents also:

ὣς οὐδὲν γλύκιον ἧς πατρίδος οὐδὲ τοκήων

Here is the meter:

ὣς οὐ~δὲν γλύκι~ον ἧς ~ πατρίδος ~ οὐδὲ το~κήων

Διώκει ______ ποτανὸν ὄρνιν.

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Διώκει παῖς ποτανὸν ὄρνιν.

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Βελλεροφόντης τὰ ______.

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Βελλεροφόντης τὰ γράμματα.

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Οὐδείς ἐστιν ἅπαντα ______.

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Οὐδείς ἐστιν ἅπαντα σοφός.

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______ ἵπτασθαι διδάσκεις.

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Ἀετὸν ἵπτασθαι διδάσκεις.

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Οὐδὲν γλύκιον ἧς ______.

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Οὐδὲν γλύκιον ἧς πατρίδος.

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And to finish up, here's a random LOLCat too:

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Greek Proverbs: September 15

Here are today's Greek proverbs with LOLCats! These are repeats of previous proverbs, but now with illustrations... and with a quiz too! See how you do on the questions up top, and then try them again down below after you've read through the proverbs (the quiz results display only at the blog, not in the email):

______ ὑπὸ ῥόπαλον δραμεῖται.

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Ὗς ὑπὸ ῥόπαλον δραμεῖται.

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Τέττιξ μὲν τέττιγι ______.

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Τέττιξ μὲν τέττιγι φίλος.

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Τὸ ______ οὐδεὶς ἐκφύγοι.

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Τὸ μέλλον οὐδεὶς ἐκφύγοι.

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______ ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ τρέφεις.

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Ὄφιν ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ τρέφεις.

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Σίδηρον ______ διδάσκεις.

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Σίδηρον πλεῖν διδάσκεις.

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Ὗς ὑπὸ ῥόπαλον δραμεῖται.

The pig will run to the cudgel.

The saying refers to someone who foolishly rushes headlong into their own doom instead of running away from it.

Τέττιξ μὲν τέττιγι φίλος.

One grasshopper is dear to another.

The words come from one of the idylls of Theocritus: τέττιξ μὲν τέττιγι φίλος, μύρμακι δὲ μύρμαξ, / ἴρηκες δ᾿ ἴρηξιν, with the τέττιξ, grasshopper or cicada, the μύρμαξ, ant, and the hawks, ἴρηκες.

Τὸ μέλλον οὐδεὶς ἐκφύγοι.

No one can escape what is coming.

The verb ἐκφύγοι is in the optative mood, expressing potential: people might wish to escape what is coming, but nobody can escape, οὐδεὶς ἐκφύγοι. The participial phrase τὸ μέλλον means "that which is coming," i.e. the future, fate, destiny, etc.

Ὄφιν ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ τρέφεις.

You're nursing a snake in your bosom.

This saying appears in Erasmus's Adagia. Compare the Aesop's fable about the man who found a frozen snake in the snow and warmed it, only to be bitten by the snake when it thawed: The Man and the Snake. You can see a more poetic restatement of this proverb, emphasizing that the snake is cold, in this post: Ψυχρὸν ἐν κόλπῳ ποικίλον εἶχες ὄφιν.

Σίδηρον πλεῖν διδάσκεις.

You're teaching iron to float.

This is another kind of fool's errand, the opposite of the previous proverb: iron is never going to float. At least, that's what the Greeks thought about iron. Later on, of course, iron did learn to float! You can read about the history of iron-hulled sailing ships at Wikipedia.

______ ὑπὸ ῥόπαλον δραμεῖται.

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Ὗς ὑπὸ ῥόπαλον δραμεῖται.

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Τέττιξ μὲν τέττιγι ______.

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Τέττιξ μὲν τέττιγι φίλος.

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Τὸ ______ οὐδεὶς ἐκφύγοι.

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Τὸ μέλλον οὐδεὶς ἐκφύγοι.

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______ ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ τρέφεις.

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Ὄφιν ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ τρέφεις.

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Σίδηρον ______ διδάσκεις.

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Σίδηρον πλεῖν διδάσκεις.

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And to finish up, here's a random LOLCat too:

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Greek Proverbs: September 10

Here are today's Greek proverbs with LOLCats! These are repeats of previous proverbs, but now with illustrations... and with a quiz too! See how you do on the questions up top, and then try them again down below after you've read through the proverbs (the quiz results display only at the blog, not in the email):

Ῥεχθὲν δέ τε ______ ἔγνω.

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Ῥεχθὲν δέ τε νήπιος ἔγνω.

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______ οἰκίαι μὴ δέχου.

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Χελιδόνα οἰκίαι μὴ δέχου.

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______ καὶ παῖδες ἀληθεῖς.

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Οἶνος καὶ παῖδες ἀληθεῖς.

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Ξυρεῖν ἐπιχειρεῖν ______.

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Ξυρεῖν ἐπιχειρεῖν λέοντα.

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Μικρὸν ______ μέγα ἀγαθόν.

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Μικρὸν κακὸν μέγα ἀγαθόν.

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Ῥεχθὲν δέ τε νήπιος ἔγνω.

When something is done, even a fool knows it.

This saying appears already in Homer's Iliad: Menelaus is protecting Patroclus's fallen body, and he uses these words to rebuke the Trojan Euphorbus, but Euphorbus does not retreat, and Menelaus kills him. Plato also includes this saying in the Symposium, labeling it a παροιμία, a proverb. The idea is that a wise man can anticipate trouble in advance and avoid it, but the fool rushes in, recognizing the danger only after it has befallen him, Euphorbus being one such fool.

Χελιδόνα οἰκίαι μὴ δέχου.

Do not receive a swallow in your house.

The saying is attributed to Pythagoras, who was not alone in regarding the swallow as a bird of ill omen, but the swallow could also be a good omen. For an overview of the swallow as a bird who could be regarded as both an ill omen and a good omen, see J. G. Frazer: Swallows in the House.

Οἶνος καὶ παῖδες ἀληθεῖς.

Wine and children (are) truthful.

You can find this saying in Plato's Symposium. Compare a similar saying that you saw in an earlier blog post: Ἐν οἴνῳ ἀλήθεια. You can see Greek παῖδες in English pedagogy.

Ξυρεῖν ἐπιχειρεῖν λέοντα.

To attempt to shave a lion.

This proverbial saying appears in Plato's Republic, referring to a very hazardous and risky venture: anybody who has had to shave their pet cat's matted fur knows all about this! The verb "to attempt," ἐπιχειρεῖν, has χειρ, "hand" as its root, so it literally means to put your hand to something, ἐπι-χειρ-εῖν. You will be lucky to get that hand back intact if you really are shaving a lion! You can find additional citations and parallels in Erasmus.

Μικρὸν κακὸν μέγα ἀγαθόν.

A small evil (is) a great good.

Paradoxical but true; compare the English saying about choosing "the lesser of two evils." This saying is also a good way to remember the unexpected ending of the adjective μέγα: just like μικρόν, κακόν and ἀγαθόν, μέγα is neuter singular. From Greek μικρόν we get all the micro- words, of which there are many in English; you can use OneLook to see them all.

Ῥεχθὲν δέ τε ______ ἔγνω.

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Ῥεχθὲν δέ τε νήπιος ἔγνω.

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______ οἰκίαι μὴ δέχου.

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Χελιδόνα οἰκίαι μὴ δέχου.

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______ καὶ παῖδες ἀληθεῖς.

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Οἶνος καὶ παῖδες ἀληθεῖς.

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Ξυρεῖν ἐπιχειρεῖν ______.

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Ξυρεῖν ἐπιχειρεῖν λέοντα.

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Μικρὸν ______ μέγα ἀγαθόν.

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Μικρὸν κακὸν μέγα ἀγαθόν.

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And to finish up, here's a random LOLCat too:

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Greek Proverbs: September 8

Here are today's Greek proverbs with LOLCats! These are repeats of previous proverbs, but now with illustrations... and with a quiz too! See how you do on the questions up top, and then try them again down below after you've read through the proverbs (the quiz results display only at the blog, not in the email):

Ὁ _____ οὐκ ἔχει πηδάλια.

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Ὁ οἶνος οὐκ ἔχει πηδάλια.

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_____ ὁ ἀφανὴς τύραννος.

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Χρυσὸς ὁ ἀφανὴς τύραννος.

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Ἁ δὲ _____ την χεῖρα νίζει.

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Ἁ δὲ χεὶρ την χεῖρα νίζει.

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Τὴν αὑτοῦ _____ δέδοικεν.

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Τὴν αὑτοῦ σκιὰν δέδοικεν.

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Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ _____.

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Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ.

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Ὁ οἶνος οὐκ ἔχει πηδάλια.

Wine has no oars.

In other words, when you drink, you lose control of yourself, just as you cannot control a ship without oars. Metaphorically, the word πηδάλια could also be used to mean the reins of a horse: ἱππικὰ πηδάλια. From Greek οἶνος we get the words oenophile and oenology.

Χρυσὸς ὁ ἀφανὴς τύραννος.

Gold is the invisible tyrant.

The adjective ἀφανὴς is an alpha-privative: ἀ-φανὴς, in-visible. From Greek τύραννος, we get English "tyrant." The etymology of the Greek word is obscure; here are some possible etymologies.

Ἁ δὲ χεὶρ την χεῖρα νίζει.

The hand washes the hand.

Compare the English saying, "One hand washes the other." The saying appears in a fragment of the comic writer Epicharmus. The complete verse line explains the meaning of the saying: Ἡ δὲ χεὶρ τὴν χεῖρα κνίζει, δός τι καὶ λάβοις τι, "give something and you'll get something." Another version of the saying in Greek cited by Erasmus is Χεὶρ χεῖρα νίπτει, δάκτυλός τε δάκτυλον, "Hand washes hand, and finger (washes) finger." From the Greek word χείρ we get the English word "chiropractor."

Τὴν αὑτοῦ σκιὰν δέδοικεν.

He fears his own shadow.

The words are from a fragment of Aristophanes, and of course we use the same phrase in English, "to be afraid of your own shadow." Erasmus cites the phrase with a different verb: Τὴν αὑτοῦ σκιὰν φοβεῖσθαι (φοβέω is also one of today's verbs). Plato uses the phrase in the Phaedo, where he labels it as a saying: τὸ λεγόμενον.

Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ.

The voice of one shouting in the desert.

These words appear in all four Gospels — Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John — referring to John the Baptist, echoing the prophet Isaiah. The word φωνὴ (as in English telephone, etc.) is a feminine noun of the first declension, while the word ἔρημος (as in English hermit, etc.) is a feminine noun of the second declension.

Ὁ _____ οὐκ ἔχει πηδάλια.

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Ὁ οἶνος οὐκ ἔχει πηδάλια.

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_____ ὁ ἀφανὴς τύραννος.

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Χρυσὸς ὁ ἀφανὴς τύραννος.

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Ἁ δὲ _____ την χεῖρα νίζει.

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Ἁ δὲ χεὶρ την χεῖρα νίζει.

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Τὴν αὑτοῦ _____ δέδοικεν.

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Τὴν αὑτοῦ σκιὰν δέδοικεν.

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Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ _____.

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Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ.

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And to finish up, here's a random LOLCat too:

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