Greek Proverb of the Day

Here is today's proverb from the blog with a LOLcat and vocabulary too! This is a repeat of a proverb you've seen before, but the vocabulary list is new. The vocabulary links go to Logeion.

Σκορπίους βέβρωκε.

• σκορπίους, from σκορπίος.
• βέβρωκε, from βιβρώσκω.

Σκορπίους βέβρωκε.

He's eaten scorpions.

This refers to someone who gets angry easily. The idea is that they've eaten scorpions and those scorpions are still in there being disagreeable, as scorpions are wont to do.

And here's a quiz covering the past five cats (answers at the blog only, not in the email):

_______ οὐ δωροδοκεῖται.

reveal/hide answer

Ἀλώπηξ οὐ δωροδοκεῖται.

---

______ θάλασσαν ἐρίζει.

reveal/hide answer

Ποταμὸς θάλασσαν ἐρίζει.

---

______ βέβρωκε.

reveal/hide answer

Σκορπίους βέβρωκε.

---

______ βιώσας.

reveal/hide answer

Λάθε βιώσας.

---

Χυτρεοῦς ______.

reveal/hide answer

Χυτρεοῦς θεός.

---

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

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---

Greek Proverb of the Day: November 14

Here is today's proverb from the blog with a LOLcat and vocabulary too! This is a repeat of a proverb you've seen before, but the vocabulary list is new. The vocabulary links go to Logeion.

Χυτρεοῦς θεός.

• χυτρεοῦς
• θεός

Χυτρεοῦς θεός.

A clay god.

This proverbial phrase refers to a god who is useless, not worthy of worship and unable to come to your aid. The adjective χυτρεοῦς is from the noun, χύτρα, a clay pot used for cooking. 

And here's a quiz covering the past five cats (answers at the blog only, not in the email):

______ βιώσας.

reveal/hide answer

Λάθε βιώσας.

---

Παντὶ αἰτοῦντί σε ______.

reveal/hide answer

Παντὶ αἰτοῦντί σε δίδου.

---

______ θάλασσαν ἐρίζει.

reveal/hide answer

Ποταμὸς θάλασσαν ἐρίζει.

---

_______ οὐ δωροδοκεῖται.

reveal/hide answer

Ἀλώπηξ οὐ δωροδοκεῖται.

---

Χυτρεοῦς ______.

reveal/hide answer

Χυτρεοῦς θεός.

---

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

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---

Greek Proverb of the Day: November 13

Here is today's proverb from the blog with a LOLcat and vocabulary too! This is a repeat of a proverb you've seen before, but the vocabulary list is new. The vocabulary links go to Logeion.

Λάθε βιώσας.

• λάθε, from λανθάνω.
• βιώσας, from βιόω.

Λάθε βιώσας.

Escape notice as you live your life.

As Erasmus explains, this saying praises the humble life, living unnoticed, not seeking fame. The Greek verb λανθάνω means, in the active voice, "escape notice" or "be unnoticed" (λάθε is the aorist active imperative). In the middle and passive forms, it means to "let something escape notice, " i.e. "forget." You can see the same root in the word Λήθη, the river of forgetfulness in the underworld; for more, see Wikipedia: Lethe.

And here's a quiz covering the past five cats (answers at the blog only, not in the email):

______ βιώσας.

reveal/hide answer

Λάθε βιώσας.

---

Παντὶ αἰτοῦντί σε ______.

reveal/hide answer

Παντὶ αἰτοῦντί σε δίδου.

---

______ θάλασσαν ἐρίζει.

reveal/hide answer

Ποταμὸς θάλασσαν ἐρίζει.

---

Δικτύῳ ______ θηρᾶς.

reveal/hide answer

Δικτύῳ ἄνεμον θηρᾶς.

---

_______ οὐ δωροδοκεῖται.

reveal/hide answer

Ἀλώπηξ οὐ δωροδοκεῖται.

---

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

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---

Greek Proverb of the Day: November 12

Here is today's proverb from the blog with a LOLcat and vocabulary too! This is a repeat of a proverb you've seen before, but the vocabulary list is new. The vocabulary links go to Logeion.

Ποταμὸς θάλασσαν ἐρίζει.

• ποταμός.
• θάλασσαν, from θάλασσα.
• ἐρίζει, from ἐρίζω.

Ποταμὸς θάλασσαν ἐρίζει.

A river is contending with the sea.

In other words, someone is pretending to be much greater than he is, as if any river could rival a sea. Erasmus cites a version in the second person: Ποταμὸς θαλάττῃ ἐρίζεις, "You, a river, are contending with the sea." The verb ἐρίζει is from the noun ἔρις, meaning "strife" or "contention." For the personified Goddess of Strife, see Wikipedia: Eris.

And here's a quiz covering the past five cats (answers at the blog only, not in the email):

______ θάλασσαν ἐρίζει.

reveal/hide answer

Ποταμὸς θάλασσαν ἐρίζει.

---

Δικτύῳ ______ θηρᾶς.

reveal/hide answer

Δικτύῳ ἄνεμον θηρᾶς.

---

_______ οὐ δωροδοκεῖται.

reveal/hide answer

Ἀλώπηξ οὐ δωροδοκεῖται.

---

Ἐς πόδας ἐκ ______.

reveal/hide answer

Ἐς πόδας ἐκ κεφαλῆς.

---

Παντὶ αἰτοῦντί σε ______.

reveal/hide answer

Παντὶ αἰτοῦντί σε δίδου.

---

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

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---

Greek Proverb of the Day: November 11

Here is today's proverb from the blog with a LOLcat and vocabulary too! This is a repeat of a proverb you've seen before, but the vocabulary list is new. The vocabulary links go to Logeion.

Ἀλώπηξ οὐ δωροδοκεῖται.

• ἀλώπηξ.
• οὐ.
• δωροδοκεῖται, from δωροδοκέω.

Ἀλώπηξ οὐ δωροδοκεῖται.

A fox cannot be bribed.

The idea here is that foxes are sneaky. They would no doubt gladly accept your gifts, but that does not mean they will change their behavior. If you offer the fox a chicken to stay away from the henhouse, the fox will take the chicken... and still raid the henhouse! So, be careful if you are going to bribe someone: you don't want to bribe someone who is like the fox.

And here's a quiz covering the past five cats (answers at the blog only, not in the email):

Δικτύῳ ______ θηρᾶς.

reveal/hide answer

Δικτύῳ ἄνεμον θηρᾶς.

---

Διώκει ______ ποτανὸν ὄρνιν.

reveal/hide answer

Διώκει παῖς ποτανὸν ὄρνιν.

---

Παντὶ αἰτοῦντί σε ______.

reveal/hide answer

Παντὶ αἰτοῦντί σε δίδου.

---

Ἐς πόδας ἐκ ______.

reveal/hide answer

Ἐς πόδας ἐκ κεφαλῆς.

---

_______ οὐ δωροδοκεῖται.

reveal/hide answer

Ἀλώπηξ οὐ δωροδοκεῖται.

---

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

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---

Greek Proverb of the Day: November 10

Here is today's proverb from the blog with a LOLcat and vocabulary too! This is a repeat of a proverb you've seen before, but the vocabulary list is new. The vocabulary links go to Logeion.

Παντὶ αἰτοῦντί σε δίδου.

• παντὶ, from πᾶς.
• αἰτοῦντί, from αἰτέω.
• σε, from σύ.
• δίδου, from δίδωμι.

Παντὶ αἰτοῦντί σε δίδου.

Give to each person who asks you.

The words come from the Gospel of Luke, and you can find out more at Wikipedia: Sermon on the Plain (not the same as Sermon on the Mount in Matthew).

And here's a quiz covering the past five cats (answers at the blog only, not in the email):

Γλυκὺ τὸ ______.

reveal/hide answer

Γλυκὺ τὸ φῶς.

---

Δικτύῳ ______ θηρᾶς.

reveal/hide answer

Δικτύῳ ἄνεμον θηρᾶς.

---

Διώκει ______ ποτανὸν ὄρνιν.

reveal/hide answer

Διώκει παῖς ποτανὸν ὄρνιν.

---

Ἐς πόδας ἐκ ______.

reveal/hide answer

Ἐς πόδας ἐκ κεφαλῆς.

---

Παντὶ αἰτοῦντί σε ______.

reveal/hide answer

Παντὶ αἰτοῦντί σε δίδου.

---

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

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---

Greek Proverb of the Day: November 9

Here is today's proverb from the blog with a LOLcat and vocabulary too! This is a repeat of a proverb you've seen before, but the vocabulary list is new. The vocabulary links go to Logeion.

Δικτύῳ ἄνεμον θηρᾶς.

• δικτύῳ, from δίκτυον.
• ἄνεμον, from ἄνεμος.
• θηρᾶς, from θηράω.

Δικτύῳ ἄνεμον θηρᾶς.

You're hunting the wind with a net.
This is a proverbial fool's errand, because you cannot catch the wind in a net!

And here's a quiz covering the past five cats (answers at the blog only, not in the email):

Ἐς πόδας ἐκ ______.

reveal/hide answer

Ἐς πόδας ἐκ κεφαλῆς.

---

Ὅμοιον ὁμοίῳ ______.

reveal/hide answer

Ὅμοιον ὁμοίῳ φίλον.

---

Διώκει ______ ποτανὸν ὄρνιν.

reveal/hide answer

Διώκει παῖς ποτανὸν ὄρνιν.

---

Γλυκὺ τὸ ______.

reveal/hide answer

Γλυκὺ τὸ φῶς.

---

Δικτύῳ ______ θηρᾶς.

reveal/hide answer

Δικτύῳ ἄνεμον θηρᾶς.

---

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

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---