Monday, April 21, 2025

Proverbs Slideshow/Crossword

For today, it's a new review slideshow for Groups 149, 150, and 151. Here's the post with the details about how the slideshows work, and there's a random cat at the bottom of the post! Plus more cats.

The slideshow is embedded in the blog post, and you can also access today's slideshow directly, full-sized view. And remember: each time you see the English translation on a slide, you can click to access the original blog post with the notes for each proverb.


There's also a crossword puzzle PDF that you can print; here's a screenshot of the puzzle and key. :-)



These are the proverbs, linked back to their blog post:
  1. Ἁλιεὺς πληγεὶς νοῦν οἴσει.
  2. Ἅπασα δὲ χθὼν ἀνδρὶ γενναίῳ πατρίς.
  3. Δασύπους κρεῶν ἐπιθυμεῖ.
  4. Ἔργα νέων, βουλαὶ δὲ μέσων, εὐχαὶ δὲ γερόντων.
  5. Ἔριν μίσει.
  6. Ἔχθρας διάλυε.
  7. Μῶρα γὰρ μῶρος λέγει.
  8. Νυμφίου βίον ὑμεῖς ζῆτε.
  9. Οὐ τοῖς κούφοις ὁ δρόμος καὶ οὐ τοῖς δυνατοῖς ὁ πόλεμος.
  10. Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλ᾽ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες.
  11. Οὐδεὶς προφήτης δεκτός ἐστιν ἐν τῇ πατρίδι αὐτοῦ.
  12. Οὐδὲν πρὸς τὴν Παρμένοντος ὗν.
  13. Πρὸ τῆς νίκης τὸ ἐγκώμιον ᾄδεις.
  14. Σεαυτὸν εὖ ποίει.
  15. Ὑφ' ἡδονῆς ὁ φρόνιμος οὐχ ἁλίσκεται.

    And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too :




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    Sunday, April 20, 2025

    Greek Reading: Fables 49

    Both the fables and the joke below come from Abbott's Easy Greek Reader which is available at the Internet Archive. 

    So, here are the stories in Greek, then segmented, and then interwoven with English. The titles are linked to the Internet Archive page.


    Ζεὺς πλάσας ἀνθρώπους ἐκέλευσεν Ἑημῇ νοῦν αὐτοῖς ἐγχέαι· κἀκεῖνος μέτρον ἴσον ποιήσας ἑκάστῳ ἐνέχεε. Συνέβη οὖν τοὺς μὲν μικροφυεῖς πληρωθέντας τοῦ μέτρου φρονίμους γενέσθαι, τοὺς δὲ μακρούς, ἅτε μὴ ἐφικομένου τοῦ ποτοῦ μὴδε εἰς πᾶν τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλὰ μέχρι γονάτων, ἀφρονεστέρους γενέσθαι.

    Ζεὺς πλάσας ἀνθρώπους 
    ἐκέλευσεν Ἑημῇ 
    νοῦν αὐτοῖς ἐγχέαι,
    κἀκεῖνος μέτρον ἴσον ποιήσας 
    ἑκάστῳ ἐνέχεε. 
    Συνέβη οὖν 
    τοὺς μὲν μικροφυεῖς 
    πληρωθέντας τοῦ μέτρου 
    φρονίμους γενέσθαι, 
    τοὺς δὲ μακρούς, 
    ἅτε μὴ ἐφικομένου τοῦ ποτοῦ 
    μὴδε εἰς πᾶν τὸ σῶμα, 
    ἀλλὰ μέχρι γονάτων, 
    ἀφρονεστέρους γενέσθαι.

    Ζεὺς πλάσας ἀνθρώπους  ...  Zeus formed human beings
    ἐκέλευσεν Ἑημῇ  ...  and ordered Hermes 
    νοῦν αὐτοῖς ἐγχέαι  ...  to pour intelligence into them,
    κἀκεῖνος ποιήσας  ...  and Hermes made 
    μέτρον ἴσον  ...  equal doses
    ἑκάστῳ ἐνέχεε  ...  and poured a dose into each person. 
    Συνέβη οὖν  ...  It turned out 
    τοὺς μὲν μικροφυεῖς  ...  that the short people 
    πληρωθέντας τοῦ μέτρου  ...  were filled up by the dose 
    φρονίμους γενέσθαι  ...  and turned out smart, 
    τοὺς δὲ μακρούς  ...  but the tall people, 
    ἅτε μὴ ἐφικομένου τοῦ ποτοῦ  ...  since the drink didn't reach 
    μὴδε εἰς πᾶν τὸ σῶμα  ...  through their whole body, 
    ἀλλὰ μέχρι γονάτων  ...  but only up to their knees, 
    ἀφρονεστέρους γενέσθαι  ...  they turned out very stupid.



    (you read another version of this story in an earlier post)

    Ὄρνιθά τις εἶχεν ὠὰ χρυσᾶ τίκτουσαν· καὶ νομίσας ἔνδον αὐτῆς ὄγκον χρυσίου εἶναι κτείνας εὕρηκεν ὁμοίαν τῶν λοιπῶν ὀρνίθων. ὁ δὲ ἀθρόον πλοῦτον ἐλπίσας εὑρήσειν, καὶ τοῦ μικροῦ ἐστέρηται ἐκείνου.

    Ὄρνιθά τις εἶχεν 
    ὠὰ χρυσᾶ τίκτουσαν,
    καὶ νομίσας ἔνδον αὐτῆς 
    ὄγκον χρυσίου εἶναι 
    κτείνας 
    εὕρηκεν ὁμοίαν 
    τῶν λοιπῶν ὀρνίθων. 
    ὁ δὲ ἀθρόον πλοῦτον ἐλπίσας εὑρήσειν, 
    καὶ τοῦ μικροῦ ἐστέρηται ἐκείνου.

    Ὄρνιθά τις εἶχεν  ...  A certain man had a bird
    ὠὰ χρυσᾶ τίκτουσαν  ...  that laid golden eggs,
    καὶ νομίσας ἔνδον αὐτῆς  ...  and he thought that inside her 
    ὄγκον χρυσίου εἶναι  ...  there was a lump of gold,
    κτείνας  ...  so he killed the bird 
    εὕρηκεν ὁμοίαν  ...  and found she was the same 
    τῶν λοιπῶν ὀρνίθων  ...  as other birds. 
    ὁ δὲ ἐλπίσας εὑρήσειν  ...  He had hoped to find
    ἀθρόον πλοῦτον  ...  a heap of money, 
    καὶ ἐστέρηται  ...  and what deprived of
    τοῦ μικροῦ ἐκείνου  ...  that little (which he had).


    Σχολαστικὸς καθευδῆσαι βουλόμενος, μὴ ἔχων προσκεφάλαιον, ἐκέλευσε τῷ δούλῳ κεράμιον ὑποθεῖναι. τοῦ δὲ εἰπόντος ὅτι "σκληρόν ἐστι" πτερῶν αὐτὸ γεμισθῆναι ἐκέλευσεν.

    Σχολαστικὸς 
    καθευδῆσαι βουλόμενος, 
    μὴ ἔχων προσκεφάλαιον, 
    ἐκέλευσε τῷ δούλῳ 
    κεράμιον ὑποθεῖναι. 
    τοῦ δὲ εἰπόντος ὅτι "σκληρόν ἐστι" 
    πτερῶν αὐτὸ γεμισθῆναι ἐκέλευσεν.

    Σχολαστικὸς  ...  A dunce
    καθευδῆσαι βουλόμενος  ...  wanted to go to sleep, 
    μὴ ἔχων προσκεφάλαιον  ...  but he didn't have a pillow, 
    ἐκέλευσε τῷ δούλῳ  ...  so he ordered a slave
    κεράμιον ὑποθεῖναι  ...  to put a clay pot under his head. 
    τοῦ δὲ εἰπόντος ὅτι  ...  And the slave said that 
    "σκληρόν ἐστι"  ...  "It's hard!" 
    ἐκέλευσεν  ...  so the dunce ordered him
    πτερῶν αὐτὸ γεμισθῆναι  ...  to stuff it with feathers.

    And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too :




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    Friday, April 18, 2025

    Greek Vocabulary Challenge: April 19

    Here are today's vocabulary words; it's Group 160. Click on the word to learn more at Logeion:

    ἀκούω ~ ἀκούσομαι ~ ἤκουσα: listen, hear 
    νοέω ~ νοήσω ~ νόησα: perceive, comprehend 
    μάχομαι ~ μαχοῦμαι ~ ἐμαχεσάμην: fight, struggle 
    διδάσκω ~ διδάξω ~ ἐδίδαξα: teach, instruct 
    βουλεύω ~ βουλεύσω ~ ἐβούλευσα: deliberate, plan 

    These are the proverbs (and there are always more proverbs at the blog):

    Ἄκουε πάντα.

    Ἀκούσας νόει.

    Ἐν φρέατι κυσὶ μάχεσθαι. 

    Ἀετὸν ἵπτασθαι διδάσκεις. 

    Οὐδεὶς μετ' ὀργῆς ἀσφαλῶς βουλεύεται.


    And now, some commentary:

    Ἄκουε πάντα.
    Listen to everything.
    This is one of the Delphic maxims recorded by Stobaeus. Notice the accusative object, πάντα. That means ἄκουε has the sense of "listen to," as in listening to things, to sounds heard. When ἀκούω takes the genitive, it has the sense of "hearing" a person, and even "hear and obey."

    Ἀκούσας νόει.
    After having listened, think.
    This is another one of those maxims from Stobaeus, and it makes a good pair with the preceding saying: Ἄκουε πάντα, and then: Ἀκούσας νόει. Note that it is the accent which tells you this is the imperative of a contract verb, νοέω: νόει. The 3rd-person indicate is νοεῖ. The verb in turn is from the noun νοῦς, "mind." You can see this root in English "noetic."

    Ἐν φρέατι κυσὶ μάχεσθαι. 
    To fight with dogs in a well.
    This is used to refer to a quarrel or disagreement (μάχεσθαι) with disreputable, quarrelsome people (κυσὶ) in a situation from which you cannot extricate yourself (ἐν φρέατι). There a variation using a less well-known verb:  Ἐν φρέατι κυνομαχεῖν: κυνο-μαχέω, "fight with dogs."

    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."

    Οὐδεὶς μετ' ὀργῆς ἀσφαλῶς βουλεύεται.
    Nobody can safely make plans in anger.
    This is another one of those "one-liners" of Menander; here is the iambic meter marked:
    Οὐδεὶς | μετ' ὀρ|γῆς ἀσ|φαλῶς | βουλεύ|εται.



    And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too :




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    Thursday, April 17, 2025

    Greek Reading: Fables 48

    Both the fables and the jokes below come from Abbott's Easy Greek Reader which is available at the Internet Archive. 

    So, here are the stories in Greek, then segmented, and then interwoven with English. The titles are linked to the Internet Archive page.


    (You've seen another version of this story before.)

    Κώνωψ ἐπιστὰς κέρατι ταύρου καὶ πολὺν χρόνον ἐπικαθίσας, ἐπειδὴ ἀπαλλάττεσθαι ἔμελλεν, ἐπυνθάνετο τοῦ ταύρου εἰ ἤδη βούλεται αὐτὸν ἀπελθεῖν. Ὁ δὲ ὑποτυχὼν εἶπεν· ἀλλ’ οὔτε, ὅτε ἦλθες, ἔγνων, οὔτε, ἐὰν ἀπέλθῃς, γνώσομαι.

    Κώνωψ 
    ἐπιστὰς κέρατι ταύρου 
    καὶ πολὺν χρόνον ἐπικαθίσας, 
    ἐπειδὴ ἀπαλλάττεσθαι ἔμελλεν, 
    ἐπυνθάνετο τοῦ ταύρου 
    εἰ ἤδη βούλεται αὐτὸν ἀπελθεῖν. 
    Ὁ δὲ ὑποτυχὼν εἶπεν· 
    ἀλλ’ οὔτε, ὅτε ἦλθες, ἔγνων, 
    οὔτε, ἐὰν ἀπέλθῃς, γνώσομαι.

    Κώνωψ  ...  A gnat
    ἐπιστὰς κέρατι ταύρου  ...  settled down on a bull's horn 
    καὶ πολὺν χρόνον ἐπικαθίσας  ...  and sat there a long time. 
    ἐπειδὴ ἀπαλλάττεσθαι ἔμελλεν  ...  When he was about to fly off, 
    ἐπυνθάνετο τοῦ ταύρου  ...  he asked the bull 
    εἰ ἤδη βούλεται αὐτὸν ἀπελθεῖν  ...  if he wanted him to go now. 
    Ὁ δὲ ὑποτυχὼν εἶπεν  ...  The bull said in reply, 
    ἀλλ’ οὔτε, ὅτε ἦλθες, ἔγνων  ...  Not only did I not notice when you came, 
    οὔτε, ἐὰν ἀπέλθῃς, γνώσομαι  ...  but I won't notice if you go away.



    Ἀλεκτόρων δύο μαχομένων περὶ θηλειῶν ὀρνίθων ὁ εἷς τὸν ἕτερον κατετροπώσατο. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἡττηθεὶς εἰς τόπον κατάσκιον ἀπιὼν ἐκρύβη· ὁ δὲ νικήσας εἰς ὕψος ἀρθεὶς καὶ ἐφ᾽ ὑψηλοῦ τοίχου στὰς μεγαλοφώνως ἐβόησε. Καὶ παρευθὺς ἀετὸς καταπτὰς ἥρπασεν αὐτόν.

    Ἀλεκτόρων δύο 
    μαχομένων περὶ θηλειῶν ὀρνίθων 
    ὁ εἷς τὸν ἕτερον κατετροπώσατο. 
    Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἡττηθεὶς 
    εἰς τόπον κατάσκιον ἀπιὼν 
    ἐκρύβη· 
    ὁ δὲ νικήσας 
    εἰς ὕψος ἀρθεὶς 
    καὶ ἐφ᾽ ὑψηλοῦ τοίχου στὰς 
    μεγαλοφώνως ἐβόησε. 
    Καὶ παρευθὺς 
    ἀετὸς καταπτὰς 
    ἥρπασεν αὐτόν.

    Ἀλεκτόρων δύο  ...  Two roosters
    μαχομένων περὶ θηλειῶν ὀρνίθων  ...  were fighting over female birds,
    ὁ εἷς τὸν ἕτερον κατετροπώσατο  ...  and one chased away the other.
    Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἡττηθεὶς  ...  The one who was defeated 
    εἰς τόπον κατάσκιον ἀπιὼν  ...  went off into a shady place
    ἐκρύβη  ...  and hid, 
    ὁ δὲ νικήσας  ...  but the one who won 
    εἰς ὕψος ἀρθεὶς  ...  flew up to a high place 
    καὶ ἐφ᾽ ὑψηλοῦ τοίχου στὰς  ...  and standing on the rooftop 
    μεγαλοφώνως ἐβόησε  ...  he let out a mighty cock-a-doodle-doo. 
    Καὶ παρευθὺς  ...  And straight away
    ἀετὸς καταπτὰς  ...  an eagle swooped down
    ἥρπασεν αὐτόν  ...  and carried him off.


    Δειλὸς ἐρωτηθείς, ποῖα τῶν πλοίων ἀσφαλέστερα, τὰ μακρὰ ἢ τὰ στρογγύλα; ἔφη· τὰ νενεωλκημένα.

    Δειλὸς ἐρωτηθείς
    ποῖα τῶν πλοίων ἀσφαλέστερα, 
    τὰ μακρὰ ἢ τὰ στρογγύλα; 
    ἔφη· 
    τὰ νενεωλκημένα.

    Δειλὸς ἐρωτηθείς  ...  A coward was asked
    ποῖα τῶν πλοίων ἀσφαλέστερα  ...  which ships are safest, 
    τὰ μακρὰ ἢ τὰ στρογγύλα  ...  ships of war or merchant ships. 
    ἔφη  ...  He said,
    τὰ νενεωλκημένα  ...  Ships hauled up on the land!



    Δειλὸς κυνηγὸς συνεχῶς τὴν νύκτα ὑπὸ ἄρκτου διωκόμενος ἐν ὕπνῳ, κύνας μισθωσάμενος μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ ἐκοίμιζεν. 

    Δειλὸς κυνηγὸς  ...  A cowardly hunter
    συνεχῶς τὴν νύκτα  ...  non-stop all night 
    ὑπὸ ἄρκτου διωκόμενος  ...  was chased by a bear 
    ἐν ὕπνῳ  ...  in his sleep, 
    κύνας μισθωσάμενος  ...  so he bought some dogs 
    μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ ἐκοίμιζεν  ...  and had them sleep with him. 



    And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too :




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