The proverbs for today come from back in Group 10, Group 11, and Group 12; you can visit those blog posts for the translations and more information. 

• Αἰὼν πάντα φέρει.
  
• Ἀντὶ ἡμέρας νὺξ ἐγένετο.
  
• Ἀξία ἡ κύων τοῦ θρόνου.
  
• Γῆρας διδάσκει πάντα.
  
• Γλυκὺς ἀπείρῳ πόλεμος.
  
• Δός μοι ποῦ στῶ, καὶ κινῶ τὴν γῆν.
  
• Ἡ γλῶσσα πολλῶν ἐστιν αἰτία κακῶν.
  
• Ἰατρὸς νόσου ὁ ὕπνος.
  
• Ξύλον ἀγκύλον ουδέποτ' ὀρθόν.
  
• Οὐ γνῶσις, ἀλλὰ πρᾶξις.
  
• Πέτρας ἕψεις.
  
• Πολλὰ ψεύδονται ἀοιδοί.
  
• Σοφία γάρ ἐστι καὶ μαθεῖν ὃ μὴ νοεῖς.
  
• Ὕδραν τέμνεις.
  
• Φεῦγ' ἡδονὴν φέρουσαν ὕστερον βλάβην.
  

As a kind of game-review, I've turned those into word-jumbles; see if you can un-jumble them! Hint: find one word that you recognize, and that will make it easier to un-jumble the others.

• υυγςκλ επιραωι οοπελςμ.
• αξαι η νυωκ υοτ ρυοθον.
• ολλπα δειαυοτψν οοδιαι.
• νυλοξ ολνγακυ δυοοεετπ θροον.
• η αλσσγω ωνολπλ στιεν ιιταα ακνωκ.
• δνυαρ ςμεεντι.
• νιαω ανατπ εειφρ.
• αςγηρ καδδιισε ανπτα.
• ςδο ομι οπυ ωστ, κια νιωκ νητ νηγ.
• γευφε οδνηην οσερφνυα υετνρσο λναββη.
• αςρετπ ςψιεε.
• ταιοςρ υσοον ο πνςυο.
• υο ωιγνσς, λλαα ξιπρςα.
• τιαν αςμερη νξυ εεοτγνε.
• σοφαι αγρ τσει ικα ενιαμθ ο ημ νοεςι.

I've also made a crossword as usual based on a missing word from each proverb: printable Crossword PDF. I've pasted in screenshots below so you can see what the crossword looks like:

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

---

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---

Greek Reading: Fables 33

Today's fables are from Potts and Darnell's Aditus Faciliores Graeci and from Colton's Greek Reader, both of which have notes for the stories and a vocabulary in the back and are available at the Internet Archive. The joke is from Rushbrooke's First Greek Reader, also at the Internet Archive, and with a dictionary in the back.

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

Γερανοὶ καὶ γεωργοί

Γερανοί ποτε κατενέμοντο τὴν χώραν γεωργοῦ τινὸς νεωστὶ ἐσπαρμένην. ὁ δὲ πολλῇ κραυγῇ καὶ βοῇ ἀπηλαυνεν αὐτούς. οἱ δὲ γέρανοι τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἀπέφευγον φοβηθέντες, ὕστερον δὲ εἰθισμένοι κατεφρόνησαν τε αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἀπέφυγον. τότε δὲ ὁ γεωργὸς λίθους ἔβαλλεν. ὁ δὲ γεραίτατος τῶν γεράνων ἰδὼν ἔλεγεν, ἀποφεύγωμεν, φίλοι, οὗτος γὰρ ὁ ἀνὴρ οὐκέτι ἀπειλεῖ, ἀλλ' ἤδη πράσσειν τι ἄρχεται.

Γερανοί ποτε κατενέμοντο 

τὴν χώραν γεωργοῦ τινὸς 

νεωστὶ ἐσπαρμένην. 

ὁ δὲ 

πολλῇ κραυγῇ καὶ βοῇ 

ἀπηλαυνεν αὐτούς. 

οἱ δὲ γέρανοι 

τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἀπέφευγον 

φοβηθέντες, 

ὕστερον δὲ 

εἰθισμένοι 

κατεφρόνησαν τε αὐτοῦ 

καὶ οὐκ ἀπέφυγον. 

τότε δὲ ὁ γεωργὸς 

λίθους ἔβαλλεν. 

ὁ δὲ γεραίτατος τῶν γεράνων 

ἰδὼν ἔλεγεν, 

ἀποφεύγωμεν, φίλοι, 

οὗτος γὰρ ὁ ἀνὴρ 

οὐκέτι ἀπειλεῖ, 

ἀλλ' ἤδη 

πράσσειν τι ἄρχεται.

Γερανοί ποτε κατενέμοντο  ...  Some cranes once grazed

τὴν χώραν γεωργοῦ τινὸς  ...  on a certain farmer's land

νεωστὶ ἐσπαρμένην  ...  which had recently been sown.

ὁ δὲ  ...  But he 

πολλῇ κραυγῇ καὶ βοῇ  ...  with a loud shout and cry 

ἀπηλαυνεν αὐτούς  ...  drove the cranes away. 

οἱ δὲ γέρανοι  ...  And the cranes 

τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἀπέφευγον  ...  fled at first, 

φοβηθέντες  ...  being afraid, 

ὕστερον δὲ  ...  but the next time, 

εἰθισμένοι  ...  getting accustomed (to the shouting),

κατεφρόνησαν τε αὐτοῦ  ...  they scorned him, 

καὶ οὐκ ἀπέφυγον  ...  and did not flee. 

τότε δὲ ὁ γεωργὸς  ...  And then the farmer 

λίθους ἔβαλλεν  ...  threw stones. 

ὁ δὲ γεραίτατος τῶν γεράνων  ...  The eldest of the cranes 

ἰδὼν ἔλεγεν  ...  saw this and said, 

ἀποφεύγωμεν, φίλοι  ...  My friends, let us flee! 

οὗτος γὰρ ὁ ἀνὴρ  ...  For this man

οὐκέτι ἀπειλεῖ  ...  is no longer just making threats, 

ἀλλ' ἤδη  ...  but now 

πράσσειν τι ἄρχεται  ...  he is starting to do something!

Greek vase painting

Ἵππος καὶ ὄνος

(another version of a story you have seen before here and here)

Ἄνθρωπός τις ἵππον εἶχε καὶ ὄνον· ἐπεφόρτισε δὲ πλείω τὴν ὄνον· ἥτις δὴ καὶ ὁδεύσασα μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ βάρους, πρὸς τὸν ἵππον ἐβόα· Λάβε ἀπὸ τοῦ βάρους, καὶ κούφισόν με ὀλίγον· οὐ γὰρ δύναμαι ταῦτα πάντα βαστάζειν· καὶ εἰ μὲν βούλει, ζήσομεν ἐν τῷ βίῳ· εἰ δὲ μὴ πεισθῇς μοι, ὄψει με τεθνηκυῖαν. Ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἐπείσθη ἐλεῆσαι τὴν ὄνον· καὶ παραχρῆμα θανοῦσα ἐπεπτώκει. Τοῦ δὲ κυρίου θέντος πάντα τῷ παναθλίῳ. Τί μοι συνέβη ἄρτι τῷ ταλαιπώρῳ; εἶτε· μὴ θελήσας γὰρ μικρὸν λαβεῖν ἐκ τοῦ βάρους, ἰδοὺ ἅπαντα βαστάζω σὺν τῷ δέρματι.

Ἄνθρωπός τις 

ἵππον εἶχε καὶ ὄνον· 

ἐπεφόρτισε δὲ τὴν ὄνον

πλείω· 

ἥτις δὴ 

καὶ ὁδεύσασα 

μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ βάρους, 

πρὸς τὸν ἵππον ἐβόα· 

Λάβε ἀπὸ τοῦ βάρους, 

καὶ κούφισόν με ὀλίγον· 

οὐ γὰρ δύναμαι 

ταῦτα πάντα βαστάζειν· 

καὶ εἰ μὲν βούλει, 

ζήσομεν ἐν τῷ βίῳ· 

εἰ δὲ μὴ πεισθῇς μοι, 

ὄψει με τεθνηκυῖαν. 

Ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἐπείσθη 

ἐλεῆσαι τὴν ὄνον· 

καὶ παραχρῆμα θανοῦσα 

ἐπεπτώκει. 

Τοῦ δὲ κυρίου 

θέντος πάντα 

τῷ παναθλίῳ. 

Τί μοι συνέβη 

ἄρτι τῷ ταλαιπώρῳ; 

εἶτε· 

μὴ θελήσας γὰρ 

μικρὸν λαβεῖν 

ἐκ τοῦ βάρους, 

ἰδοὺ 

ἅπαντα βαστάζω 

σὺν τῷ δέρματι.

Ἄνθρωπός τις  ...  A certain man

ἵππον εἶχε καὶ ὄνον  ...  had a horse and a she-donkey,

ἐπεφόρτισε δὲ τὴν ὄνον  ...  and he loaded the donkey

πλείω  ...  more heavily. 

ἥτις δὴ καὶ ὁδεύσασα  ...  So indeed she traveled along

μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ βάρους  ...  with this great load, 

πρὸς τὸν ἵππον ἐβόα  ...  and shouted at the horse: 

Λάβε ἀπὸ τοῦ βάρους  ...  Take some of this load, 

καὶ κούφισόν με ὀλίγον  ...  and alleviate me a little, 

οὐ γὰρ δύναμαι  ...  for I am not able 

ταῦτα πάντα βαστάζειν  ...  to carry all this, 

καὶ εἰ μὲν βούλει  ...  and if you agree, 

ζήσομεν ἐν τῷ βίῳ  ...  we'll live in this world,

εἰ δὲ μὴ πεισθῇς μοι  ...  but if you don't obey me,

ὄψει με τεθνηκυῖαν  ...  you'll see me dead. 

Ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἐπείσθη  ...  But the horse was not persuaded

ἐλεῆσαι τὴν ὄνον  ...  to take pity on the donkey, 

καὶ παραχρῆμα θανοῦσα  ...  and she soon died 

ἐπεπτώκει  ...  and fell down. 

Τοῦ δὲ κυρίου θέντος πάντα  ...  Their owner put everything

τῷ παναθλίῳ  ...  on that most wretched (horse),

εἶτε  ...  and the horse said:

Τί μοι συνέβη  ...  What has happened to me 

ἄρτι τῷ ταλαιπώρῳ  ...  wretched as I am now?

μὴ θελήσας γὰρ  ...  For I did not want 

μικρὸν λαβεῖν ἐκ τοῦ βάρους  ...  to take a little of the load, 

ἰδοὺ  ...  and look: 

ἅπαντα βαστάζω  ...  I am carrying everything 

σὺν τῷ δέρματι  ...  along with the (donkey's) skin.

The Horse and the Donkey

Σχολαστικός τις καὶ ποταμός 

Σχολαστικός τις, ποταμὸν βουλόμενος περᾶν, ἐπέβη ἐπὶ τὸ πλοῖον ἐφ' ἵππου καθήμενος. πυθομένου δὲ τινος τὴν αἰτίαν, ἔφη, σπουδάζειν.

Σχολαστικός τις, 

ποταμὸν βουλόμενος περᾶν, 

ἐπέβη ἐπὶ τὸ πλοῖον 

ἐφ' ἵππου καθήμενος. 

πυθομένου δὲ τινος 

τὴν αἰτίαν, 

ἔφη, 

σπουδάζειν.

Σχολαστικός τις  ...  A certain dunce

ποταμὸν βουλόμενος περᾶν  ...  wanted to cross a river

ἐπέβη ἐπὶ τὸ πλοῖον  ...  and got on to the ferry 

ἐφ' ἵππου καθήμενος  ...  seated upon his horse. 

πυθομένου δὲ τινος  ...  When someone asked 

τὴν αἰτίαν  ...  the reason (for staying on his horse),

ἔφη  ...  he said:

σπουδάζειν  ...  In order to hurry.

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

---

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---

Greek Vocabulary Challenge: March 13

Here are today's vocabulary words; it's Group 151, with proverbs you've seen before but with a new word focus. Click on the word to learn more at Logeion:

διαλύω ~ διαλύσω ~ διέλυσα: dissolve, undo, end 

ἐπιθυμέω ~ ἐπιθυμήσω ~ ἐπεθύμησα: desire, long for 

πλήσσω ~ πλήξω ~ ἔπληξα: strike, sting 

ἁλίσκομαι  ~ ἁλώσομαι ~ ἑάλων: be caught, seized 

ἰσχύω ~ ἰσχύσω ~ ἴσχυσα: be strong, prevail 

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

Ἔχθρας διάλυε.

Δασύπους κρεῶν ἐπιθυμεῖ.

Ἁλιεὺς πληγεὶς νοῦν οἴσει.

Ὑφ' ἡδονῆς ὁ φρόνιμος οὐχ ἁλίσκεται.

Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλ᾽ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες.

And now, some commentary:

Ἔχθρας διάλυε.

Dissolve hatreds.

In other words, put a stop to them, break them up, let them go. This is one of the maxims attributed to the Seven Sages as reported in Stobaeus. The Greek verb διαλύω is at the root of the English word dialysis.

Δασύπους κρεῶν ἐπιθυμεῖ.

The rabbit craves meat.

On one level, the saying refers to something absurd and inappropriate: rabbits are herbivores, not carnivores. In a more subtle way, however, the saying refers to a different absurdity: asking someone else for something that you already possess in abundance. Rabbits are hunted for meat; rabbits are meat, so a rabbit does not need to seek meat elsewhere! The word δασύπους is a nickname for the rabbit or hare: δασυ-πους, hairy-foot.

Ἁλιεὺς πληγεὶς νοῦν οἴσει.

The fisherman, after he is stung, will get smart.

The words come from a fragment of Sophocles. The idea is that the fisherman who reaches recklessly into his net can get stung by a jellyfish or other dangerous creature (see mosaic below); once he has been stung, he will be more cautious the next time. The phrase "νοῦν οἴσει" literally means "he will fetch sense" (οἴσει is the future of ἄγει), which I translated as "will get smart." The root of Greek πλήσσω gives us "apoplexy" in English. See Logeion for the wide range of meanings of νοῦς.

Ὑφ' ἡδονῆς ὁ φρόνιμος οὐχ ἁλίσκεται.

The wise man is not ensnared by pleasure.

This is one of the one-liners (monostichs) of Menander. The word ὑπό loses its vowel before the following vowel, and the aspiration of ἡδονῆς turns the pi to a phi: ὑφ' ἡδονῆς. Likewise the οὐ becomes οὐκ before the following vowel, and the aspiration of ἁλίσκεται changes the kappa to a chi: οὐχ ἁλίσκεται.

Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλ᾽ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες.

Those who are strong have no need of a doctor but those who are not well (do need a doctor).

The words are spoken by Jesus in the Gospel of Mark in response to those who rebuke him for associating with sinners and other low-lifes. He explains the metaphorical application in the second half of the verse: οὐκ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλούς, "I have come to call not those who are righteous, but whose who have done wrong." The saying also appears in the Gospel of Matthew, and in a slightly different form in Luke, with ὑγιαίνοντες, "being healthy" in place of ἰσχύοντες that we have in Mark: οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ὑγιαίνοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλὰ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες.

jellyfish mosaic

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

---

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---

Greek Reading: Fables 32

Today's fables are from Potts and Darnell's Aditus Faciliores Graeci and from Colton's Greek Reader, both of which have notes for the stories and a vocabulary in the back and are available at the Internet Archive. The joke is from Rushbrooke's First Greek Reader, also at the Internet Archive, and with a dictionary in the back.

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

Ὄνου σκιά

Νεανίας τις θέρους ὄντος Μεγάραδε πορευόμενος ὄνον ἐξ ἄστεος ἐμισθώσατο, ἐβάδιζε δὲ μετ' αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ μισθώσας τὸν ὄνον. Μεσούσης δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τοῦ ἡλίου σφόδρα φλέγοντος, ἑκάτερος αὐτῶν ἐβούλετο ὑποδύεσθαι ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν τοῦ ὄνου. εἶργον δὲ ἀλλήλους, ὁ μὲν λέγων μεμισθωκέναι μὲν τὸν ὄνον, τὴν δὲ σκιὰν οὔ. ὁ δὲ ἕτερος ἔφη ἀμφότερα μισθώσασθαι.

Νεανίας τις 

θέρους ὄντος 

Μεγάραδε πορευόμενος 

ὄνον ἐξ ἄστεος ἐμισθώσατο, 

ἐβάδιζε δὲ μετ' αὐτοῦ 

καὶ ὁ μισθώσας τὸν ὄνον. 

Μεσούσης δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας 

καὶ τοῦ ἡλίου σφόδρα φλέγοντος, 

ἑκάτερος αὐτῶν 

ἐβούλετο ὑποδύεσθαι 

ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν τοῦ ὄνου. 

εἶργον δὲ ἀλλήλους, 

ὁ μὲν λέγων 

μεμισθωκέναι μὲν τὸν ὄνον, 

τὴν δὲ σκιὰν οὔ. 

ὁ δὲ ἕτερος ἔφη 

ἀμφότερα μισθώσασθαι.

Νεανίας τις  ... A certain young man, 

θέρους ὄντος  ... during summertime, 

Μεγάραδε πορευόμενος  ... was going to Megara, 

ὄνον ἐξ ἄστεος ἐμισθώσατο  ... and hired a donkey from town, 

ἐβάδιζε δὲ μετ' αὐτοῦ  ... and he went with the donkey 

καὶ ὁ μισθώσας τὸν ὄνον  ... and the donkey's owner. 

Μεσούσης δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας  ... When it was mid-day 

καὶ τοῦ ἡλίου σφόδρα φλέγοντος  ... and the sun was blazing hot, 

ἑκάτερος αὐτῶν  ... each of the men 

ἐβούλετο ὑποδύεσθαι  ... wanted to creep down under 

ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν τοῦ ὄνου  ... the donkey's shadow. 

εἶργον δὲ ἀλλήλους  ... They each blocked the other; 

ὁ μὲν λέγων  ... the owner said 

μεμισθωκέναι μὲν τὸν ὄνον  ... he'd rented the donkey, 

τὴν δὲ σκιὰν οὔ  ... but not the donkey's shadow. 

ὁ δὲ ἕτερος ἔφη  ... The other said 

ἀμφότερα μισθώσασθαι  ... he had rented both!

The Donkey's Shadow

Λέων καὶ βάτραχος 

Λέων ἀκούσας βατράχου μέγα κεκραγότος ἐστράφη πρὸς τὴν φωνὴν, οἰόμενος μέγα τι ζῶον εἶναι. Προσμείνας δὲ αὐτὸν μικρὸν χρόνον, ὡς ἐθεάσατο τοῦτον ἐκ τῆς λίμνης ἀπελθόντα, προσελθὼν κατεπάτησεν αὐτὸν εἰπών· Μηδένα ἀκοὴ ταραττέτω πρὸ τῆς θέας, ἤγουν μηδεὶς πρὸ τοῦ ἰδεῖν ταραττέσθω ὑπό τινος. 

Λέων 

ἀκούσας βατράχου 

μέγα κεκραγότος 

ἐστράφη πρὸς τὴν φωνὴν, 

οἰόμενος μέγα τι ζῶον εἶναι. 

Προσμείνας δὲ αὐτὸν 

μικρὸν χρόνον, 

ὡς ἐθεάσατο τοῦτον 

ἐκ τῆς λίμνης ἀπελθόντα, 

προσελθὼν 

κατεπάτησεν αὐτὸν 

εἰπών· 

Μηδένα 

ἀκοὴ ταραττέτω 

πρὸ τῆς θέας, 

ἤγουν μηδεὶς 

πρὸ τοῦ ἰδεῖν 

ταραττέσθω ὑπό τινος. 

Λέων  ...  A lion

ἀκούσας βατράχου  ...  heard a frog 

μέγα κεκραγότος  ...  croaking loudly 

ἐστράφη ...  and turned

πρὸς τὴν φωνὴν  ...  towards the sound,

οἰόμενος  ...  he thought

μέγα τι ζῶον εἶναι  ...  it must be some great animal. 

Προσμείνας δὲ αὐτὸν  ...  He waited for it 

μικρὸν χρόνον  ...  for a little while 

ὡς ἐθεάσατο τοῦτον  ...  when he saw it 

ἐκ τῆς λίμνης ἀπελθόντα  ...  coming out of the swamp. 

προσελθὼν  ...  He walked over 

κατεπάτησεν αὐτὸν  ...  and stamped on it 

εἰπών  ...  saying, 

Μηδένα ἀκοὴ ταραττέτω  ...  Let a sound disturb no one 

πρὸ τῆς θέας  ...  before it is seen, 

ἤγουν ... rather:

μηδεὶς ταραττέσθω ... let no one be disturbed

ὑπό τινος  ...  by anything 

πρὸ τοῦ ἰδεῖν  ...  before seeing (it).

The Lion and the Frog

Σχολαστικὸς καὶ ἀδελφοὶ δύο

Σχολαστικός τις ἀδελφοὺς δύο ἰδὼν, θαυμαζόντων τινῶν τὴν ὁμοιότητα αὐτῶν, Οὐχ οὕτως, φησὶν, ὁμοῖός ἐστιν οὗτος ἐκείνῳ, ὡς ἐκεῖνος τούτῳ.

Σχολαστικός τις 

ἀδελφοὺς δύο ἰδὼν, 

θαυμαζόντων τινῶν 

τὴν ὁμοιότητα αὐτῶν, 

Οὐχ οὕτως, φησὶν, 

ὁμοῖός ἐστιν οὗτος ἐκείνῳ, 

ὡς ἐκεῖνος τούτῳ.

Σχολαστικός τις  ... A certain dunce

ἀδελφοὺς δύο ἰδὼν  ... saw two brothers: 

θαυμαζόντων τινῶν  ... when some people were amazed 

τὴν ὁμοιότητα αὐτῶν  ... at the brothers' similarity,

φησὶν  ... the dunce said

οὗτος ...  This brother

οὐχ οὕτως ὁμοῖός ἐστιν  ... is not so similar to

ἐκείνῳ ... that one 

ὡς ἐκεῖνος τούτῳ  ... as that one is to this one.

The Twins, Castor and Pollux

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

---

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---