Daily Greek Vocabulary Challenge: Sept. 26

Here are today's vocabulary words; it's Group 84. Click on the word to learn more at Logeion:

ἐν ~ ἑνός (adj. neut.): one, single

κοινόν ~ κοινοῦ (adj. neut.): common, shared 

ὀξύ ~ ὀξέος (adj. neut.): sharp, keen 

πολύ ~ πολλοῦ (adj. neut.): much, many 

μικρόν ~ μικροῦ (adj. neut.): small, little 

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

Ἐξ ἑνὸς πηλοῦ.

Τί γὰρ κοινὸν λύρᾳ καὶ ὄνῳ;

Βλέποντα ὀξύτερον τοῦ Λυγκέως.

Γηράσκω δ' ἀεὶ πολλὰ διδασκόμενος.

Τὰ μικρὰ κέρδη ζημίας μεγάλας φέρει.

Laura Gibbs · Greek Proverbs: 084

And now, some commentary:

Ἐξ ἑνὸς πηλοῦ.

From one clay.

This saying is used to refer to two people who are similar because they were made "from one clay," i.e. like pots made from the same clay. In one Greek account of the creation, Prometheus shaped human beings from clay (Wikipedia). The same idea also appears in the Biblical Book of Wisdom — ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ πηλοῦ, "from the same clay" —as God also was supposed to have made human beings from the clay of the earth.

Τί γὰρ κοινὸν λύρᾳ καὶ ὄνῳ;

What does a donkey have in common with a lyre?

This rhetorical question is related to other sayings that make fun of a donkey either listening to the music of the lyre or attempting to play the lyre himself. Here's one from a previous blog post: Ὄνος λύρας ἀκούων κινεῖ τὰ ὦτα. From the root in Greek κοινὸν we get the English word Koine, referring to "common" Greek (ἡ κοινὴ διάλεκτος, the "common" dialect; compare the phrase "vulgar" Latin) that evolved from classical Greek; you can find out more at Wikipedia: Koine.

Βλέποντα ὀξύτερον τοῦ Λυγκέως.

Seeing more sharply than Lynceus.

The phrase is used in Aristophanes' Plutus. Lynceus was one of the Argonauts, famous for his sharp vision which allowed him to see in the dark and also to see through walls (compare Superman's X-ray vision). Find out more at Wikipedia: Lynceus of Messene. Lynceus's name means "lynx-like," and lynxes do have acute eyesight; to find out more, see Wikipedia: Lynx. The word ὀξύτερον is the comparative form of ὀξύ, sharp, which gives us oxy- words in English, including oxygen. As often, the neuter adjective, ὀξύτερον, is being used as an adverb. 

Γηράσκω δ' ἀεὶ πολλὰ διδασκόμενος.

I grow old, ever learning many things.

Plutarch attributes the words to Solon, one of the Seven Sages of Greece; you can find out more at Wikipedia: Solon. From the root in Greek πολλὰ (πολύ), we get the poly- words in English like polygamy and polygon.

Τὰ μικρὰ κέρδη ζημίας μεγάλας φέρει.

Small profits can bring great losses.

This is one of the monostichs (one-liners) of Menander. This paradox can apply both to buyers and sellers. Someone might save a little money by something cheap, only to find out it was not a bargain after all. Likewise, merchants might engage in some business that brings them a little profit only to find out later that the business had unexpected costs. Compare this related saying: κερδός πονηρὸν ζημίαν αεὶ φέρει, "profit ill-gained always brings loss."

Prometheus molds a human from clay

And here's a random proverb too:

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