νεώτερος ~ νεωτέρου (adj. masc.): younger, young, new
πρεσβύτερος ~ πρεσβυτέρου (adj. masc.): older, elder
μέγα ~ μεγάλου (adj. neut.): big, great
μέγας~ μεγάλου (adj. masc.): big, great
πονηρός~ πονηροῦ (adj. masc.): bad, worthless
Νεώτερον δίδασκε.
Πρεσβύτερον αἰδοῦ.
Ἐν ὄρφνῃ δραπέτης μέγα σθένει.
Οἱ μεγάλοι κλέπται τὸν μικρὸν ἀπάγουσι.
Ὄφιν τρέφειν καὶ πονηρὸν εὐεργετεῖν ταὐτόν ἐστιν.
Νεώτερον δίδασκε.
Teach a younger person.
This is one of those "Delphic maxims" recorded by Stobaeus. The word νεώτερος is a comparative form of νέος meaning "newer, younger; very new, very young." Catullus and other contemporary Roman poets were known as "neoteric" poets; they were the νεωτερικοί, the poetae novi. You can find out more at Wikipedia: Neoteric.
Πρεσβύτερον αἰδοῦ.
Respect an elder.
This is another Delphic maxim; I thought it would make a good pair with the preceding maxim. This one also has a comparative adjective; πρεσβύτερος is the comparative form of πρέσβυς, meaning "older, elder." This is the root of the English word "Presbyterian." Greek πρεσβύτερος is also the origin of English "priest."
Ἐν ὄρφνῃ δραπέτης μέγα σθένει.
In the darkness, a runaway is very strong.
The words are from Euripides' Rhesus. The neuter adjective μέγα is being used adverbially, as often with neuter adjectives. The idea is that the runaway uses the darkness to his advantage, but it is a contemptible, cowardly kind of advantage. The words are spoken by Hector, who is angry that the night has come before he has defeated the Greeks; he suspects they will flee in their ships during the night before he can launch another attack. You can find out more about this play at Wikipedia: Rhesus.
Οἱ μεγάλοι κλέπται τὸν μικρὸν ἀπάγουσι.
The big thieves carry the petty thief off to prison.
The words are attributed to Diogenes the Cynic. The story goes that he saw some temple priests leading away a man who had stolen a bowl that belonged to the temple treasury; the great thieves were the priests themselves, and they were leading the petty thief off to prison. Compare the English saying: "Little thieves are hanged, but great ones escape."
Ὄφιν τρέφειν καὶ πονηρὸν εὐεργετεῖν ταὐτόν ἐστιν.
To nourish a snake and to assist an evildoer is the same thing.
Compare another saying you've seen before about nursing a snake: Ὄφιν ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ τρέφεις, "You're nursing a snake in your bosom." That snake is going to bite you sooner or later, just as the evildoer is going to do evil. See the previous blog post for the Aesop's fable on the subject of kindness to snakes.
And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too :
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