For the next couple of weeks, I'll be blogging about the proverbs attributed to Aesop (a reader of this blog is taking Ph.D. qualifying exams later this month, and the proverbs of Aesop are on his reading list). I'm still focusing on proverbs that have at least one common vocabulary word, but I'm not trying to group the vocabulary items by type. Today, for example, you'll find a noun, a verb, an adverb, and two prepositions, all of which are in the most common 2000 Greek vocabulary words.
And now, here are today's Aesopic proverbs; it's Group 195. Click on the word to learn more at Logeion:
ἀεὶ (adverb): always
ἐκ (prep.+ gen.): out from, out of
ἐγγύς (prep.+ gen.): next to, near
πηγή ~ πηγῆς (noun f.): stream, source
μνημονεύω ~ μνημονεύσω ~ ἐμνημόνευσα (verb): remember
Ἀεὶ τὰ πέρυσι καλά.
Ἐξ ἄμμου σχοινίον πλέκειν.
Ὁ ἐγγὺς Διός, ἐγγὺς κεραυνοῦ.
Πηγῆς ἐξ ἦς οὐ πίνω ξηρανθείη.
Κἂν εὐτυχήσας τῆς φακῆς μνημόνευε.
And now, some commentary:
Ἀεὶ τὰ πέρυσι καλά.
The things of the past (were) always good.
You've seen a similar saying in an earlier blog post, using the comparative form: Ἀεὶ τὰ πέρυσι βελτίω. Compare the English saying, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." Their absence in time and distance from the present is what makes the things of the past good; it's nostalgic hindsight.
Ἐξ ἄμμου σχοινίον πλέκεις.
You're weaving a rope from sand.
This is a proverbial fool's errand, because of course you cannot weave a rope from sand and expect it to do what a rope is supposed to do. This same proverbial idea is found in English and in other languages too.
Ὁ ἐγγὺς Διός, ἐγγὺς κεραυνοῦ.
He who is near Zeus is near his thunderbolt.
In other words, by consorting with those who are powerful, you are exposing yourself to danger. This saying is a warning about the dangers of being close to those in power, and there is a similar saying that advocates keeping your distance: Πόρρω Διός τε καὶ κεραυνοῦ, "Far from Zeus and from his thunderbolt."
Πηγῆς ἐξ ἦς οὐ πίνω ξηρανθείη.
May the stream from which I do not drink dry up.
These are the words of someone who is resentful of others' prosperity: if wealth is not going to be shared so that I too can be wealthy (if I cannot drink from the stream myself), then I don't want anyone to enjoy that wealth (may the stream dry up!).
Κἂν εὐτυχήσας τῆς φακῆς μνημόνευε.
If you become wealthy, remember eating lentils.
Lentil stew is the proverbial food of the poor, so the idea is that if someone becomes rich, they should not forget their humble origins. As always, verbs of remembering take a genitive complement: φακῆς μνημόνευε.
And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too:
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