Last Christmas was when I created the first set of LOLCats, so for this Christmas, I decided to create another set. You can see a random new cat and a random old cat below, and you can see a random cat from the whole set here. Just press reload for more. Enjoy!
Sunday, December 21, 2025
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Greek Proverbs: Dec. 18
Here are today's Greek proverbs; it's Group 216. Click on the word to learn more at Logeion:
These are the proverbs (and there are always more proverbs at the blog):
And now, some commentary:
κλαίω ~ κλαιήσω ~ ἔκλαυσα (verb): weep, lament
ἀρχή ~ ἀρχῆς (noun f.): beginning
βίος ~ βίου (noun m.): life, lifestyle
ἡδονή ~ ἡδονῆς (noun f.): pleasure
μῦθος ~ μύθου (noun m.): story, word
These are the proverbs (and there are always more proverbs at the blog):
Αἵματι κλαίειν.
Πάσα ἀρχὴ δύσκολος.
Προβατίου βίον λέγεις.
κακὸς κακῷ δὲ συντέτηκεν ἡδονῇ.
Ἐν παντί μύθῳ καὶ τὸ Δαιδάλου μύσος.
And now, some commentary:
Αἵματι κλαίειν.
To weep blood.
This phrase refers to when you go to the most dramatic measures possible, weeping blood, to persuade someone of something, but to no effect. Erasmus also cites a variant: Αἴματι στένειν, "to groan blood."
Πάσα ἀρχὴ δύσκολος.
Every beginning is difficult.
As someone who is beginning the study of Japanese, I can attest to the truth of this saying! Note that like so many compound adjectives, δύσκολος does not have a distinctive feminine form: it is both masculine and feminine.
Προβατίου βίον λέγεις.
You're talking about the life of a little lamb.
The words come from Aristophanes' Pluto, when one character praises the quiet life, doing nothing, and is then rebuked. Just as in English, being "sheepish" means being shy and retiring, daring nothing, accomplishing nothing. And this is not just a sheep, but a diminutive sheep, προβάτιον. For more about Greek sheep stereotypes, see Erasmus's commentary on a related saying: Προβάτων ἦθος.
κακὸς κακῷ δὲ συντέτηκεν ἡδονῇ.
The wicked man sticks to the wicked man through pleasure.
The words come from Aristotle's Eudemian Ethics, where he identifies this as a saying: λέγεται, "it is said." Aristotle is talking about how the pleasures of friendship apply to everyone: even animals and children and wicked people.
Ἐν παντί μύθῳ καὶ τὸ Δαιδάλου μύσος.
In every story there is also the corruption of Daedalus.
This odd little saying is found in the Suda. We're used to thinking of Daedalus as the hero who made wings and escaped from King Minos, but Daedalus was also the one who built the wooden cow for Pasiphae, thus spawning the Minotaur. It is the invention of that wooden cow which is the μύσος, "corruption."
And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too:
Monday, December 15, 2025
Greek Proverbs: Dec. 16
Here are today's Greek proverbs; it's Group 215. Click on the word to learn more at Logeion:
These are the proverbs (and there are always more proverbs at the blog):
And now, some commentary:
κακός ~ κακοῦ (adj. masc.): bad, evil, wicked
Ἀθηναῖος ~ Ἀθηναίου (adj. masc.): Athenian
καθαιρέω ~ καθαιρήσω ~ καθεῖλον (verb): take down, bring down
πρός (prep.+acc.): towards, beside
ἴδιον ~ ἰδίου (adj. neut.): one's own, private; peculiar
These are the proverbs (and there are always more proverbs at the blog):
Πυλωρὸς κακός.
Ἀθηναίων δυσβουλία.
Ἐπὶ σαυτῷ τὴν σελήνην καθαιρεῖς.
Φῶς ἐστι τῷ νῷ πρὸς θεὸν βλέπειν ἀεί.
Ἴδιον ἀνθρώπου φιλεῖν καὶ τοὺς πταίοντας.
And now, some commentary:
Πυλωρὸς κακός.
A bad gatekeeper.
The saying refers to a guardian who is unreliable or someone who has an important duty with which they should not be entrusted. It comes from an anecdote when the Isthmus of Corinth was occupied by Philip's army: Κακοὺς πυλωροὺς ὑμᾶς, ὦ Κορίνθιοι, ἡ Πελοπόννησος ἔχει, "The Peloponnese has you (as) bad gatekeepers, O Corinthians!" You can find this saying in Erasmus.
Ἀθηναίων δυσβουλία.
The recklessness of the Athenians.
The idea is that even though the Athenians were reckless, they had the support of the goddess Athena, with the result that, even though they were reckless, the Athenians enjoyed great successes. So the saying applies in general to someone whose good luck is able to compensate for their bad planning. This saying also appears in Erasmus.
Ἐπὶ σαυτῷ τὴν σελήνην καθαιρεῖς.
You're calling down the moon on yourself.
Calling down the moon was a regular practice of sorcerors in the ancient world, and it portended nothing good. So this saying applies to those who do things that will result in their own doom or destruction. This saying appears in the Wikipedia article about Greek Σελήνη, the moon goddess: Wikipedia — Selene.
Φῶς ἐστι τῷ νῷ πρὸς θεὸν βλέπειν ἀεί.
Looking ever towards god with your mind is the light.
This is one of many ancient Greek and Latin sayings associating god with light. It is another of the monostichs (one-liners) of Menander, so it is in iambic meter:
Φῶς ἐσ|τι τῷ || νῷ πρὸς | θεὸν || βλέπειν | ἀεί.
Ἴδιον ἀνθρώπου φιλεῖν καὶ τοὺς πταίοντας.
It is a human characteristic to love even wrong-doers.
This is a saying of the Roman philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius; you can find this saying and more of Aurelius's sayings at Wikiquote.
And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too:
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Greek Proverbs: Dec. 11
Here are today's Greek proverbs; it's Group 214. Click on the word to learn more at Logeion:
These are the proverbs (and there are always more proverbs at the blog):
And now, some commentary:
γέλως ~ γέλωτος (noun m.): laughter
δεύτερον ~ δευτέρου (adj. neut.): second, next
ἅμα (adverb): at the same time as
Ἑρμῆς ~ Ἑρμοῦ (noun m.): Hermes
χρῆμα ~ χρήματος (noun n.): property, money
These are the proverbs (and there are always more proverbs at the blog):
Γέλως Ἰωνικός.
Δευτέρων ἀμεινόνων.
Ἄμα πρόσσω καὶ οπίσσω λεύσσει.
Ἐκ παντὸς ξύλου Ἑρμῆς οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο.
Χρήματ’ ἔχων οὐδεὶς ἔρχεται εἰς ᾿Αίδεω.
And now, some commentary:
Γέλως Ἰωνικός.
Ionic laughter.
The Ionians were known for pleasure-loving luxury, so Ionian laughter was a kind of exquisite, indulgent laughter. The phrase was made famous in English poetry by Oscar Wilde in his "Burden of Itys," contrasting Ionian laughter with a cheerless England — No soft Ionian laughter moves the air, / The Thames creeps on in sluggish leadenness.
Δευτέρων ἀμεινόνων.
Seconds being better.
The idea is that your second ideas or impulses are better, based as they are on what you've learned from experience. Compare the English saying "second thoughts" when you change your mind about something, based on your improved understanding of something.
Ἄμα πρόσσω καὶ οπίσσω λεύσσει.
He looks at once forwards and backwards.
You can find these words in Homer's Iliad. This is a wise thing to do, looking both backwards and forwards. In the context of the scene in the Iliad, this is something that old men do, like King Priam, unlike reckless, impulsive young people.
Ἐκ παντὸς ξύλου Ἑρμῆς οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο.
A Hermes cannot be made from every sort of wood.
The Roman author Apuleius in his Apology attributes the saying to Pythagoras. You can read about the statues of Hermes called herms at Wikipedia.
Χρήματ’ ἔχων οὐδεὶς ἔρχεται εἰς ᾿Αίδεω.
No one goes to Hades having his money with him.
The words come from the Greek poet Theognis. Compare the English saying, "You can't take it with you."
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And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too:
Monday, December 8, 2025
Greek Proverbs: Dec. 9
Here are today's Greek proverbs; it's Group 213. Click on the word to learn more at Logeion:
These are the proverbs (and there are always more proverbs at the blog):
And now, some commentary:
ἄρχω ~ ἄρξω ~ ἦρξα (verb): begin; rule
νεκρός ~ νεκροῦ (noun m.): corpse, dead man
οὖς ~ ὠτός (noun n.): ear
ζήω ~ ζήσω ~ ἔζησα (verb): be alive, live
ἀδύνατος ~ ἀδυνάτου (adj. masc.): unable, impossible
Δαπανῶν ἄρχου.
Νεκρὸν μαστίζεις.
Κηρὸν τοῖς ὠσὶν ἐπαλειφεις.
Τὸ ζῆν ἀλύπως ἀνδρός ἐστιν εὐτυχοῦς.
Οὐ λέγειν δεινός, ἀλλὰ σιγᾶν ἀδύνατος.
Δαπανῶν ἄρχου.
Keep control of your expenditures.
Note the middle imperative, ἄρχου, and the verb takes a genitive complement: δαπανῶν. This is another one of the so-called Delphic maxims recorded by Stobaeus.
Νεκρὸν μαστίζεις.
You're flogging a dead man.
This is one of the "adynata" attributed to Plutarch. You're not going to accomplish anything by flogging someone who's dead or, metaphorically, you are arguing with someone who is never going to change their mind. Compare the English saying, "beating a dead horse."
Κηρὸν τοῖς ὠσὶν ἐπαλειφεις.
You're smearing wax into your ears.
The idea is that you are preparing yourself not to listen to something that might be dangerous for you to hear. The allusion is to the hero Odysseus and how he had his men put wax in their ears in order not to be lured by the song of the Sirens.
Τὸ ζῆν ἀλύπως ἀνδρός ἐστιν εὐτυχοῦς.
It's a lucky man who lives without sorrow.
Literally in the Greek: it is of a lucky man to live without sorrow. It's a pessimistic sort of saying: you might not be happy exactly, but you're lucky if you can manage to live without sorrow. This is another of the "one-liners" (monostichs) of Menander, so it is in iambic meter:
Τὸ ζῆν | ἀλύ||πως ἀν|δρός ἐσ||τιν εὐ|τυχοῦς.
Οὐ λέγειν δεινός, ἀλλὰ σιγᾶν ἀδύνατος.
Not terrific at speaking, but not able to keep quiet.
The phrase is a rebuke to someone who is a poor speaker but who nevertheless keeps on talking. The saying is quoted in Aulus Gellius' Attic Nights, which is a useful source for Greek proverbs, as you might have guessed from the title.
And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too:
Wednesday, December 3, 2025
Greek Proverbs: December 4
Here are today's Greek proverbs; it's Group 212. Click on the word to learn more at Logeion:
These are the proverbs (and there are always more proverbs at the blog):
And now, some commentary:
ὁμιλέω ~ ὁμιλήσω ~ ὡμίλησα (verb): associate with, speak to
ἀπέχω ~ ἀφέξω ~ ἀπέσχον (verb): keep off; keep away
πόλεμος ~ πολέμου (noun m.): war, battle
σωφρονέω ~ σωφρονήσω ~ εσωφρόνησα (verb): be wise, learn moderation
σύν (prep.+dat): with, together with
These are the proverbs (and there are always more proverbs at the blog):
Κωφῷ ὁμιλεῖς.
Ἀλλοτρίων ἀπέχου.
Τὸν πόλεμον ἐξωρχήσαντο.
Ξυμφέρει σωφρονεῖν ὑπὸ στένει.
Πόλλ' ἐφέλκεται φυγὴ κακὰ ξὺν αὐτῇ.
Κωφῷ ὁμιλεῖς.
You're speaking to the deaf.
This is another one of the "adynata" of Plutarch: you can shout as loud as you want, but your message is not going to get through. It's an impossibility, adynaton.
Ἀλλοτρίων ἀπέχου.
Keep away from other people's things.
Note the middle imperative: "keep (yourself) away." This is another of the so-called Delphic maxims recorded by Stobaeus; find out more here at Wikipedia.
Τὸν πόλεμον ἐξωρχήσαντο.
They danced away the war.
This saying is the punchline to a Sybaritic story recorded in Aelian's Natural History: the decadent people of Sybaris in Italy had taught their horses to dance so that they could provide entertainment at their banquets. So when the people of Croton went to war with Sybaris, they swapped out their trumpeters for pipes; when the horses heard the dance music, they threw off their riders and "danced away the war," and so the Sybarite army was routed.
Ξυμφέρει σωφρονεῖν ὑπὸ στένει.
It's useful to become wise in dire straits.
This is advice from the Chorus in Aeschylus's Eumenides.
Just like in English, Greek στεῖνος (Attic στενός) is a "narrow place," but it means any difficult place or circumstance, so I used the English phrase "dire straits" here. This root also gives us English "stenography."
Πόλλ' ἐφέλκεται φυγὴ κακὰ ξὺν αὐτῇ.
Exile drags many evils along with it.
These words come from Euripides' Medea. Jason is sending Medea into exile, although he says he wants to make sure she and their sons do not suffer in exile; Πόλλ' ἐφέλκεται φυγὴ κακὰ ξὺν αὐτῇ. Medea, however, is not placated by his promises, and the results are κακὰ indeed.
And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too:
Monday, December 1, 2025
Greek Proverbs: December 2
Here are today's Greek proverbs; it's Group 211. Click on the word to learn more at Logeion:
These are the proverbs (and there are always more proverbs at the blog):
And now, some commentary:
γάμος ~ γάμου (noun m.): wedding, marriage
λυπέω ~ λυπήσω ~ ἐλύπησα (verb): grieve; feel grief
ἄμεινον ~ ἀμείνονος (adj. neut.): better, braver
δεινόν ~ δεινοῦ (adj. neut.): fearful, terrible
πλοῦς ~ πλόου (noun m.): voyage
These are the proverbs (and there are always more proverbs at the blog):
Αἰγύπτου γάμος
Μὴ ἐπὶ παντὶ λυποῦ.
Ἔφυγον κακὸν, εὗρον ἄμεινον.
Ὑπόνοια δεινόν ἐστιν ἀνθρώποις κακόν.
Οὐ παντὸς ἀνδρὸς ἐς Κόρινθον ἐσθ' ὁ πλοῦς.
And now, some commentary:
Αἰγύπτου γάμος.
Aegyptus's wedding.
This is an ominous mythological allusion to the marriage of the fifty sons of Aegyptus to the fifty daughters of Danaus, the Danaides, all of whom — except for one — murdered their husbands on their wedding night. You can find out more at Wikipedia: Danaus. The Danais were famously punished in the underworld by drawing water with leaky pots.
Μὴ ἐπὶ παντὶ λυποῦ.
Don't grieve at all.
You could also translate this as "Don't grieve over everything" or "over everyone" — but the idea is really not to grieve, and translating it as "Don't grieve at all" saves the trouble of specifying everything (neuter) or everyone (masculine) for Greek παντὶ. Note also the middle imperative: λυποῦ. We have something like that middle sense in English when we say "don't grieve yourself, don't trouble yourself." This is one of the so-called Delphic maxims recorded by Stobaeus.
Ἔφυγον κακὸν, εὗρον ἄμεινον.
I fled the bad, I found the better.
This is an unusually optimistic saying! Often the result of fleeing from something bad means that you end up with something as bad or even worse (for example, the Greek saying Τέφραν φεύγων, εἰς ἀνθρακιὰν ἔπεσεν, or English "Out of the frying pan, into the fire"), but this goes from bad to better, κακὸν to ἄμεινον. Even if it is just the better or lesser of two evils, that is still an improvement.
Ὑπόνοια δεινόν ἐστιν ἀνθρώποις κακόν.
Suspicion is a dire evil among mankind.
The word ὑπόνοια is "under-mind" or "under-thought," which can mean a guess or conjecture in Greek, but it can also have the sense of suspicion, unspoken thoughts which tend in a negative direction; that seems to be the best sense here. This saying is another one of the monostichs of Menander, which means it is in iambic verse:
Ὑπόνοι|α δει||νόν ἐσ|τιν ἀν||θρώποις | κακόν.
Οὐ παντὸς ἀνδρὸς ἐς Κόρινθον ἐσθ' ὁ πλοῦς.
A voyage to Corinth is not for every man.
Corinth was a great tourist destination, especially famed for its high-priced courtesans, like the famous Lais of Corinth, so getting to go to Corinth was something like taking a luxury vacation... not something every man would be lucky enough to do in his lifetime. Horace uses the Latin equivalent in one of his Epistles: Non cuivis homini contingit adire Corinthum.
And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too:
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