Greek Proverb of the Day: November 12

Here is today's proverb from the blog with a LOLcat and vocabulary too! This is a repeat of a proverb you've seen before, but the vocabulary list is new. The vocabulary links go to Logeion.

Ποταμὸς θάλασσαν ἐρίζει.

• ποταμός.
• θάλασσαν, from θάλασσα.
• ἐρίζει, from ἐρίζω.

Ποταμὸς θάλασσαν ἐρίζει.

A river is contending with the sea.

In other words, someone is pretending to be much greater than he is, as if any river could rival a sea. Erasmus cites a version in the second person: Ποταμὸς θαλάττῃ ἐρίζεις, "You, a river, are contending with the sea." The verb ἐρίζει is from the noun ἔρις, meaning "strife" or "contention." For the personified Goddess of Strife, see Wikipedia: Eris.

And here's a quiz covering the past five cats (answers at the blog only, not in the email):

______ θάλασσαν ἐρίζει.

reveal/hide answer

Ποταμὸς θάλασσαν ἐρίζει.

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Δικτύῳ ______ θηρᾶς.

reveal/hide answer

Δικτύῳ ἄνεμον θηρᾶς.

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_______ οὐ δωροδοκεῖται.

reveal/hide answer

Ἀλώπηξ οὐ δωροδοκεῖται.

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Ἐς πόδας ἐκ ______.

reveal/hide answer

Ἐς πόδας ἐκ κεφαλῆς.

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Παντὶ αἰτοῦντί σε ______.

reveal/hide answer

Παντὶ αἰτοῦντί σε δίδου.

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And to finish up, here's a random LOLCat too:

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