Greek Reading: Fables 35

Today's fable is from Colton's Greek Reader, which has notes for the stories and a vocabulary in the back; the book is available at the Internet Archive. The joke is from Rushbrooke's First Greek Reader, also at the Internet Archive and with a dictionary in the back.

So, here are the stories in Greek, then segmented, and then interwoven with English. The titles are linked to the Internet Archive page.

Ἀλώπηξ κόλουρος 

(fox with a cropped tail)

Ἀλώπηξ ὑπό τινος παγίδος τὴν οὐρὰν ἀποκοπεῖσα, ἐξ αἰσχύνης ἀβίωτον τὸν βίον ἡγεῖτο. Ἔγνω δὲ καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἀλώπεκας εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ περιαγαγεῖν, ἵνα τῷ κοινῷ πάθει τὸ ἴδιον ἐλάττωμα συγκρύψῃ. Καὶ δὴ ἁπάσας ἀθροίσασα, παρῄνει αὐταῖς τὰς οὐρὰς ἀποκόπτειν, λέγουσα ὡς οὐκ ἀπρεπὲς τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περισσὸν αὐταῖς προσήρτηται βάρος. Τούτων δέ τις ὑπολαβοῦσα, ἔφη· Ὦ φίλη, ἀλλ' εἴ σοι μὴ τοῦτο συνέφερεν, οὐκ ἂν ἡμῖν αὐτὸ συνεβούλευες.

Ἀλώπηξ 

ὑπό τινος παγίδος 

τὴν οὐρὰν ἀποκοπεῖσα, 

ἐξ αἰσχύνης 

ἀβίωτον τὸν βίον ἡγεῖτο. 

Ἔγνω δὲ 

καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἀλώπεκας 

εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ περιαγαγεῖν, 

ἵνα τῷ κοινῷ πάθει 

τὸ ἴδιον ἐλάττωμα συγκρύψῃ. 

Καὶ δὴ ἁπάσας ἀθροίσασα, 

παρῄνει αὐταῖς 

τὰς οὐρὰς ἀποκόπτειν, 

λέγουσα ὡς 

οὐκ ἀπρεπὲς τοῦτο μόνον, 

ἀλλὰ καὶ περισσὸν αὐταῖς προσήρτηται βάρος. 

Τούτων δέ τις ὑπολαβοῦσα, 

ἔφη· 

Ὦ φίλη, 

ἀλλ' εἴ σοι μὴ τοῦτο συνέφερεν, 

οὐκ ἂν ἡμῖν αὐτὸ συνεβούλευες.

Ἀλώπηξ  ...  A fox

τὴν οὐρὰν ἀποκοπεῖσα  ...  had her tail cut off

ὑπό τινος παγίδος  ...  by a trap,

ἐξ αἰσχύνης  ...  and from shame 

ἀβίωτον τὸν βίον ἡγεῖτο  ...  lived a life not worth living. 

Ἔγνω δὲ περιαγαγεῖν  ...  She decided to lead

καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἀλώπεκας  ...  the other foxes also 

εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ  ...  to the same, 

ἵνα συγκρύψῃ  ...  so that she could cover up 

τὸ ἴδιον ἐλάττωμα  ...  her own loss 

τῷ κοινῷ πάθει  ...  with a common misfortune.

Καὶ δὴ ἀθροίσασα  ...  And when she gathered together

ἁπάσας  ...  all the foxes,

παρῄνει αὐταῖς  ...  she advised them 

τὰς οὐρὰς ἀποκόπτειν  ...  to cut off their tails, 

λέγουσα ὡς  ...  saying that 

οὐκ μόνον  ...  not only was 

ἀπρεπὲς τοῦτο  ...  having a tail unbecoming, 

ἀλλὰ καὶ  ...  but also 

περισσὸν βάρος  ...  it was an added weight

αὐταῖς προσήρτηται  ...  attached to them. 

Τούτων δέ τις  ...  One of those foxes 

ὑπολαβοῦσα  ...  interrupted, 

ἔφη  ...  and said, 

ἀλλ' ὦ φίλη  ...  but, my dear, 

εἴ μὴ τοῦτο συνέφερεν  ...  if this was not advantageous

σοι  ...  to you,

οὐκ ἂν αὐτὸ συνεβούλευες  ...  you would not recommend it

ἡμῖν  ...  to us.

Medici Aesop

Κυμαῖος καὶ συκῆ

Κυμαῖός τις ἐπ' ὄνου παρὰ κῆπον ὠχεῖτο. ἰδὼν δὲ κλάδον συκῆς ὑπερέχοντα, σύκων ὡραίων πεπληρωμένον, ἐπελάβετο τοῦ κλάδου. Τοῦ δὲ ὄνου ὑπεκδραμόντος ἐπεκρεμάσθη, καὶ τοῦ γειτόνος ἐρωτήσαντος τί ἐκεῖ ποιεῖ κρεμάμενος, ἔλεγεν, Ἐκ τοῦ ὄνου πέπτωκα.

Κυμαῖός τις 

ἐπ' ὄνου 

παρὰ κῆπον ὠχεῖτο. 

ἰδὼν δὲ κλάδον συκῆς 

ὑπερέχοντα, 

σύκων ὡραίων πεπληρωμένον, 

ἐπελάβετο τοῦ κλάδου. 

Τοῦ δὲ ὄνου ὑπεκδραμόντος 

ἐπεκρεμάσθη, 

καὶ τοῦ γειτόνος ἐρωτήσαντος 

τί ἐκεῖ ποιεῖ 

κρεμάμενος, 

ἔλεγεν, 

Ἐκ τοῦ ὄνου πέπτωκα.

Κυμαῖός τις  ...  A certain fool (Cumaean)

ἐπ' ὄνου  ...  on a donkey 

παρὰ κῆπον ὠχεῖτο  ...  rode by a fig tree. 

ἰδὼν δὲ κλάδον συκῆς  ...  Seeing a branch of the fig tree

ὑπερέχοντα  ...  up above, 

σύκων ὡραίων πεπληρωμένον  ...  full of ripe figs, 

ἐπελάβετο τοῦ κλάδου  ...  he grabbed the branch. 

Τοῦ δὲ ὄνου  ... The donkey

ὑπεκδραμόντος  ...  backed out from under him,

ἐπεκρεμάσθη  ...  and the man was hanging there, 

καὶ τοῦ γειτόνος  ...  and his neighbor 

ἐρωτήσαντος  ...  asked 

τί ποιεῖ  ...  what he was doing 

ἐκεῖ κρεμάμενος  ...  hanging there; 

ἔλεγεν  ...  the fool said, 

Ἐκ τοῦ ὄνου πέπτωκα  ...  I fell off my donkey.

(This same story is told about Nasruddin; several of these ancient Greek jokes circulate later as Nasruddin jokes!)

And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too :

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Greek Reading: Fables 34

Today's fable is from Colton's Greek Reader, which has notes for the stories and a vocabulary in the back; the book is available at the Internet Archive. The joke is from Rushbrooke's First Greek Reader, also at the Internet Archive and with a dictionary in the back.

So, here are the stories in Greek, then segmented, and then interwoven with English. The titles are linked to the Internet Archive page.

Ἑρμῆς καὶ ἀγαλματοποιός

Ἑρμῆς, γηῶναι βουλόμενος ἐν τίνι τιμῇ παρ' ἀνθρώποις ἐστὶν, ἧκεν εἰς ἀγαλματοποιοῦ, ἑαυτὸν εἰκάσας ἀνθρώπῳ, καὶ θεασάμενος ἄγαλμα τοῦ Διὸς ἠρώτα, πόσου τις αὐτὸ πρίασθαι δύναται. Τοῦ δὲ εἰπόντος, Δραχμῆς, γελάσας, Πόσου τὸ τῆς Ἥρας; ἔφη. Εἰπόντος δὲ, Πλείονος, ἰδὼν καὶ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ἄγαλμα, καὶ νομίσας, ὡς, ἐπειδὴ ἄγγελός ἐστι Θεῶν καὶ κερδῷος, πολὺν αὑτοῦ παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις εἶναι τὸν λόγον, ἤρετο περὶ αὐτοῦ. Ὁ δ' ἀγαλματοποιὸς ἔφη· Ἐὰν τούτους ὠνήσῃ, καὶ τοῦτον προσθήκην σοι δίδωμι.

Ἑρμῆς γηῶναι βουλόμενος 

ἐν τίνι τιμῇ 

παρ' ἀνθρώποις ἐστὶν, 

ἧκεν εἰς ἀγαλματοποιοῦ, 

ἑαυτὸν εἰκάσας ἀνθρώπῳ, 

καὶ θεασάμενος ἄγαλμα τοῦ Διὸς 

ἠρώτα, 

πόσου τις αὐτὸ πρίασθαι δύναται. 

Τοῦ δὲ εἰπόντος, 

Δραχμῆς, γελάσας, 

Πόσου τὸ τῆς Ἥρας; 

ἔφη. 

Εἰπόντος δὲ, 

Πλείονος, 

ἰδὼν καὶ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ἄγαλμα, 

καὶ νομίσας, 

ὡς, ἐπειδὴ ἄγγελός ἐστι Θεῶν 

καὶ κερδῷος, 

πολὺν αὑτοῦ 

παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις 

εἶναι τὸν λόγον, 

ἤρετο περὶ αὐτοῦ. 

Ὁ δ' ἀγαλματοποιὸς ἔφη· 

Ἐὰν τούτους ὠνήσῃ, 

καὶ τοῦτον 

προσθήκην σοι δίδωμι.

Ἑρμῆς γηῶναι βουλόμενος  ...  Hermes wanted to know

ἐν τίνι τιμῇ ἐστὶν  ...  how he was valued

παρ' ἀνθρώποις  ...  by people, 

ἧκεν εἰς ἀγαλματοποιοῦ  ...  so he went to a sculptor

ἑαυτὸν εἰκάσας ἀνθρώπῳ  ...  and made himself look like a man.

καὶ θεασάμενος ἄγαλμα τοῦ Διὸς  ...  He saw a statue of Zeus

ἠρώτα  ...  and asked 

πόσου τις αὐτὸ πρίασθαι δύναται  ...  how much it cost.

Τοῦ δὲ εἰπόντος  ...  And the sculptor answered, 

Δραχμῆς ...  A drachma.

γελάσας ἔφη ...  And Hermes laughed and said, 

Πόσου τὸ τῆς Ἥρας  ...  how much for the statue of Hera?

Εἰπόντος δὲ  ...  And the statue-maker said, 

Πλείονος  ...  More.

ἰδὼν καὶ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ἄγαλμα  ...  And he saw a statue of himself

καὶ νομίσας  ...  and thought, 

ὡς ἐπειδὴ ἄγγελός ἐστι Θεῶν  ...  as he was the gods' messenger 

καὶ κερδῷος  ...  and a bringer of profit, 

πολὺν αὑτοῦ εἶναι τὸν λόγον  ...  his would be reckoned highly

παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις  ...  by the people. 

ἤρετο περὶ αὐτοῦ  ...  He asked about it 

Ὁ δ' ἀγαλματοποιὸς ἔφη  ...  and the sculptor said,

Ἐὰν τούτους ὠνήσῃ  ...  If you buy those, 

σοι δίδωμι καὶ τοῦτον  ...  I'll give you this one too

προσθήκην  ... as an add-on.

Hermes and the Sculptor

Δύσκολὸς καὶ δοῦλος 

Δύσκολόν τινά τις ἐζήτει. ὁ δὲ ἀπεκρίνατο, Οὐκ εἰμὶ ὧδε. Τοῦ δὲ γελάσαντος καὶ εἰπόντος, Ψεύδει· τὴς γὰρ φωνῆς σου ἀκούω, εἶπεν, ὦ κάθαρμα, εἰ μὲν ὁ δοῦλός μου εἶπεν, ἐπίστευσας ἂν αὐτῷ· ἐγὼ δέ σοι οὐ φαίνομαι ἀξιοπιστότερος ἐκείνου εἶναι;

Δύσκολόν τινά 

τις ἐζήτει. 

ὁ δὲ ἀπεκρίνατο, 

Οὐκ εἰμὶ ὧδε. 

Τοῦ δὲ γελάσαντος 

καὶ εἰπόντος, 

Ψεύδει· 

τὴς γὰρ φωνῆς σου ἀκούω, 

εἶπεν, 

ὦ κάθαρμα, 

εἰ μὲν ὁ δοῦλός μου εἶπεν, 

ἐπίστευσας ἂν αὐτῷ· 

ἐγὼ δέ 

σοι οὐ φαίνομαι 

ἀξιοπιστότερος ἐκείνου εἶναι;

τις ἐζήτει  ...  Someone was looking

δύσκολόν τινά  ...  for a grouchy person.

ὁ δὲ ἀπεκρίνατο  ...  The grouch answered, 

Οὐκ εἰμὶ ὧδε  ...  I'm not here!

Τοῦ δὲ γελάσαντος  ...  The visitor laughed

καὶ εἰπόντος  ...  and said,

Ψεύδει  ...  You're lying,

τὴς γὰρ φωνῆς σου ἀκούω  ...  for I hear your voice. 

εἶπεν  ...  The grouch said,

ὦ κάθαρμα  ...  You scum, 

εἰ μὲν ὁ δοῦλός μου εἶπεν  ...  if my slave had said it, 

ἐπίστευσας ἂν αὐτῷ  ...  you'd have believed him. 

ἐγὼ δέ σοι οὐ φαίνομαι εἶναι  ...  Don't I seem to you to be

ἀξιοπιστότερος ἐκείνου  ...  more trustworthy than him?

And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too :

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Greek Reading: Fables 33

Today's fables are from Potts and Darnell's Aditus Faciliores Graeci and from Colton's Greek Reader, both of which have notes for the stories and a vocabulary in the back and are available at the Internet Archive. The joke is from Rushbrooke's First Greek Reader, also at the Internet Archive, and with a dictionary in the back.

So, here are the stories in Greek, then segmented, and then interwoven with English. The titles are linked to the Internet Archive page.

Γερανοὶ καὶ γεωργοί

Γερανοί ποτε κατενέμοντο τὴν χώραν γεωργοῦ τινὸς νεωστὶ ἐσπαρμένην. ὁ δὲ πολλῇ κραυγῇ καὶ βοῇ ἀπηλαυνεν αὐτούς. οἱ δὲ γέρανοι τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἀπέφευγον φοβηθέντες, ὕστερον δὲ εἰθισμένοι κατεφρόνησαν τε αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἀπέφυγον. τότε δὲ ὁ γεωργὸς λίθους ἔβαλλεν. ὁ δὲ γεραίτατος τῶν γεράνων ἰδὼν ἔλεγεν, ἀποφεύγωμεν, φίλοι, οὗτος γὰρ ὁ ἀνὴρ οὐκέτι ἀπειλεῖ, ἀλλ' ἤδη πράσσειν τι ἄρχεται.

Γερανοί ποτε κατενέμοντο 

τὴν χώραν γεωργοῦ τινὸς 

νεωστὶ ἐσπαρμένην. 

ὁ δὲ 

πολλῇ κραυγῇ καὶ βοῇ 

ἀπηλαυνεν αὐτούς. 

οἱ δὲ γέρανοι 

τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἀπέφευγον 

φοβηθέντες, 

ὕστερον δὲ 

εἰθισμένοι 

κατεφρόνησαν τε αὐτοῦ 

καὶ οὐκ ἀπέφυγον. 

τότε δὲ ὁ γεωργὸς 

λίθους ἔβαλλεν. 

ὁ δὲ γεραίτατος τῶν γεράνων 

ἰδὼν ἔλεγεν, 

ἀποφεύγωμεν, φίλοι, 

οὗτος γὰρ ὁ ἀνὴρ 

οὐκέτι ἀπειλεῖ, 

ἀλλ' ἤδη 

πράσσειν τι ἄρχεται.

Γερανοί ποτε κατενέμοντο  ...  Some cranes once grazed

τὴν χώραν γεωργοῦ τινὸς  ...  on a certain farmer's land

νεωστὶ ἐσπαρμένην  ...  which had recently been sown.

ὁ δὲ  ...  But he 

πολλῇ κραυγῇ καὶ βοῇ  ...  with a loud shout and cry 

ἀπηλαυνεν αὐτούς  ...  drove the cranes away. 

οἱ δὲ γέρανοι  ...  And the cranes 

τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἀπέφευγον  ...  fled at first, 

φοβηθέντες  ...  being afraid, 

ὕστερον δὲ  ...  but the next time, 

εἰθισμένοι  ...  getting accustomed (to the shouting),

κατεφρόνησαν τε αὐτοῦ  ...  they scorned him, 

καὶ οὐκ ἀπέφυγον  ...  and did not flee. 

τότε δὲ ὁ γεωργὸς  ...  And then the farmer 

λίθους ἔβαλλεν  ...  threw stones. 

ὁ δὲ γεραίτατος τῶν γεράνων  ...  The eldest of the cranes 

ἰδὼν ἔλεγεν  ...  saw this and said, 

ἀποφεύγωμεν, φίλοι  ...  My friends, let us flee! 

οὗτος γὰρ ὁ ἀνὴρ  ...  For this man

οὐκέτι ἀπειλεῖ  ...  is no longer just making threats, 

ἀλλ' ἤδη  ...  but now 

πράσσειν τι ἄρχεται  ...  he is starting to do something!

Greek vase painting

Ἵππος καὶ ὄνος

(another version of a story you have seen before here and here)

Ἄνθρωπός τις ἵππον εἶχε καὶ ὄνον· ἐπεφόρτισε δὲ πλείω τὴν ὄνον· ἥτις δὴ καὶ ὁδεύσασα μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ βάρους, πρὸς τὸν ἵππον ἐβόα· Λάβε ἀπὸ τοῦ βάρους, καὶ κούφισόν με ὀλίγον· οὐ γὰρ δύναμαι ταῦτα πάντα βαστάζειν· καὶ εἰ μὲν βούλει, ζήσομεν ἐν τῷ βίῳ· εἰ δὲ μὴ πεισθῇς μοι, ὄψει με τεθνηκυῖαν. Ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἐπείσθη ἐλεῆσαι τὴν ὄνον· καὶ παραχρῆμα θανοῦσα ἐπεπτώκει. Τοῦ δὲ κυρίου θέντος πάντα τῷ παναθλίῳ. Τί μοι συνέβη ἄρτι τῷ ταλαιπώρῳ; εἶτε· μὴ θελήσας γὰρ μικρὸν λαβεῖν ἐκ τοῦ βάρους, ἰδοὺ ἅπαντα βαστάζω σὺν τῷ δέρματι.

Ἄνθρωπός τις 

ἵππον εἶχε καὶ ὄνον· 

ἐπεφόρτισε δὲ τὴν ὄνον

πλείω· 

ἥτις δὴ 

καὶ ὁδεύσασα 

μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ βάρους, 

πρὸς τὸν ἵππον ἐβόα· 

Λάβε ἀπὸ τοῦ βάρους, 

καὶ κούφισόν με ὀλίγον· 

οὐ γὰρ δύναμαι 

ταῦτα πάντα βαστάζειν· 

καὶ εἰ μὲν βούλει, 

ζήσομεν ἐν τῷ βίῳ· 

εἰ δὲ μὴ πεισθῇς μοι, 

ὄψει με τεθνηκυῖαν. 

Ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἐπείσθη 

ἐλεῆσαι τὴν ὄνον· 

καὶ παραχρῆμα θανοῦσα 

ἐπεπτώκει. 

Τοῦ δὲ κυρίου 

θέντος πάντα 

τῷ παναθλίῳ. 

Τί μοι συνέβη 

ἄρτι τῷ ταλαιπώρῳ; 

εἶτε· 

μὴ θελήσας γὰρ 

μικρὸν λαβεῖν 

ἐκ τοῦ βάρους, 

ἰδοὺ 

ἅπαντα βαστάζω 

σὺν τῷ δέρματι.

Ἄνθρωπός τις  ...  A certain man

ἵππον εἶχε καὶ ὄνον  ...  had a horse and a she-donkey,

ἐπεφόρτισε δὲ τὴν ὄνον  ...  and he loaded the donkey

πλείω  ...  more heavily. 

ἥτις δὴ καὶ ὁδεύσασα  ...  So indeed she traveled along

μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ βάρους  ...  with this great load, 

πρὸς τὸν ἵππον ἐβόα  ...  and shouted at the horse: 

Λάβε ἀπὸ τοῦ βάρους  ...  Take some of this load, 

καὶ κούφισόν με ὀλίγον  ...  and alleviate me a little, 

οὐ γὰρ δύναμαι  ...  for I am not able 

ταῦτα πάντα βαστάζειν  ...  to carry all this, 

καὶ εἰ μὲν βούλει  ...  and if you agree, 

ζήσομεν ἐν τῷ βίῳ  ...  we'll live in this world,

εἰ δὲ μὴ πεισθῇς μοι  ...  but if you don't obey me,

ὄψει με τεθνηκυῖαν  ...  you'll see me dead. 

Ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἐπείσθη  ...  But the horse was not persuaded

ἐλεῆσαι τὴν ὄνον  ...  to take pity on the donkey, 

καὶ παραχρῆμα θανοῦσα  ...  and she soon died 

ἐπεπτώκει  ...  and fell down. 

Τοῦ δὲ κυρίου θέντος πάντα  ...  Their owner put everything

τῷ παναθλίῳ  ...  on that most wretched (horse),

εἶτε  ...  and the horse said:

Τί μοι συνέβη  ...  What has happened to me 

ἄρτι τῷ ταλαιπώρῳ  ...  wretched as I am now?

μὴ θελήσας γὰρ  ...  For I did not want 

μικρὸν λαβεῖν ἐκ τοῦ βάρους  ...  to take a little of the load, 

ἰδοὺ  ...  and look: 

ἅπαντα βαστάζω  ...  I am carrying everything 

σὺν τῷ δέρματι  ...  along with the (donkey's) skin.

The Horse and the Donkey

Σχολαστικός τις καὶ ποταμός 

Σχολαστικός τις, ποταμὸν βουλόμενος περᾶν, ἐπέβη ἐπὶ τὸ πλοῖον ἐφ' ἵππου καθήμενος. πυθομένου δὲ τινος τὴν αἰτίαν, ἔφη, σπουδάζειν.

Σχολαστικός τις, 

ποταμὸν βουλόμενος περᾶν, 

ἐπέβη ἐπὶ τὸ πλοῖον 

ἐφ' ἵππου καθήμενος. 

πυθομένου δὲ τινος 

τὴν αἰτίαν, 

ἔφη, 

σπουδάζειν.

Σχολαστικός τις  ...  A certain dunce

ποταμὸν βουλόμενος περᾶν  ...  wanted to cross a river

ἐπέβη ἐπὶ τὸ πλοῖον  ...  and got on to the ferry 

ἐφ' ἵππου καθήμενος  ...  seated upon his horse. 

πυθομένου δὲ τινος  ...  When someone asked 

τὴν αἰτίαν  ...  the reason (for staying on his horse),

ἔφη  ...  he said:

σπουδάζειν  ...  In order to hurry.

And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too :

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Greek Reading: Fables 32

Today's fables are from Potts and Darnell's Aditus Faciliores Graeci and from Colton's Greek Reader, both of which have notes for the stories and a vocabulary in the back and are available at the Internet Archive. The joke is from Rushbrooke's First Greek Reader, also at the Internet Archive, and with a dictionary in the back.

So, here are the stories in Greek, then segmented, and then interwoven with English. The titles are linked to the Internet Archive page.

Ὄνου σκιά

Νεανίας τις θέρους ὄντος Μεγάραδε πορευόμενος ὄνον ἐξ ἄστεος ἐμισθώσατο, ἐβάδιζε δὲ μετ' αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ μισθώσας τὸν ὄνον. Μεσούσης δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τοῦ ἡλίου σφόδρα φλέγοντος, ἑκάτερος αὐτῶν ἐβούλετο ὑποδύεσθαι ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν τοῦ ὄνου. εἶργον δὲ ἀλλήλους, ὁ μὲν λέγων μεμισθωκέναι μὲν τὸν ὄνον, τὴν δὲ σκιὰν οὔ. ὁ δὲ ἕτερος ἔφη ἀμφότερα μισθώσασθαι.

Νεανίας τις 

θέρους ὄντος 

Μεγάραδε πορευόμενος 

ὄνον ἐξ ἄστεος ἐμισθώσατο, 

ἐβάδιζε δὲ μετ' αὐτοῦ 

καὶ ὁ μισθώσας τὸν ὄνον. 

Μεσούσης δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας 

καὶ τοῦ ἡλίου σφόδρα φλέγοντος, 

ἑκάτερος αὐτῶν 

ἐβούλετο ὑποδύεσθαι 

ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν τοῦ ὄνου. 

εἶργον δὲ ἀλλήλους, 

ὁ μὲν λέγων 

μεμισθωκέναι μὲν τὸν ὄνον, 

τὴν δὲ σκιὰν οὔ. 

ὁ δὲ ἕτερος ἔφη 

ἀμφότερα μισθώσασθαι.

Νεανίας τις  ... A certain young man, 

θέρους ὄντος  ... during summertime, 

Μεγάραδε πορευόμενος  ... was going to Megara, 

ὄνον ἐξ ἄστεος ἐμισθώσατο  ... and hired a donkey from town, 

ἐβάδιζε δὲ μετ' αὐτοῦ  ... and he went with the donkey 

καὶ ὁ μισθώσας τὸν ὄνον  ... and the donkey's owner. 

Μεσούσης δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας  ... When it was mid-day 

καὶ τοῦ ἡλίου σφόδρα φλέγοντος  ... and the sun was blazing hot, 

ἑκάτερος αὐτῶν  ... each of the men 

ἐβούλετο ὑποδύεσθαι  ... wanted to creep down under 

ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν τοῦ ὄνου  ... the donkey's shadow. 

εἶργον δὲ ἀλλήλους  ... They each blocked the other; 

ὁ μὲν λέγων  ... the owner said 

μεμισθωκέναι μὲν τὸν ὄνον  ... he'd rented the donkey, 

τὴν δὲ σκιὰν οὔ  ... but not the donkey's shadow. 

ὁ δὲ ἕτερος ἔφη  ... The other said 

ἀμφότερα μισθώσασθαι  ... he had rented both!

The Donkey's Shadow

Λέων καὶ βάτραχος 

Λέων ἀκούσας βατράχου μέγα κεκραγότος ἐστράφη πρὸς τὴν φωνὴν, οἰόμενος μέγα τι ζῶον εἶναι. Προσμείνας δὲ αὐτὸν μικρὸν χρόνον, ὡς ἐθεάσατο τοῦτον ἐκ τῆς λίμνης ἀπελθόντα, προσελθὼν κατεπάτησεν αὐτὸν εἰπών· Μηδένα ἀκοὴ ταραττέτω πρὸ τῆς θέας, ἤγουν μηδεὶς πρὸ τοῦ ἰδεῖν ταραττέσθω ὑπό τινος. 

Λέων 

ἀκούσας βατράχου 

μέγα κεκραγότος 

ἐστράφη πρὸς τὴν φωνὴν, 

οἰόμενος μέγα τι ζῶον εἶναι. 

Προσμείνας δὲ αὐτὸν 

μικρὸν χρόνον, 

ὡς ἐθεάσατο τοῦτον 

ἐκ τῆς λίμνης ἀπελθόντα, 

προσελθὼν 

κατεπάτησεν αὐτὸν 

εἰπών· 

Μηδένα 

ἀκοὴ ταραττέτω 

πρὸ τῆς θέας, 

ἤγουν μηδεὶς 

πρὸ τοῦ ἰδεῖν 

ταραττέσθω ὑπό τινος. 

Λέων  ...  A lion

ἀκούσας βατράχου  ...  heard a frog 

μέγα κεκραγότος  ...  croaking loudly 

ἐστράφη ...  and turned

πρὸς τὴν φωνὴν  ...  towards the sound,

οἰόμενος  ...  he thought

μέγα τι ζῶον εἶναι  ...  it must be some great animal. 

Προσμείνας δὲ αὐτὸν  ...  He waited for it 

μικρὸν χρόνον  ...  for a little while 

ὡς ἐθεάσατο τοῦτον  ...  when he saw it 

ἐκ τῆς λίμνης ἀπελθόντα  ...  coming out of the swamp. 

προσελθὼν  ...  He walked over 

κατεπάτησεν αὐτὸν  ...  and stamped on it 

εἰπών  ...  saying, 

Μηδένα ἀκοὴ ταραττέτω  ...  Let a sound disturb no one 

πρὸ τῆς θέας  ...  before it is seen, 

ἤγουν ... rather:

μηδεὶς ταραττέσθω ... let no one be disturbed

ὑπό τινος  ...  by anything 

πρὸ τοῦ ἰδεῖν  ...  before seeing (it).

The Lion and the Frog

Σχολαστικὸς καὶ ἀδελφοὶ δύο

Σχολαστικός τις ἀδελφοὺς δύο ἰδὼν, θαυμαζόντων τινῶν τὴν ὁμοιότητα αὐτῶν, Οὐχ οὕτως, φησὶν, ὁμοῖός ἐστιν οὗτος ἐκείνῳ, ὡς ἐκεῖνος τούτῳ.

Σχολαστικός τις 

ἀδελφοὺς δύο ἰδὼν, 

θαυμαζόντων τινῶν 

τὴν ὁμοιότητα αὐτῶν, 

Οὐχ οὕτως, φησὶν, 

ὁμοῖός ἐστιν οὗτος ἐκείνῳ, 

ὡς ἐκεῖνος τούτῳ.

Σχολαστικός τις  ... A certain dunce

ἀδελφοὺς δύο ἰδὼν  ... saw two brothers: 

θαυμαζόντων τινῶν  ... when some people were amazed 

τὴν ὁμοιότητα αὐτῶν  ... at the brothers' similarity,

φησὶν  ... the dunce said

οὗτος ...  This brother

οὐχ οὕτως ὁμοῖός ἐστιν  ... is not so similar to

ἐκείνῳ ... that one 

ὡς ἐκεῖνος τούτῳ  ... as that one is to this one.

The Twins, Castor and Pollux

And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too :

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Greek Reading: Fables 31

Today's fables are from Potts and Darnell's Aditus Faciliores Graeci and from Colton's Greek Reader, both of which have notes for the stories and a vocabulary in the back and are available at the Internet Archive. The joke is from Rushbrooke's First Greek Reader, also at the Internet Archive, and with a dictionary in the back.

So, here are the stories in Greek, then segmented, and then interwoven with English. The titles are linked to the Internet Archive page.

Λύχνος ἐλαίου πλήρης 

Λύχνος ποτέ τις ἐλαίου πλήρης λαμπρότατα ἔλαμπε, καὶ ὀγκωθεὶς μέγαλα ἐκόμπει. ὡς δὲ αὐτὸν οἱ παριόντες ἐθαύμαζον, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, ἰδοῦ, πολῖται. ἐγὼ γὰρ λαμπρότερός εἰμι τῆς σελήνης καὶ τῶν ἀστέρων. εἰπόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ταῦτα, ἄνεμος ἰσχυρὸς ἐπιγενόμενος κατέσβεσεν αὐτῷ τὴν φλόγα. τῶν δὲ παρόντων τις ἀνῆψεν αὐτὸν λέγων, μή μεγαλαύχει. σεαυτῷ γὰρ καλὸς εἶναι δοκεῖς. ὅμως δὲ σμικρά σε ῥιπὴ ἄνεμου ἀποσβέσας ἀποκτείνει. οἱ δὲ ἀστέρες εἰσίν ἀθάνατοι, καὶ ἐς ἀεὶ λάμψουσιν.

Λύχνος ποτέ τις 

ἐλαίου πλήρης 

λαμπρότατα ἔλαμπε, 

καὶ ὀγκωθεὶς μέγαλα ἐκόμπει. 

ὡς δὲ αὐτὸν 

οἱ παριόντες ἐθαύμαζον, 

εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, 

ἰδοῦ, πολῖται. 

ἐγὼ γὰρ λαμπρότερός εἰμι 

τῆς σελήνης καὶ τῶν ἀστέρων. 

εἰπόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ταῦτα,

ἄνεμος ἰσχυρὸς ἐπιγενόμενος 

κατέσβεσεν αὐτῷ τὴν φλόγα. 

τῶν δὲ παρόντων τις 

ἀνῆψεν αὐτὸν λέγων, 

μή μεγαλαύχει. 

σεαυτῷ γὰρ 

καλὸς εἶναι δοκεῖς. 

ὅμως δὲ 

σμικρά σε ῥιπὴ ἄνεμου ἀποσβέσας ἀποκτείνει. 

οἱ δὲ ἀστέρες εἰσίν ἀθάνατοι, 

καὶ ἐς ἀεὶ λάμψουσιν.

Λύχνος ποτέ τις  ...  Once upon a time a lamp

ἐλαίου πλήρης  ...  full of oil 

λαμπρότατα ἔλαμπε  ...  shone very brightly, 

καὶ ὀγκωθεὶς  ... and puffed up with pride

μέγαλα ἐκόμπει  ...  he boasted loudly.

ὡς δὲ οἱ παριόντες  ...  as the bystanders

ἐθαύμαζον αὐτὸν  ... looked at him in wonder,

εἶπεν αὐτοῖς  ...  he said to them:

ἰδοῦ, πολῖται  ...  Behold, citizens,

ἐγὼ γὰρ λαμπρότερός εἰμι  ...  for I am brighter 

τῆς σελήνης καὶ τῶν ἀστέρων  ...  the the moon and stars. 

εἰπόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ταῦτα  ...  As the lamp said these things,

ἄνεμος ἰσχυρὸς ἐπιγενόμενος  ...  a strong wind arose 

κατέσβεσεν αὐτῷ τὴν φλόγα  ...  and extinguished his flame. 

τῶν δὲ παρόντων τις  ...  One of the bystanders 

ἀνῆψεν αὐτὸν λέγων  ...  relit the lamp and said, 

μή μεγαλαύχει  ...  Don't boast! 

σεαυτῷ γὰρ  ... While to yourself

καλὸς εἶναι δοκεῖς  ...  you seem to be good, 

ὅμως δὲ  ...  nevertheless

σμικρά ῥιπὴ ἄνεμου  ...  a small puff of wind 

σε ἀποσβέσας ἀποκτείνει  ...  can put you out and kill you.

οἱ δὲ ἀστέρες εἰσίν ἀθάνατοι  ...  But the stars are immortal, 

καὶ ἐς ἀεὶ λάμψουσιν  ...  and they shine for eternity.

oil lamp

Ἀλώπηξ καὶ βότρυες 

(you saw another version of this fable earlier)

Ἀλώπηξ λιμώττουσα, ὡς ἐθεάσατο ἐπί τινα ἀναδενδράδα βότρυας κρεμαμενους, ἠβουλήθη αὐτῶν περιγενέσθαι, καὶ οὐκ ἐδύνατο· ἀπαλλαττομένη δὲ πρὸς ἑαυτὴν εἶπεν· Ὄμφακές εἰσιν.

Ἀλώπηξ λιμώττουσα, 

ὡς ἐθεάσατο 

ἐπί τινα ἀναδενδράδα 

βότρυας κρεμαμενους, 

ἠβουλήθη αὐτῶν περιγενέσθαι, 

καὶ οὐκ ἐδύνατο· 

ἀπαλλαττομένη δὲ 

πρὸς ἑαυτὴν εἶπεν· 

Ὄμφακές εἰσιν.

Ἀλώπηξ λιμώττουσα  ...  A hungry fox

ὡς ἐθεάσατο  ...  when she saw

βότρυας κρεμαμενους  ...  grape clusters hanging 

ἐπί τινα ἀναδενδράδα  ...  upon a vine trained up a tree, 

ἠβουλήθη αὐτῶν περιγενέσθαι  ...  wanted to reach them, 

καὶ οὐκ ἐδύνατο  ...  but was not able to do so. 

ἀπαλλαττομένη δὲ  ...  Going away

πρὸς ἑαυτὴν εἶπεν  ...  she said to herself: 

Ὄμφακές εἰσιν  ...  They were not ripe.

the fox and the grapes

Σχολαστικὸς καὶ ὄνος 

Σχολαστικός τις ἐθέλων τὸν ὄνον αὐτοῦ διδάξαι μὴ τρώγειν, οὐ παρέβαλεν αὐτῷ χόρτον. ἀποθανόντος δὲ τοῦ ὄνου λιμῷ ἔλεγε, Μεγάλα ἐζημιώθην· ὅτε γὰρ ἔμαθε μὴ τρώγειν, τότε ἀπέθανεν.

Σχολαστικός τις ἐθέλων

τὸν ὄνον αὐτοῦ διδάξαι 

μὴ τρώγειν, 

οὐ παρέβαλεν αὐτῷ χόρτον. 

ἀποθανόντος δὲ τοῦ ὄνου λιμῷ 

ἔλεγε, 

Μεγάλα ἐζημιώθην· 

ὅτε γὰρ ἔμαθε μὴ τρώγειν, 

τότε ἀπέθανεν.

Σχολαστικός τις ἐθέλων  ...  A certain dunce wanted

τὸν ὄνον αὐτοῦ διδάξαι  ...  to teach his donkey

μὴ τρώγειν  ...  to go without eating,

οὐ παρέβαλεν αὐτῷ χόρτον  ...  and didn't give him good. 

ἀποθανόντος δὲ τοῦ ὄνου λιμῷ  ...  The donkey died of hunger

ἔλεγε  ...  and he said:

Μεγάλα ἐζημιώθην  ...  What a terrible loss for me! 

ὅτε γὰρ ἔμαθε μὴ τρώγειν  ...  Just when he'd learned not to eat,

τότε ἀπέθανεν  ...  he died.

donkey-headed drinking vessel

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Greek Reading: Fables 30

Today's fables are from Potts and Darnell's Aditus Faciliores Graeci and from Colton's Greek Reader, both of which have notes for the stories and a vocabulary in the back and are available at the Internet Archive. The joke is from Rushbrooke's First Greek Reader, also at the Internet Archive, and with a dictionary in the back.

So, here are the stories in Greek, then segmented, and then interwoven with English. The titles are linked to the Internet Archive page.

Ἄνθρωπὸς καὶ ἀλώπηξ

Ἄνθρωπός τίς ποτε ἀλώπεκα ἑλὼν, λίνον τι προσέδησε τῇ κέρκῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἧψεν αὐτό. οὕτω δὲ αφῆκεν. δαίμων δὲ τις ὀργισθεὶς ὡδήγησε τὴν ἀλώπεκα ἐς τὴν ἄρουραν αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἀφέντος τὴν ἀλώπεκα. ἡ δὲ τῇ φλογὶ τοῦ λίνου ἀνῆψεν αὐτοῦ τὸν σῖτον ἔτι ακμάζοντα. οὕτω πολλὴν τὴν ζημίαν τῆς ὠμότητος ἀπέτισεν.

Ἄνθρωπός τίς ποτε 

ἀλώπεκα ἑλὼν, 

λίνον τι προσέδησε 

τῇ κέρκῳ αὐτοῦ 

καὶ ἧψεν αὐτό. 

οὕτω δὲ αφῆκεν. 

δαίμων δὲ τις ὀργισθεὶς 

ὡδήγησε τὴν ἀλώπεκα 

ἐς τὴν ἄρουραν 

αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἀφέντος τὴν ἀλώπεκα. 

ἡ δὲ 

τῇ φλογὶ τοῦ λίνου 

ἀνῆψεν αὐτοῦ τὸν σῖτον 

ἔτι ακμάζοντα. 

οὕτω πολλὴν τὴν ζημίαν 

τῆς ὠμότητος 

ἀπέτισεν.

Ἄνθρωπός τίς ποτε  ... A man once

ἀλώπεκα ἑλὼν  ... caught a fox  

λίνον τι προσέδησε  ... and tied a flax rope 

τῇ κέρκῳ αὐτοῦ  ... onto the fox's tail 

καὶ ἧψεν αὐτό  ... and set it on fire. 

οὕτω δὲ αφῆκεν  ... then he let the fox loose. 

δαίμων δὲ τις ὀργισθεὶς  ... A god got angry

ὡδήγησε τὴν ἀλώπεκα  ... and guided the fox 

ἐς τὴν ἄρουραν αὐτοῦ  ... to the field of the man

τοῦ ἀφέντος τὴν ἀλώπεκα  ... who had let the fox go. 

ἡ δὲ  ... And the fox 

τῇ φλογὶ τοῦ λίνου  ... with the fire of the flax 

ἀνῆψεν αὐτοῦ τὸν σῖτον  ... burnt up his grain 

ἔτι ακμάζοντα  ... that was still ripening (in the field). 

οὕτω ἀπέτισεν  ... thus he paid

πολλὴν τὴν ζημίαν  ... a great penalty

τῆς ὠμότητος  ... for his cruelty. 

Firefox logo

Παῖς καὶ Τύχη

(a shorter version of a fable you saw from another reader earlier)

Ἐγγὺς φρέατος παῖς τις ἐκοιμᾶτο. Ἐπιστᾶσα δὲ αὐτῷ ἡ Τύχη ἐβόα, Ἀνάστα καὶ ἄπελθε ἐντεῦθεν, μὴ πως κάτωθεν τοῦ φρέατος πέσὴς, καὶ ἐμὲ τὴν Τύχην καταμέμψωνται πάντες.

Ἐγγὺς φρέατος 

παῖς τις ἐκοιμᾶτο. 

Ἐπιστᾶσα δὲ αὐτῷ 

ἡ Τύχη ἐβόα,

Ἀνάστα 

καὶ ἄπελθε ἐντεῦθεν, 

μὴ πως κάτωθεν τοῦ φρέατος πέσὴς, 

καὶ ἐμὲ τὴν Τύχην 

καταμέμψωνται πάντες.

Ἐγγὺς φρέατος  ... Beside a well

παῖς τις ἐκοιμᾶτο  ... a child fell asleep. 

Ἐπιστᾶσα δὲ αὐτῷ  ... Standing beside him 

ἡ Τύχη ἐβόα  ... Lady Luck shouted,

Ἀνάστα  ... Get up 

καὶ ἄπελθε ἐντεῦθεν  ... and go away from here 

μὴ πως πέσὴς  ... lest you fall 

κάτωθεν τοῦ φρέατος  ... down into the well, 

καὶ καταμέμψωνται πάντες  ... and everybody blame

ἐμὲ τὴν Τύχην  ... me, Lady Luck. 

Fortune and the Schoolboy

Σχολαστικὸς καὶ πώγων

Σχολαστικός τις ἀκούσας τινῶν εἰπόντων ὅτι,  ̔Ο πώγων σου ἤδη ἔρχεται, ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πύλην καὶ ἐξεδέχετο αὐτόν. Ἕτερος δὲ τὴν πρόφασιν ἐρωτήσας καὶ γνούς, Εἰκότως, ἔφη, μωροὶ καλούμεθα· πόθεν γὰρ οἶσθα εἰ διὰ τῆς ἑτέρας πύλης οὐκ ἔρχεται;

Σχολαστικός τις ἀκούσας 

τινῶν εἰπόντων ὅτι, 

 ̔Ο πώγων σου ἤδη ἔρχεται, 

ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πύλην 

καὶ ἐξεδέχετο αὐτόν. 

Ἕτερος δὲ 

τὴν πρόφασιν ἐρωτήσας 

καὶ γνούς, 

Εἰκότως, ἔφη, μωροὶ καλούμεθα· 

πόθεν γὰρ οἶσθα 

εἰ διὰ τῆς ἑτέρας πύλης οὐκ ἔρχεται;

Σχολαστικός τις ἀκούσας  ...  A certain dunce

τινῶν εἰπόντων ὅτι  ...  heard people telling him that 

 ̔Ο πώγων σου ἤδη ἔρχεται  ...  "Your beard is coming soon."

ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πύλην  ...  He went to the city gate

καὶ ἐξεδέχετο αὐτόν  ...  and waited for his beard.

Ἕτερος δὲ  ...  Another dunce

τὴν πρόφασιν ἐρωτήσας  ...  asked what he was doing 

καὶ γνούς ἔφη  ...  and when he found out, said,

Εἰκότως μωροὶ καλούμεθα  ...  It's right that we're called idiots!

πόθεν γὰρ οἶσθα  ...  For how do you know 

εἰ οὐκ ἔρχεται  ...  that it's not coming

διὰ τῆς ἑτέρας πύλης  ...  through the other gate?

Greek terracotta of bearded man

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Greek Reading: Fables 29

Today's fables are from Potts and Darnell's Aditus Faciliores Graeci and from Colton's Greek Reader, both of which have notes for the stories and a vocabulary in the back and are available at the Internet Archive. The joke is from Rushbrooke's First Greek Reader, also at the Internet Archive, and with a dictionary in the back.

So, here are the stories in Greek, then segmented, and then interwoven with English. The titles are linked to the Internet Archive page.

Κυναγός καὶ λέων

Κυναγός τις, τοξότης δεινότατος, εἰς ὄρος ἦλθεν. ἐλθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ, φυγὴ πάντων τῶν θηρίων ἐγένετο. λέων δέ τις ἐπέμεινε καὶ μάχεσθαι ἤθελεν. ὁ δὲ κυναγὸς, ἄγγελόν τινα, ἔφη, σοὶ προπέμψω, ἵνα γνῷς οἷός τις αὐτός εἰμι. εἶτα ἐτόξευσεν. ὁ δὲ λέων, ἐβλήθη γάρ, ἐς τὴν νάπην ἀπέφευγε λέγων, εὖ οἶδα τοῦτον φοβερὸν ὄντα, ὅστις ἀγγέλους τοιούτους προπέμψαι δύναται.

Κυναγός τις, 

τοξότης δεινότατος, 

εἰς ὄρος ἦλθεν. 

ἐλθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ, 

φυγὴ πάντων τῶν θηρίων ἐγένετο. 

λέων δέ τις ἐπέμεινε 

καὶ μάχεσθαι ἤθελεν. 

ὁ δὲ κυναγὸς, 

ἄγγελόν τινα, ἔφη, 

σοὶ προπέμψω, 

ἵνα γνῷς 

οἷός τις αὐτός εἰμι. 

εἶτα ἐτόξευσεν. 

ὁ δὲ λέων, 

ἐβλήθη γάρ, 

ἐς τὴν νάπην ἀπέφευγε 

λέγων, 

εὖ οἶδα 

τοῦτον φοβερὸν ὄντα, 

ὅστις 

ἀγγέλους τοιούτους προπέμψαι 

δύναται.

Κυναγός τις  ... A hunter,

τοξότης δεινότατος  ... a fearsome archer, 

εἰς ὄρος ἦλθεν  ... came to the mountain. 

ἐλθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ  ... When he got there, 

φυγὴ πάντων τῶν θηρίων ἐγένετο  ... all the animals fled. 

λέων δέ τις ἐπέμεινε  ... But a lion remained

καὶ μάχεσθαι ἤθελεν  ... and wanted to fight. 

ὁ δὲ κυναγὸς ἔφη  ... The hunter said, 

ἄγγελόν τινα  ... A messenger

σοὶ προπέμψω  ... I'll send to you, 

ἵνα γνῷς  ... so that you know 

οἷός τις αὐτός εἰμι  ... just who I am. 

εἶτα ἐτόξευσεν  ... Then he shot. 

ὁ δὲ λέων  ... The lion, 

ἐβλήθη γάρ  ... as he was hit, 

ἐς τὴν νάπην ἀπέφευγε  ... fled into the woodland 

λέγων  ... saying, 

εὖ οἶδα  ... I know well 

τοῦτον φοβερὸν ὄντα  ... this is a terrible thing

ὅστις δύναται  ... who can

ἀγγέλους τοιούτους προπέμψαι  ... send messengers like that.

(in this version, the lion speaks with a fox)

Αἴλουρος καὶ ὄρνιθες 

Αἴλουρος ἀκούσας, ὅτι ἔν τινι τόπῳ ἐπ' αὐλῇ ὄρνιθες νοσοῦσιν, εἰς ἰατρὸν ἑαυτὸν σχηματίσας, καὶ τὰ τὴς ἐπιστήμης πρόσφορα ἀναλαβὼν ἐργαλεῖα, παρεγένετο· καὶ στὰς πρὸ τῆς ἐπαύλεως, ἐπυνθάνετο αὐτὰς, πῶς ἔχοιεν. Αἱ δὲ ἀποκριθεῖσαι, Καλῶς, ἔφασαν, ἐὰν σὺ ἐντεῦθεν ἀπαλλαγῇς.

Αἴλουρος ἀκούσας 

ὅτι ἔν τινι τόπῳ ἐπ' αὐλῇ 

ὄρνιθες νοσοῦσιν, 

εἰς ἰατρὸν ἑαυτὸν σχηματίσας, 

καὶ τὰ τὴς ἐπιστήμης πρόσφορα 

ἀναλαβὼν ἐργαλεῖα, 

παρεγένετο· 

καὶ στὰς πρὸ τῆς ἐπαύλεως, 

ἐπυνθάνετο αὐτὰς, 

πῶς ἔχοιεν. 

Αἱ δὲ ἀποκριθεῖσαι, 

Καλῶς, ἔφασαν, 

ἐὰν σὺ ἐντεῦθεν ἀπαλλαγῇς.

Αἴλουρος ἀκούσας  ...  A cat heard

ὅτι ἔν τινι τόπῳ ἐπ' αὐλῇ  ...  that somewhere in a yard

ὄρνιθες νοσοῦσιν  ...  the chickens were sick, 

εἰς ἰατρὸν ἑαυτὸν σχηματίσας  ...  and dressed up as a doctor, 

καὶ ἀναλαβὼν ἐργαλεῖα  ...  taking up the instruments

τὰ τὴς ἐπιστήμης πρόσφορα  ...  that pertain to the profession,

παρεγένετο  ...  he went there 

καὶ στὰς πρὸ τῆς ἐπαύλεως  ...  and stood at the yard gate, 

ἐπυνθάνετο αὐτὰς  ...  and asked them

πῶς ἔχοιεν  ...  how they were doing.

Αἱ δὲ ἀποκριθεῖσαι ἔφασαν ...  And they answered, saying,

Καλῶς,  ...  We'd be doing well

ἐὰν σὺ ἐντεῦθεν ἀπαλλαγῇς  ...  if YOU would just get out of here.

The Cat and the Birds

Σχολαστικοὶ δύο καὶ μέλαινα ὄρνις 

Σχολαστικοὶ δύο ὁμοῦ ἐβάδιζον· ἰδὼν οὖν ὁ ἕτερος αὐτῶν μέλαιναν ὄρνιν, Ἀδελφὲ, φησὶν, ἴσως ταύτης ὁ ἀλεκτρύων ἀπέθανεν.

Σχολαστικοὶ δύο 

ὁμοῦ ἐβάδιζον· 

ἰδὼν οὖν ὁ ἕτερος αὐτῶν 

μέλαιναν ὄρνιν, 

Ἀδελφὲ, φησὶν, 

ἴσως ταύτης ὁ ἀλεκτρύων ἀπέθανεν.

Σχολαστικοὶ δύο  ... Two dunces

ὁμοῦ ἐβάδιζον  ... were walking together. 

ἰδὼν οὖν ὁ ἕτερος αὐτῶν  ... Then one of them saw 

μέλαιναν ὄρνιν  ... a black bird; 

φησὶν: Ἀδελφὲ  ... he said: Brother,

ἴσως  ... it looks like

ταύτης ὁ ἀλεκτρύων ἀπέθανεν  ...  her rooster must have died.

(i.e. the bird's black feathers are her mourning clothes)

And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too :

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Greek Reading: Fables 28

Today's fables are from Potts and Darnell's Aditus Faciliores Graeci and from Colton's Greek Reader, both of which have notes for the stories and a vocabulary in the back and are available at the Internet Archive. The joke is from Rushbrooke's First Greek Reader, also at the Internet Archive, and with a dictionary in the back.

So, here are the stories in Greek, then segmented, and then interwoven with English. The titles are linked to the Internet Archive page.

Νυκτερίς 

Οἱ ὄρνιθές ποτε τοῖς θηρίοις ἐπολέμουν· ὁ δὲ πόλεμος ἄσπονδος ἦν καὶ δεινός. ἡ δὲ νυκτερίς μετ' οὐδετέρων ἦν. βούλομαι γὰρ, ἔφη, ἰδεῖν ὁπότεροι νικήσειν μέλλουσι. κρατούντων δὲ ποτε τῶν θηρίων αὐτοὶς συνεπολέμει ἡ νυκτερὶς καὶ πολλὴν σπουδὴν ἀπεδείξατο. τέλος δὲ οἱ ὄρνιθες συνεστράφησαν καὶ κραυγῇ πολλῇ χρώμενοι ἐνίκησαν τὰ θήρια. τότε δὲ αὖ νυκτερὶς μεταβαλομένη ἐς βοήθειαν ἦλθε τοῖς ὄρνισι. τέλος δὲ εἰρήνης γενομένης ἀμφοτέροις προδότις εἶναι ἔδοξε καὶ τῶν σπονδῶν ἀπεκλείσθη. διόπερ ἀποφυγεῖν ἀναγκασθεῖσα ἀπεκρύπτετο καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐξιέναι ἐφοβεῖτο. ὅθεν δειλὴ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐν τῷ σκότῳ μόνον περιπέτεται.

Οἱ ὄρνιθές ποτε 

τοῖς θηρίοις ἐπολέμουν· 

ὁ δὲ πόλεμος ἄσπονδος ἦν 

καὶ δεινός. 

ἡ δὲ νυκτερίς 

μετ' οὐδετέρων ἦν. 

βούλομαι γὰρ, ἔφη, ἰδεῖν 

ὁπότεροι νικήσειν μέλλουσι. 

κρατούντων δὲ ποτε τῶν θηρίων 

αὐτοὶς συνεπολέμει ἡ νυκτερὶς 

καὶ πολλὴν σπουδὴν ἀπεδείξατο. 

τέλος δὲ 

οἱ ὄρνιθες συνεστράφησαν 

καὶ κραυγῇ πολλῇ χρώμενοι 

ἐνίκησαν τὰ θήρια. 

τότε δὲ αὖ νυκτερὶς μεταβαλομένη 

ἐς βοήθειαν ἦλθε τοῖς ὄρνισι. 

τέλος δὲ 

εἰρήνης γενομένης 

ἀμφοτέροις προδότις εἶναι ἔδοξε 

καὶ τῶν σπονδῶν ἀπεκλείσθη. 

διόπερ ἀποφυγεῖν ἀναγκασθεῖσα 

ἀπεκρύπτετο 

καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐξιέναι ἐφοβεῖτο. 

ὅθεν δειλὴ ἐγένετο 

καὶ ἐν τῷ σκότῳ μόνον περιπέτεται.

Οἱ ὄρνιθές ποτε  ...  Once upon a time the birds

τοῖς θηρίοις ἐπολέμουν  ...  were at war with the animals.

ὁ δὲ πόλεμος ἄσπονδος ἦν  ...  The battle was unrelenting

καὶ δεινός  ...  and dreadful. 

ἡ δὲ νυκτερίς  ...  The bat 

μετ' οὐδετέρων ἦν  ...  was on neither side. 

βούλομαι γὰρ ἰδεῖν  ...  for I want to see,

ἔφη  ...  she said,

ὁπότεροι νικήσειν μέλλουσι  ...  which ones are going to win. 

τῶν θηρίων ποτε  ...  once when the animals

κρατούντων  ...  were prevailing,  

αὐτοὶς συνεπολέμει ἡ νυκτερὶς  ...  the bat fought on their side, 

καὶ πολλὴν σπουδὴν ἀπεδείξατο  ...  and offered great assistance. 

τέλος δὲ  ...  Finally 

οἱ ὄρνιθες συνεστράφησαν  ...  the birds counterattacked together 

καὶ κραυγῇ πολλῇ χρώμενοι  ...  and uttering a loud shriek 

ἐνίκησαν τὰ θήρια  ...  they defeated the animals. 

τότε δὲ νυκτερὶς  ...  Then the bat 

αὖ μεταβαλομένη  ...  again changed sides 

ἐς βοήθειαν ἦλθε τοῖς ὄρνισι  ...  and came to the birds' aid. 

τέλος δὲ  ...  Finally 

εἰρήνης γενομένης  ...  when the peace came

ἀμφοτέροις ἔδοξε  ...  it was clear to both sides 

προδότις εἶναι  ...  that the bat was a traitor 

καὶ ἀπεκλείσθη  ...  and she was rejected

τῶν σπονδῶν ...  from the peace-making.

διόπερ  ...  Thus 

ἀποφυγεῖν ἀναγκασθεῖσα  ...  the bat was compelled to flee 

ἀπεκρύπτετο  ...  and hide herself, 

καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐξιέναι ἐφοβεῖτο  ...  afraid to come out by day. 

ὅθεν δειλὴ ἐγένετο  ...  So the bat became a wretched creature, 

καὶ μόνον περιπέτεται  ...  only flying about 

ἐν τῷ σκότῳ  ...  in the dark.

The Battle of the Birds and the Animals

Βόες καὶ ἅμαξα

Βόες ἅμαξαν εἷλκον. Τοῦ δὲ ἄξονος τρύζοντος, ἐπιστραφέντες ἔφησαν πρὸς αὐτόν. Ὦ οὗτος, ἡμῶν τὸ ὅλον βάρος φερόντων, σὺ τί κράζεις;

Βόες ἅμαξαν εἷλκον. 

Τοῦ δὲ ἄξονος τρύζοντος, 

ἐπιστραφέντες 

ἔφησαν πρὸς αὐτόν. 

Ὦ οὗτος, 

ἡμῶν τὸ ὅλον βάρος φερόντων, 

σὺ τί κράζεις;

Βόες ἅμαξαν εἷλκον  ... Oxen were dragging a cart. 

Τοῦ δὲ ἄξονος τρύζοντος  ... When the axle squeaked, 

ἐπιστραφέντες  ... the oxen turned back 

ἔφησαν πρὸς αὐτόν  ... and said to the axle: 

Ὦ οὗτος  ... Hey you! 

ἡμῶν φερόντων  ... Since we're the ones carrying

τὸ ὅλον βάρος  ... the whole load,

σὺ τί κράζεις;  ... what are you shouting about?

The Oxen and the Cart

Σχολαστικός καὶ κλῖμαξ

Σχολαστικός τις περὶ κλίμακός τινος πυθόμενος ὅτι ἀναβαινοντων ἔχει βάθρα εἰκοσιν, ἐπύθετο εἰ καὶ καταβαινόντων τοσαῦτά ἐστιν.

Σχολαστικός τις 

περὶ κλίμακός τινος πυθόμενος 

ὅτι ἀναβαινοντων ἔχει βάθρα εἰκοσιν, 

ἐπύθετο 

εἰ καὶ καταβαινόντων τοσαῦτά ἐστιν.

Σχολαστικός τις  ...  There was a dunce

πυθόμενος  ...  who learned

περὶ κλίμακός τινος  ...  about a certain ladder 

ὅτι ἔχει βάθρα εἰκοσιν  ...  that it had twenty rungs

ἀναβαινοντων  ...  going up,

ἐπύθετο  ...  asked

εἰ τοσαῦτά ἐστιν  ...  if there were just as many

καὶ καταβαινόντων  ...  going down.

ladder in an ancient Greek vase painting

And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too :

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Greek Reading: Fables 27

Today's fables are from Potts and Darnell's Aditus Faciliores Graeci and from Colton's Greek Reader, both of which have notes for the stories and a vocabulary in the back and are available at the Internet Archive. The joke is from Rushbrooke's First Greek Reader, also at the Internet Archive, and with a dictionary in the back.

So, here are the stories in Greek, then segmented, and then interwoven with English. The titles are linked to the Internet Archive page.

Ὄνος καὶ τέττιγες 

Ὄνος ἀκούσας τεττίγων ᾀδόντων ἥσθη ἐπὶ τῇ εὐφωνίᾳ, καὶ ζηλώσας αὐτῶν τῆν ἡδύτητα εἶπε· Τι σιτούμενοι τοιαύτην φωνὴν ἀφίετε; Τῶν δὲ εἰπόντων, Δρόσον, ὁ ὄνος προσπαραμένων τῇ δρόσῳ, λιμῷ διεφθάρη.

Ὄνος ἀκούσας 

τεττίγων ᾀδόντων 

ἥσθη ἐπὶ τῇ εὐφωνίᾳ, 

καὶ ζηλώσας αὐτῶν τῆν ἡδύτητα 

εἶπε· 

Τι σιτούμενοι 

τοιαύτην φωνὴν ἀφίετε; 

Τῶν δὲ εἰπόντων, 

Δρόσον, 

ὁ ὄνος 

προσπαραμένων τῇ δρόσῳ

λιμῷ διεφθάρη.

Ὄνος ἀκούσας  ...  A donkey heard

τεττίγων ᾀδόντων  ...  the cicadas singing 

ἥσθη ἐπὶ τῇ εὐφωνίᾳ  ...  and enjoyed their lovely sound,

καὶ ζηλώσας  ...  and wanted to imitate

αὐτῶν τῆν ἡδύτητα  ...  their sweetness — 

εἶπε  ...  he said, 

Τι σιτούμενοι  ...  What do you eat 

τοιαύτην φωνὴν ἀφίετε;  ...  that you utter such a sound? 

Τῶν δὲ εἰπόντων  ...  And they answered, 

Δρόσον  ...  The dew.

ὁ ὄνος  ...  The donkey 

προσπαραμένων τῇ δρόσῳ  ...  eating nothing but dew

λιμῷ διεφθάρη  ...  died of hunger.

Βόες καὶ μάγειροι

Οἱ βόες ποτὲ ἀπολέσαι τοὺς μαγείρους βουλόμενοι ἤδη τὰ κέρατα εἰς τὴν μάχψν έθηγον. αὐτῶν δέ τις, βοῦς γέρων καὶ δεινός, ἐκώλυεν αὐτούς, λέγων, μὴ τοῦτο δράσητε, φίλοι. οἱ γὰρ μάγειροι ἡμᾶς ἐμπείροις ταῖς χερσὶ σφάζουσι καὶ ταχέως ἀποκτείνουσιν. ἢν δὲ ἄτεχνοί τινες ἀποσφάξωσιν ἡμᾶς, διπλοῦς τότ' ἔσται θάνατος. θύσουσι γὰρ ἀεὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι τοὺς βοῦς, κἂν τοὺς μαγείρους ἀποκτείνωμεν.

Οἱ βόες ποτὲ 

ἀπολέσαι τοὺς μαγείρους βουλόμενοι 

ἤδη τὰ κέρατα εἰς τὴν μάχψν έθηγον. 

αὐτῶν δέ τις, 

βοῦς γέρων καὶ δεινός, 

ἐκώλυεν αὐτούς, λέγων, 

μὴ τοῦτο δράσητε, φίλοι. 

οἱ γὰρ μάγειροι 

ἡμᾶς ἐμπείροις ταῖς χερσὶ σφάζουσι 

καὶ ταχέως ἀποκτείνουσιν. 

ἢν δὲ ἄτεχνοί τινες 

ἀποσφάξωσιν ἡμᾶς, 

διπλοῦς τότ' ἔσται θάνατος. 

θύσουσι γὰρ ἀεὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι τοὺς βοῦς, 

κἂν τοὺς μαγείρους ἀποκτείνωμεν.

Οἱ βόες ποτὲ βουλόμενοι  ...  The cattle once wanted

ἀπολέσαι τοὺς μαγείρους  ...  to kill the butchers 

ἤδη τὰ κέρατα έθηγον  ...  were already sharpening their horns

εἰς τὴν μάχψν  ...  for battle.

αὐτῶν δέ τις  ...  But one of them, 

βοῦς γέρων καὶ δεινός  ...  an old and clever bull, 

ἐκώλυεν αὐτούς, λέγων  ...  stopped them, saying, 

μὴ τοῦτο δράσητε, φίλοι  ...  don't do this thing, friends! 

οἱ γὰρ μάγειροι  ...  For the butchers 

ἡμᾶς σφάζουσι  ...  slaughter us 

ἐμπείροις ταῖς χερσὶ  ...  with skilled hands 

καὶ ταχέως ἀποκτείνουσιν  ...  and kill us quickly. 

ἢν δὲ ἄτεχνοί τινες  ...  But if unskilled (butchers) 

ἀποσφάξωσιν ἡμᾶς  ...  will slaughter us, 

διπλοῦς τότ' ἔσται θάνατος  ...  then double will be our death.

ἀεὶ γὰρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι  ...  For people are always 

θύσουσι τοὺς βοῦς  ...  going to sacrifice cattle, 

κἂν ἀποκτείνωμεν  ...  even if we were to kill

τοὺς μαγείρους  ...  the butchers.

Cattle and Butchers

Σχολαστικός καὶ στρουθοί

Σχολαστικός τις ἰδὼν πολλοὺς στρουθοὺς ἐπὶ δένδρου ἑστῶτας, ἁπλώσας τὸν κόλπον ἔσειε τὸ δένδρον ὡς ὑποδεξόμενος τοὺς στρουθούς.

Σχολαστικός τις 

ἰδὼν πολλοὺς στρουθοὺς 

ἐπὶ δένδρου ἑστῶτας, 

ἁπλώσας τὸν κόλπον 

ἔσειε τὸ δένδρον 

ὡς ὑποδεξόμενος τοὺς στρουθούς.

Σχολαστικός τις  ...  A certain dunce

ἰδὼν πολλοὺς στρουθοὺς  ...  seeing many sparrows 

ἐπὶ δένδρου ἑστῶτας  ...  perched upon a tree, 

ἁπλώσας τὸν κόλπον  ...  stretched out his cloak 

ἔσειε τὸ δένδρον  ...  and shook the tree 

ὡς ὑποδεξόμενος  ...  so he could gather

τοὺς στρουθούς  ...  the sparrows (as if they were fruit!).

And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too :

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Greek Reading: Fables 26

Today's fables are from Potts and Darnell's Aditus Faciliores Graeci and from Colton's Greek Reader, both of which have notes for the stories and a vocabulary in the back and are available at the Internet Archive. The joke is from Rushbrooke's First Greek Reader, also at the Internet Archive, and with a dictionary in the back.

So, here are the stories in Greek, then segmented, and then interwoven with English. The titles are linked to the Internet Archive page.

Ἐργάτης καὶ Τύχη

Ἐργάτης τίς ποτε ὑπ' ἀγνοίας ἐγγὺς φρέατος ἐκάθευδεν. ἡ δὲ Τύχη αὐτῷ ἐπιστᾶσα εἶπεν, οὗτος, ἐξεγείρου. οὐ θέλω σε ἐς τὸ φρέαρ πεσεῖν. ἐγὼ γὰρ κακῶς ἀκούω καὶ κακὴν φήμην λαμβάνω, ὅποτάν τις τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ἀγνοίᾳ καὶ αἰτίᾳ δυστυχῇ ἢ πταίῃ.

Ἐργάτης τίς ποτε 

ὑπ' ἀγνοίας 

ἐγγὺς φρέατος ἐκάθευδεν. 

ἡ δὲ Τύχη αὐτῷ ἐπιστᾶσα εἶπεν, 

οὗτος, ἐξεγείρου. 

οὐ θέλω σε ἐς τὸ φρέαρ πεσεῖν. 

ἐγὼ γὰρ κακῶς ἀκούω 

καὶ κακὴν φήμην λαμβάνω, 

ὅποτάν τις 

τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ἀγνοίᾳ καὶ αἰτίᾳ 

δυστυχῇ ἢ πταίῃ.

Ἐργάτης τίς ποτε  ... A workman once 

ὑπ' ἀγνοίας  ... through ignorance 

ἐγγὺς φρέατος ἐκάθευδεν  ... fell asleep by a well. 

ἡ δὲ Τύχη  ... The goddess Tyche (Fortune, Luck) 

αὐτῷ ἐπιστᾶσα εἶπεν  ... stood over him and said, 

οὗτος, ἐξεγείρου  ... Hey you, get up! 

οὐ θέλω σε πεσεῖν  ... I don't want you to fall

ἐς τὸ φρέαρ  ... into the well. 

ἐγὼ γὰρ κακῶς ἀκούω  ... I hear bad (things said of me)

καὶ κακὴν φήμην λαμβάνω  ... and I get a bad report

ὅποτάν τις  ... whenever someone

τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ἀγνοίᾳ ... through his own ignorance 

καὶ αἰτίᾳ  ... and fault

δυστυχῇ ἢ πταίῃ  ...  suffers misfortune or stumbles.

Fortune and the Fool

Ὄρνις χρυσοτόκος 

Ὄρνιθά τις πάνυ καλλίστην εἶχεν, ἥτις ἔτικτεν ἀεὶ χρυσᾶ ὠά. Ὁ δὲ νομίσας ἔνδον χρυσὸν ὑπάρχειν, σφάξας παρευθὺς, εὗρεν αὐτὴν ὥσπερ καὶ αἱ λοιπαὶ τυγχάνουσιν ὄρνιθες. Καὶ πλοῦτον εὑρηκέναι νομίσας, ἀπεστερήθη καὶ τοῦ μικροῦ τούτου κέρδους. 

Ὄρνιθά τις πάνυ καλλίστην εἶχεν, 

ἥτις ἔτικτεν ἀεὶ χρυσᾶ ὠά. 

Ὁ δὲ νομίσας 

ἔνδον χρυσὸν ὑπάρχειν, 

σφάξας παρευθὺς, 

εὗρεν αὐτὴν 

ὥσπερ καὶ αἱ λοιπαὶ τυγχάνουσιν ὄρνιθες. 

Καὶ πλοῦτον εὑρηκέναι νομίσας, 

ἀπεστερήθη καὶ τοῦ μικροῦ τούτου κέρδους. 

τις εἶχεν  ...  a certain man had

ὄρνιθα πάνυ καλλίστην  ...  a most beautiful bird

ἥτις ἔτικτεν ἀεὶ  ...  who always laid 

χρυσᾶ ὠά  ...  golden eggs. 

Ὁ δὲ νομίσας  ...  But he got the idea 

ἔνδον χρυσὸν ὑπάρχειν  ...  that there was gold inside, 

σφάξας παρευθὺς  ...  so he promptly killed (the bird), 

εὗρεν αὐτὴν  ...  and found her

ὥσπερ καὶ αἱ λοιπαὶ ὄρνιθες  ...  just like the other birds 

τυγχάνουσιν  ...  happened to be. 

Καὶ νομίσας  ...  And having thought

πλοῦτον εὑρηκέναι  ...  he would find wealth, 

ἀπεστερήθη  ...  he was deprived 

καὶ τοῦ μικροῦ τούτου κέρδους  ...  of that little profit. 

(although golden eggs sound like more than a little profit!)

Golden Eggs

Ἡ περὶ τῶν βιβλίων ἐπιστολή

Οὐκ ἔγνως ἐκεῖνον, ᾧ ὁ ἑταῖρος ἀποδημῶν ἔγραψεν ἵνα βιβλία ἀγοράσῃ; ὁ δὲ ἀμελήσας, ἐπανελθόντι αὐτῷ ἀπαντήσας· Τὴν περὶ τῶν βιβλίων ἐπιστολὴν, ἔφη, ἣν ἀπέστειλας, οὐκ ἐδεξάμην.

Οὐκ ἔγνως ἐκεῖνον, 

ᾧ ὁ ἑταῖρος ἀποδημῶν 

ἔγραψεν 

ἵνα βιβλία ἀγοράσῃ; 

ὁ δὲ ἀμελήσας, 

ἐπανελθόντι αὐτῷ ἀπαντήσας· 

Τὴν περὶ τῶν βιβλίων ἐπιστολὴν, 

ἔφη, 

ἣν ἀπέστειλας, 

οὐκ ἐδεξάμην.

Οὐκ ἔγνως ἐκεῖνον;  ... Don't you know that (dunce):

ὁ ἑταῖρος ἀποδημῶν  ...  his friend, while away from home,

ᾧ ἔγραψεν  ... wrote to him 

ἵνα βιβλία ἀγοράσῃ   ... to buy (some) books.

ὁ δὲ ἀμελήσας  ... But he forgot, 

αὐτῷ ἀπαντήσας  ... and when he ran into his friend 

ἐπανελθόντι  ... who had come back home, 

ἔφη  ... he said,

Τὴν ἐπιστολὴν  ... That letter

περὶ τῶν βιβλίων  ... about the books

ἣν ἀπέστειλας  ...  which you sent me —

οὐκ ἐδεξάμην  ... I didn't receive it!

And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too :

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Greek Reading: Fables 24

Today's fables are from Potts and Darnell's Aditus Faciliores Graeci, which has notes below each story and vocabulary in the back. The joke is from Rushbrooke's First Greek Reader, both available at the Internet Archive; Rushbrooke's book also contains a dictionary in the back.

Here are the stories, presented in Greek, segmented, and then interwoven with English. The titles are linked to the Internet Archive page.

Γεωργὸς καὶ θάλασσα

Γεωργός τις ἰδὼν ναῦν ἐν θαλάσσῃ κυμαινομενην ἐδάκρυσε καὶ κατηρᾶτο τῇ θαλάσσῃ· αὐτὴ δὲ ἀνεβόα, τί μοι, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, μέμφει; οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγε τῶν κινδύνων αἰτία εἰμί, ἀλλ' οἱ ἄνεμοι· οὗτοι γὰρ διαταράσσουσί με. ἢν δὲ ἐν νηνεμίᾳ βουληθῇς πλεῦσαι, ἡμερωτέραν με τῆς γῆς εὑρήσεις.

Γεωργός τις 

ἰδὼν ναῦν 

ἐν θαλάσσῃ κυμαινομενην 

ἐδάκρυσε 

καὶ κατηρᾶτο τῇ θαλάσσῃ· 

αὐτὴ δὲ ἀνεβόα, 

τί μοι, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, μέμφει;

οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγε 

τῶν κινδύνων αἰτία εἰμί, 

ἀλλ' οἱ ἄνεμοι· 

οὗτοι γὰρ διαταράσσουσί με. 

ἢν δὲ ἐν νηνεμίᾳ βουληθῇς πλεῦσαι, 

ἡμερωτέραν με τῆς γῆς εὑρήσεις.

Γεωργός τις  ...  A farmer

ἰδὼν ναῦν  ...  seeing a ship 

ἐν θαλάσσῃ κυμαινομενην  ...  tossed on the sea 

ἐδάκρυσε  ...  wept 

καὶ κατηρᾶτο τῇ θαλάσσῃ  ...  and cursed the sea.

αὐτὴ δὲ ἀνεβόα  ...  The sea shouted, 

ὦ ἄνθρωπε  ...  O person, 

τί μοι μέμφει  ...  why do you criticize me? 

οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγε αἰτία εἰμί  ...  For I am not the cause

τῶν κινδύνων  ...  of the dangers

ἀλλ' οἱ ἄνεμοι  ...  but rather the winds (are the cause) —  

οὗτοι γὰρ διαταράσσουσί με  ...  for they stir me up. 

ἢν δὲ βουληθῇς πλεῦσαι  ... If you wanted to sail

ἐν νηνεμίᾳ  ... when the winds are still, 

εὑρήσεις με  ... you will find me

ἡμερωτέραν τῆς γῆς  ... more gentle than the land.

The Sea Speaks

Δύο πῆραι β

Ἄνθρωπος ἕκαστος δύο πήρας φέρει, τὴν μὲν ἔμπροσθεν, τὴν δὲ ὄπισθεν, ἑκατέρα δὲ τῶν πηρῶν γέμει κακῶν. ἡ μὲν ἔμπροσθεν ἔχει ἀλλότρια κακὰ, ἡ δὲ ὄπισθεν τὰ τοῦ φέροντος· διὰ τοῦτο οἱ ἄνθρωποι τὰ αὑτῶν κακὰ οὐχ ὁρῶσι, τὰ δὲ ἀλλότρια πάνυ ἀκριβῶς θεῶνται.

(another version here)

Ἄνθρωπος ἕκαστος 

δύο πήρας φέρει, 

τὴν μὲν ἔμπροσθεν, 

τὴν δὲ ὄπισθεν, 

ἑκατέρα δὲ τῶν πηρῶν γέμει κακῶν. 

ἡ μὲν ἔμπροσθεν 

ἔχει ἀλλότρια κακὰ, 

ἡ δὲ ὄπισθεν 

τὰ τοῦ φέροντος· 

διὰ τοῦτο οἱ ἄνθρωποι 

τὰ αὑτῶν κακὰ οὐχ ὁρῶσι, 

τὰ δὲ ἀλλότρια 

πάνυ ἀκριβῶς θεῶνται.

Ἄνθρωπος ἕκαστος  ...  Each person

δύο πήρας φέρει  ...  carries two sacks, 

τὴν μὲν ἔμπροσθεν  ...  one behind, 

τὴν δὲ ὄπισθεν  ...  the other in front, 

ἑκατέρα δὲ τῶν πηρῶν  each of the sacks

γέμει κακῶν  ...  filled up with faults. 

ἡ μὲν ἔμπροσθεν  ...  The one in front 

ἔχει ἀλλότρια κακὰ  ...  holds other people's faults, 

ἡ δὲ ὄπισθεν  ...  and the one behind, 

τὰ τοῦ φέροντος  ...  the faults of the bearer.

διὰ τοῦτο οἱ ἄνθρωποι  ...  That's why people 

τὰ αὑτῶν κακὰ οὐχ ὁρῶσι  ...  don't see their own faults, 

τὰ δὲ ἀλλότρια  ...  but the faults of other people

πάνυ ἀκριβῶς θεῶνται  ...  they observe with all precision.

The Two Sacks

Ἀβδηρίτης καὶ χοιρίδιον

Ἀβδηρίτης τις κατ' ὄναρ χοιρίδιον ἐπώλει καὶ ἐζήτει δραχμὰς ἑκατόν. διδόντος δέ τινος πεντήκοντα, μὴ βουλόμενος λαβεῖν διύπνισε. καμμύσας οὖν καὶ τὴν χεῖρα προτείνας εἶπε, Δός μοι τὰς πεντήκοντα.

Ἀβδηρίτης τις 

κατ' ὄναρ 

χοιρίδιον ἐπώλει 

καὶ ἐζήτει δραχμὰς ἑκατόν. 

διδόντος δέ τινος πεντήκοντα, 

μὴ βουλόμενος λαβεῖν 

διύπνισε. 

καμμύσας οὖν 

καὶ τὴν χεῖρα προτείνας 

εἶπε, 

Δός μοι τὰς πεντήκοντα.

Ἀβδηρίτης τις  ...  A fool (from Abdera)

κατ' ὄναρ  ...  dreamed

χοιρίδιον ἐπώλει  ...  he was selling a piglet 

καὶ ἐζήτει δραχμὰς ἑκατόν  ...  and wanted 100 drachmas for it. 

διδόντος δέ τινος πεντήκοντα  ...  A buyer offered fifty, 

μὴ βουλόμενος λαβεῖν  ...  but he didn't want to accept 

διύπνισε  ...  and woke up. 

καμμύσας οὖν  ...  Then, closing his eyes 

καὶ τὴν χεῖρα προτείνας  ...  and reaching out his hand, 

εἶπε  ...  he said, 

Δός μοι τὰς πεντήκοντα  ...  "Give me the fifty!"

ancient drachma

And here's a random proverb and a random LOLCat too :

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