Greek Vocabulary Challenge: April 12

Here are today's vocabulary words; it's Group 158. Click on the word to learn more at Logeion:

υἱός ~ υἱοῦ (noun m.): son 

ὥρα ~ ὥρας (noun f.): time, season, hour 

φρήν ~ φρενός (noun f.): midriff; heart, mind 

βασιλεία ~ βασιλείας (noun f.): kingdom, kingship, reign 

εὐσέβεια ~ εὐσεβείας (noun f.): reverence, piety 

These are the proverbs (and there are always more proverbs at the blog):

Ἡ σοφία υἱοὺς αὐτῆς ἀνύψωσεν.

Ὥρα τὰ πάντα τοῦ βίου κρίνει καλῶς.

Ἡ γλωσσ' ὀμωμοχ' ἡ δὲ φρὴν ανώμοτος.

Βασίλεια δ' εἰκών ἐστιν ἔμψυχος θεοῦ.

Ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας καὶ λάλει καὶ μάνθανε.

And now, some commentary:

Ἡ σοφία υἱοὺς αὐτῆς ἀνύψωσεν.

Wisdom has raised up her sons.

The words are from the Biblical Book of Sirach. The noun σοφία is personified here as a mother; you can read more about the religious traditions of Sophia at Wikipedia. For the Jewish tradition, see Wikipedia: Chokmah.

Ὥρα τὰ πάντα τοῦ βίου κρίνει καλῶς.

Time judges fairly everything in life.

This is another one of those monostichs of Menander; here is the meter marked:

Ὥρα | τὰ πάν||τα τοῦ | βίου || κρίνει | καλῶς.

Compare other optimistic sayings that you've seen about the passage of time, like this one from a previous post: Χρόνος τὰ κρυπτὰ πάντα ἐς φάος ἄγει. The Horai were personified as goddesses both of natural order and also of natural justice; you can find out more at Wikipedia: Horae. You can see Greek ὥρα in English "horoscope." 

Ἡ γλωσσ' ὀμωμοχ' ἡ δὲ φρὴν ανώμοτος.

The tongue has sworn, but the heart is unsworn.

The words are spoken by Hippolytus in Euripides' play of the same name. The meter is thus iambic:

Ἡ γλωσ|σ' ὀμω||μοχ' ἡ | δὲ φρὴν || ανώ|μοτος.

You can see Greek φρήν in English "frenetic" (and thus also "frantic").

Βασίλεια δ' εἰκών ἐστιν ἔμψυχος θεοῦ.

The kingship is a living icon of God.

This is another of the monostichs of Menander, so it is also iambic:

Βασίλει|α δ' εἰ||κών ἐσ|τιν ἔμ||ψυχος | θεοῦ.

The word βασιλεία can refer to kingdom in the sense of a domain, but it can also refer to "kingship" in the sense of the king's rule, or even the king himself. You can see the root βασιλ- in the names Basil, Vassily, etc.

Ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας καὶ λάλει καὶ μάνθανε.

Both speak and learn with reverence.

Another iambic monostich!

Ὑπὲρ εὐ|σεβεί||ας καὶ | λάλει || καὶ μάν| θανε.

The two imperatives provide a nice opportunity to compare the difference accentuation of imperatives: μάνθανε is the accent for an -ω verb, while λάλει is the accent for a contract -εω verb. You can see the εὐσεβ- root in the name Eusebius, and the σεβ- root in Sebastian.

Hippolytus and Phaedra

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

---

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---

Greek Reading: Fables 45

Today's fable and also the joke come 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. 

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

Μύρμηξ καὶ κάνθαρος 

Θέρους ὥρᾳ μύρμηξ, περιπατῶν κατὰ τὴν ἄρουραν, πυροὺς καὶ κριθὰς συνέλεγεν, ἀποθησαυριζόμενος ἑαυτῷ τροφὴν εἰς τὸν χειμῶνα. Κάνθρος δὲ τοῦτον θεασάμενος ἐθαύμασεν ὡς ἐπιπονώτατον, εἴγε παρ' αὐτὸν τὸν καιρὸν μοχθεῖ, παρ' ὃν τὰ ἄλλα ζῶα πόνων ἀφέμενα ἐν ῥᾳστώνῃ διάγουσιν. Ὁ δὲ τότε μὲν ἡσύχασεν. Ὕστερον δὲ, ὡς χειμὼν ἀνέστη, καὶ ἡ κόπρος ὕετο τῷ ὅμβρῳ κλυσθεῖσα, ἧκεν ὁ κάνθαρος πρὸς αὐτὸν λιμώττων, καὶ τροφῆς μεταλαβεῖν ἐδέετο. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔφη· Ὦ κάνθαρε, ἀλλ' εἰ τότε ἐπόνεις, ὅτε με μοχθοῦντα ὠνείδιζες, οὐκ ἂν νῦν τροφῆς ἐπεδέου.

Θέρους ὥρᾳ μύρμηξ, 

περιπατῶν κατὰ τὴν ἄρουραν, 

πυροὺς καὶ κριθὰς συνέλεγεν, 

ἀποθησαυριζόμενος ἑαυτῷ τροφὴν 

εἰς τὸν χειμῶνα. 

Κάνθρος δὲ 

τοῦτον θεασάμενος 

ἐθαύμασεν 

ὡς ἐπιπονώτατον, 

εἴγε παρ' αὐτὸν τὸν καιρὸν 

μοχθεῖ, 

παρ' ὃν 

τὰ ἄλλα ζῶα 

πόνων ἀφέμενα 

ἐν ῥᾳστώνῃ διάγουσιν. 

Ὁ δὲ τότε μὲν ἡσύχασεν. 

Ὕστερον δὲ, 

ὡς χειμὼν ἀνέστη, 

καὶ ἡ κόπρος ὕετο 

τῷ ὅμβρῳ κλυσθεῖσα, 

ἧκεν ὁ κάνθαρος 

πρὸς αὐτὸν λιμώττων, 

καὶ τροφῆς μεταλαβεῖν ἐδέετο. 

Ὁ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔφη· 

Ὦ κάνθαρε, 

ἀλλ' εἰ τότε ἐπόνεις, 

ὅτε με μοχθοῦντα ὠνείδιζες, 

οὐκ ἂν νῦν τροφῆς ἐπεδέου.

Θέρους ὥρᾳ μύρμηξ  ...  During summertime, the ant

περιπατῶν κατὰ τὴν ἄρουραν  ...  going around the farm fields

πυροὺς καὶ κριθὰς συνέλεγεν  ...  gathered wheat and barley

ἀποθησαυριζόμενος ἑαυτῷ τροφὴν  ...  stored away food for himself 

εἰς τὸν χειμῶνα  ...  for winter. 

Κάνθρος δὲ  ...  But the beetle, 

τοῦτον θεασάμενος  ...  seeing the ant, 

ἐθαύμασεν  ...  was baffled

ὡς ἐπιπονώτατον  ...  at how incredibly hard-working he was, 

εἴγε παρ' αὐτὸν τὸν καιρὸν  ...  since during that time 

μοχθεῖ  ...  the ant toiled away,

παρ' ὃν  ...  while 

τὰ ἄλλα ζῶα  ...  the other animals 

πόνων ἀφέμενα  ...  set aside their work  

ἐν ῥᾳστώνῃ διάγουσιν  ...  passed the time in leisure. 

Ὁ δὲ τότε μὲν ἡσύχασεν  ...  So the beetle rested at that time, 

Ὕστερον δὲ  ...  but later,

ὡς χειμὼν ἀνέστη  ...  when winter came, 

καὶ ἡ κόπρος ὕετο  ...  and the dung washed away,

τῷ ὅμβρῳ κλυσθεῖσα  ...  drenched by the rain, 

ἧκεν ὁ κάνθαρος  ...  and the beetle came, 

λιμώττων  ... starving,

πρὸς αὐτὸν  ...  to the ant 

καὶ ἐδέετο  ...  and begged him

τροφῆς μεταλαβεῖν  ...  to share his food. 

Ὁ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔφη  ...  But he said to him, 

Ὦ κάνθαρε  ...  O Beetle, 

ἀλλ' εἰ τότε ἐπόνεις  ...  if you had labored back then, 

ὅτε με ὠνείδιζες  ...  when you reproached me

μοχθοῦντα  ...  while I was toiling away,

οὐκ ἂν νῦν τροφῆς ἐπεδέου  ...  you wouldn't lack food now.

Greco-Phoenician ring with scarab

Σχολαστικὸς καὶ τὰ βιβλία αὑτοῦ

Σχολαστικὸς ἀπορῶν δαπανημάτων τὰ βιβλία αὑτοῦ ἐπίπρασκε, καὶ γράφων πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ἔλεγε· Σύγχαιρε ἡμῖν, πάτερ· ἤδη γὰρ ἡμᾶς τὰ βιβλία τρέφει.

Σχολαστικὸς 

ἀπορῶν δαπανημάτων 

τὰ βιβλία αὑτοῦ ἐπίπρασκε, 

καὶ γράφων πρὸς τὸν πατέρα 

ἔλεγε· 

Σύγχαιρε ἡμῖν, πάτερ· 

ἤδη γὰρ ἡμᾶς τὰ βιβλία τρέφει.

Σχολαστικὸς  ...  The dunce,

ἀπορῶν δαπανημάτων  ...  being short of money, 

τὰ βιβλία αὑτοῦ ἐπίπρασκε  ...  sold his books, 

καὶ γράφων πρὸς τὸν πατέρα  ...  and wrote to his father, 

ἔλεγε  ...  saying, 

Σύγχαιρε ἡμῖν, πάτερ  ...  Congratulate us, Dad! 

ἤδη γὰρ τὰ βιβλία  ... Those books are finally

ἡμᾶς τρέφει  ... doing us some good!

(Greek τρέφει means nourish, sustain, educate)

teacher and student

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

---

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---

Proverbs Slideshow/Crossword: April 10

For today, it's a new review slideshow for Groups 146, 147 and 148. Here's the post with the details about how the slideshows work, and there's a random cat at the bottom of the post! Plus more cats.

The slideshow is embedded in the blog post, and you can also access today's slideshow directly, full-sized view. And remember: each time you see the English translation on a slide, you can click to access the original blog post with the notes for each proverb.

There's also a crossword puzzle PDF that you can print; here's a screenshot of the puzzle and key. :-)

These are the proverbs, linked back to their blog post:

1. Ἐν ὄρφνῃ δραπέτης μέγα σθένει.
2. Ἕνα ἀλλὰ λέοντα.
   
3. Ἐπ' ἀμφότερα καθεύδεις τὰ ὦτα.
   
4. ῾Ηδονὴν φεῦγε, ἥτις λύπην τίκτει.
5. Μὴ γίνου θρασὺς ἐν γλώσσῃ σου.
   
6. Μηδὲν ἄγαν, καιρῷ πάντα πρόσεστι καλά.
   
7. Νεώτερον δίδασκε.
   
8. Οἱ μεγάλοι κλέπται τὸν μικρὸν ἀπάγουσι.
   
9. Ὅσια κρῖνε.
   
10. Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλ᾽ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες.
    
11. Ὄφιν τρέφειν καὶ πονηρὸν εὐεργετεῖν ταὐτόν ἐστιν.
    
12. Πάντα πλήρη θεῶν.
    
13. Πρεσβύτερον αἰδοῦ.
    
14. Τέχνη δ' ἀνάγκης ἀσθενεστέρα μακρῷ.
    
15. Ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης πάντα δουλοῦται ταχύ.

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

---

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---

Greek Reading: Fables 44

Today's fable and also the joke come 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. 

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

Χελώνη καὶ ἀετός 

Χελώνη θεασαμένη ἀετὸν πετόμενον, ἐπεθύμησε καὶ αὐτὴ πετάσαι. Προσελθοῦσα δὲ τοῦτον παρεκάλει, ἐφ' ᾧ βούλεται, μισθῷ διδάξαι αὐτήν. Τοῦ δὲ λέγοντος, ἀδύνατον εἶναι, καὶ ἔτι αὐτῆς ἐπικειμένης καὶ ἀξιούσης, ἄρας αὐτὴν, καὶ μετέωρος ἀρθεὶς ἀφῆκεν ἐπί τινος πέτρας, ὅθεν κατενεχθεῖσα διερράγη καὶ ἀπέθανεν.

Χελώνη 

θεασαμένη ἀετὸν πετόμενον, 

ἐπεθύμησε καὶ αὐτὴ πετάσαι. 

Προσελθοῦσα δὲ 

τοῦτον παρεκάλει

ἐφ' ᾧ βούλεται μισθῷ 

διδάξαι αὐτήν. 

Τοῦ δὲ λέγοντος

ἀδύνατον εἶναι, 

καὶ ἔτι αὐτῆς ἐπικειμένης 

καὶ ἀξιούσης, 

ἄρας αὐτὴν, 

καὶ μετέωρος ἀρθεὶς 

ἀφῆκεν ἐπί τινος πέτρας, 

ὅθεν κατενεχθεῖσα 

διερράγη 

καὶ ἀπέθανεν.

Χελώνη  ... A tortoise 

θεασαμένη ἀετὸν πετόμενον  ... saw an eagle flying 

ἐπεθύμησε καὶ αὐτὴ πετάσαι  ... and she too wanted to fly. 

Προσελθοῦσα δὲ  ... She approached (the eagle) 

τοῦτον παρεκάλει  ... and asked him

διδάξαι αὐτήν  ... to teach her

ἐφ' ᾧ βούλεται μισθῷ  ... at whatever fee he wanted.

Τοῦ δὲ λέγοντος  ... When he said

ἀδύνατον εἶναι  ... that it was impossible, 

καὶ ἔτι αὐτῆς ἐπικειμένης  ... she continued to press him 

καὶ ἀξιούσης  ... insisting she was worthy, 

ἄρας αὐτὴν  ... he lifted her up, 

καὶ μετέωρος ἀρθεὶς  ... carried her high in the air, 

ἀφῆκεν ἐπί τινος πέτρας  ...  and then dropped her on rock

ὅθεν κατενεχθεῖσα  ... whereupon she dropped down,

διερράγη καὶ ἀπέθανεν ... shattered and died. 

17th-century Aesop illustration

Σχολαστικὸς καὶ κουρεύς 

Σχολαστικὸς καὶ φαλακρὸς καὶ κουρεὺς, συνοδεύοντες, συνέθεντο πρὸς τέσσαρας ὥρας γρηγορῆσαι. Ἔλαχεν οὖν πρῶτον τῷ κουρεῖ. Ὁ δὲ μετεωριζόμενος, τὸν σχολαστικὸν κοιμώμενον ἐξύρεησε, καὶ τῶν ὡρῶν πληρωθεισῶν διύπνισεν. Ὁ δὲ, κνηθόμενος ἀφ' ὕπνου τὴν κεφαλὴν, καὶ εὑρὼν αὐτὴν ψιλὴν, ἔφη· Μέγα κάθαρμα ὁ κουρεύς· πλανηθεὶς γὰρ ἀντὶ ἐμοῦ τὸν φαλακρὸν διύπνισεν.

Σχολαστικὸς καὶ φαλακρὸς καὶ κουρεὺς, 

συνοδεύοντες, 

συνέθεντο 

πρὸς τέσσαρας ὥρας γρηγορῆσαι. 

Ἔλαχεν οὖν πρῶτον 

τῷ κουρεῖ. 

Ὁ δὲ μετεωριζόμενος, 

τὸν σχολαστικὸν κοιμώμενον 

ἐξύρεησε, 

καὶ τῶν ὡρῶν πληρωθεισῶν 

διύπνισεν. 

Ὁ δὲ, 

κνηθόμενος ἀφ' ὕπνου τὴν κεφαλὴν, 

καὶ εὑρὼν αὐτὴν ψιλὴν, 

ἔφη· 

Μέγα κάθαρμα 

ὁ κουρεύς· 

πλανηθεὶς γὰρ 

ἀντὶ ἐμοῦ 

τὸν φαλακρὸν διύπνισεν.

Σχολαστικὸς  ... A dunce, 

καὶ φαλακρὸς  ... a bald man, 

καὶ κουρεὺς  ... and a barber, 

συνοδεύοντες  ... were traveling together 

συνέθεντο γρηγορῆσαι  ... and agreed to keep watch

πρὸς τέσσαρας ὥρας  ... in four-hour shifts. 

Ἔλαχεν οὖν πρῶτον  ... The first lot fell 

τῷ κουρεῖ  ... to the barber. 

Ὁ δὲ μετεωριζόμενος  ... Being in high spirits, 

ἐξύρεησε  ... he shaved

τὸν σχολαστικὸν κοιμώμενον ... the sleeping dunce, 

καὶ τῶν ὡρῶν πληρωθεισῶν  ... and when the time was up 

διύπνισεν  ... he woke him. 

Ὁ δὲ  ἀφ' ὕπνου  ... And he, upon waking,

κνηθόμενος τὴν κεφαλὴν  ... scratched his head, 

καὶ εὑρὼν αὐτὴν ψιλὴν  ... and found it without hair. 

ἔφη  ... He said, 

Μέγα κάθαρμα  ... What a good-for-nothing 

ὁ κουρεύς  ... that barber is! 

πλανηθεὶς γὰρ  ... He got confused:

ἀντὶ ἐμοῦ  ... instead of waking me, 

τὸν φαλακρὸν διύπνισεν  ... he woke the bald man!

ancient Greek barber

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

---

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---

Greek Vocabulary Challenge: April 8

Here are today's vocabulary words; it's Group 157. Click on the word to learn more at Logeion:

ἀμύνω ~ ἀμυνῶ ~ ἤμυνα: ward off, defend against 

ὀφείλω ~ ὀφειλήσω ~ ὠφείλησα: owe, be obliged 

κάθημαι ~ καθήσομαι ~ καθεζόμην: be seated, sit 

εἰμί ~ ἔσομαι (no aorist be): exist 

θέλω ~ θελήσω ~ ἐθέλησα: be willing, wish 

These are the proverbs (and there are always more proverbs at the blog):

Ὕβριν ἀμύνου.

Βροτοῖς ἅπασι κατθανεῖν ὀφείλεται.

Ὄνοι δ` ἀπωτέρω κάθηνται τῆς λύρας.

Ἀνελεύθεροι γάρ εἰσιν οἱ φιλάργυροι.

Θεοῦ θέλοντος, κἂν ἐπὶ ῥιπὸς πλέοις.

And now, some commentary:

Ὕβριν ἀμύνου.

Defend yourself against hubris.

This is one of those Delphic maxims preserved in Stobaeus. The verb ἀμύνου is one of those sneaky middle imperatives (from ἀμύνω), and yes, it takes an accusative: ὕβριν, which I left untranslated. You can read about the many meaning of Greek ὕβρις at Logeion.

Βροτοῖς ἅπασι κατθανεῖν ὀφείλεται.

All mortals are obliged to die away.

The line appears in Euripides' Alcestis, spoken by Heracles, who has arrived at Admetus's house while he is in mourning for Alcestis. You can find out more about the play at Wikipedia: Alcestis (play).

So, that's means it's iambic:

Βροτοῖς | ἅπα||σι κατ|θανεῖν || ὀφεί|λεται.

Ὄνοι δ` ἀπωτέρω κάθηνται τῆς λύρας.

The donkeys sit far from the lyre.

This is yet another one of those proverbs about donkeys as failed musicians / appreciators of music. This one is found in Cratinus, the Athenian comic playwright whose work, alas, has survived only in fragments, although in his time he was as famous as Aristophanes; more at Wikipedia: Cratinus.

It's iambic:

Ὄνοι | δ` ἀπω||τέρω | κάθην||ται τῆς | λύρας.

Other donkeys and lyres from previous posts:

Ὄνος λύρας ἀκούων κινεῖ τὰ ὦτα.

The donkey listening to the lyre moves his ears.

Τί γὰρ κοινὸν λύρᾳ καὶ ὄνῳ;

What does a donkey have in common with a lyre?

Παρ᾿ ὄνῳ λυρίζεις.

You're making music for a donkey.

Ὄνος λύρας ἢκουε καὶ σάλπιγγος ὗς.

The donkey listened to the lyre, and the pig to the trumpet.

Ἀνελεύθεροι γάρ εἰσιν οἱ φιλάργυροι.

Men who love money are not free.

The word ἀνελεύθεροι is one of those alpha-privatives (the nun is inserted before the following vowel): ἀν-ελεύθεροι, not-free, i.e. slaves. The adjective φιλάργυροι is a cool compound: lovers-of-silver, i.e. lovers of money. This is one of the monostichs from Menander (New Comedy now, not Old), so that means it's iambic:

Ἀνελεύ|θεροι || γάρ εἰ|σιν οἱ || φιλάρ|γυροι.

Θεοῦ θέλοντος, κἂν ἐπὶ ῥιπὸς πλέοις.

If God is willing, you can even sail on a wicker mat. 

This proverb is preserved for us by Plutarch, and it was also part of Euripides' Thyestes, which has survived only in fragments. And yes, it's the day of iambic proverbs apparently:

Θεοῦ | θέλον||τος, κἂν | ἐπὶ || ῥιπὸς | πλέοις.

Heracles wrestling with Death for Alcestis

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

---

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---

Greek Reading: Fables 43

Today's fable and also the jokes come 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. 

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

Μύρμηξ καὶ τέττιξ

Ψύχος καὶ χειμὼν κατ' Ὀλύμπου· μύρμηξ δὲ πολλὰς συνάξας τροφὰς ἐν ἀμητοῖς, ἐν ἰδίοις οἴκοις ἀπέθηκε· τέττιξ δὲ ἐπὶ τρώγλης ἐνδύνας ἐξέπνεε τῇ πείνῃ, λιμῷ κατεχόμενος καὶ ψύχει πολλῷ. Ἐδέετο δὲ τοῦ μύρμκηος τροφῆς μεταδοῦναι, ὅπως καὶ αὐτὸς γευσάμενός τινος σωθείη. Ὁ μύρμηξ δὲ πρὸς αὐτον, Ποῦ, φησὶν, ἦς τῷ θέρει; πῶς δ' οὐ συνῆξας τροφὰς ἐν ἀμητῷ; Ὁ δὲ τέττιξ, Ἦιδον, καὶ ἔτερπον τοὺς ὁδοιποροῦντας. Ὁ δὲ μύρμηξ γέλωτι πολλῳ καταχέας ἔφη· Οὐκοῦν χειμῶνος ὀρχοῦ.

Ψύχος καὶ χειμὼν κατ' Ὀλύμπου· 

μύρμηξ δὲ 

πολλὰς συνάξας τροφὰς 

ἐν ἀμητοῖς, 

ἐν ἰδίοις οἴκοις ἀπέθηκε· 

τέττιξ δὲ 

ἐπὶ τρώγλης ἐνδύνας 

ἐξέπνεε τῇ πείνῃ, 

λιμῷ κατεχόμενος καὶ ψύχει πολλῷ. 

Ἐδέετο δὲ τοῦ μύρμκηος 

τροφῆς μεταδοῦναι, 

ὅπως καὶ αὐτὸς γευσάμενός τινος σωθείη. 

Ὁ μύρμηξ δὲ πρὸς αὐτον, 

Ποῦ, φησὶν, ἦς τῷ θέρει; 

πῶς δ' οὐ συνῆξας τροφὰς ἐν ἀμητῷ; 

Ὁ δὲ τέττιξ, 

ᾞδον, 

καὶ ἔτερπον τοὺς ὁδοιποροῦντας. 

Ὁ δὲ μύρμηξ 

γέλωτι πολλῳ καταχέας ἔφη· 

Οὐκοῦν χειμῶνος ὀρχοῦ.

Ψύχος καὶ χειμὼν  ...  Frost and winter storm 

κατ' Ὀλύμπου  ...  came down from Olympus, 

μύρμηξ δὲ  ...  but the ant 

πολλὰς συνάξας τροφὰς  ...  had gathered a lot of food 

ἐν ἀμητοῖς  ...  during the harvest, 

ἐν ἰδίοις οἴκοις ἀπέθηκε  ...  and stored it in his home, 

τέττιξ δὲ  ...  but the grasshopper

ἐπὶ τρώγλης ἐνδύνας  ...  squeezed into a hole

ἐξέπνεε τῇ πείνῃ  ...  was dying of hunger 

κατεχόμενος  ...  gripped by 

λιμῷ καὶ ψύχει πολλῷ  ...  severe famine and frost. 

Ἐδέετο δὲ τοῦ μύρμκηος  ...  He begged the ant

τροφῆς μεταδοῦναι  ...  to give him some food, 

γευσάμενός τινος  ...  having a taste of something

ὅπως καὶ αὐτὸς σωθείη  ...  he too could survive.

Ὁ μύρμηξ δὲ πρὸς αὐτον φησὶν  ...  The ant said to him, 

Ποῦ ἦς τῷ θέρει  ...  Where were you during the summer?

πῶς δ' οὐ συνῆξας τροφὰς  ...  How did you not gather food

ἐν ἀμητῷ  ...  during the harvest? 

Ὁ δὲ τέττιξ  ...  The grasshopper said, 

ᾞδον  ...  I was singing, 

καὶ ἔτερπον  ...  and I delighted  

τοὺς ὁδοιποροῦντας  ...  passersby. 

Ὁ δὲ μύρμηξ ἔφη ...  The ant said, 

γέλωτι πολλῳ καταχέας  ...  bursting with laughter, 

Οὐκοῦν χειμῶνος ὀρχοῦ  ...  So dance during the winter!

Grandville's illustration for La Fontaine

Σχολαστικὸς ἰατρῷ συναντήσας

Σχολαστικὸς, ἰατρῷ συναντήσας, Συγχώρησόν μοι, εἶπε, καὶ μή μοι μέμψῃ, ὅτι οὐκ ἐνόσησα.

Σχολαστικὸς, 

ἰατρῷ συναντήσας, 

Συγχώρησόν μοι, εἶπε, 

καὶ μή μοι μέμψῃ, 

ὅτι οὐκ ἐνόσησα.

Σχολαστικὸς  ...  A dunce 

ἰατρῷ συναντήσας  ...  ran into his doctor 

εἶπε  ...  and said,

Συγχώρησόν μοι  ...  Forgive me, 

καὶ μή μοι μέμψῃ  ...  and don't blame me; 

ὅτι οὐκ ἐνόσησα  ...  the fact is: I haven't been sick.

Σχολαστικὸς οἰκίαν πωλῶν

Σχολαστικὸς, οἰκίαν πωλῶν, λίθον ἀπ' αὐτῆς εἰς δεῖγμα περιέφερε.

Σχολαστικὸς, 

οἰκίαν πωλῶν, 

λίθον ἀπ' αὐτῆς 

εἰς δεῖγμα περιέφερε.

Σχολαστικὸς  ...  A dunce

οἰκίαν πωλῶν  ...  who was selling a house 

περιέφερε  ...  carried around  

λίθον ἀπ' αὐτῆς  ...  a stone from the house 

εἰς δεῖγμα  ...  as a sample.

another version:

Σχολαστικὸς ἰατρῷ συναντήσας ὑπὸ τοίχου ἐκρύβη. Τινὸς δὲ πυθομένου τὴν αἰτίαν, ἔφη· Καιρὸν ἔχω μὴ ἀσθενήσας, καὶ αἰχύνομαι εἰς ὄψιν ἐλθεῖν τοῦ ἰατροῦ.

Σχολαστικὸς 

ἰατρῷ συναντήσας 

ὑπὸ τοίχου ἐκρύβη. 

Τινὸς δὲ πυθομένου τὴν αἰτίαν

ἔφη· 

Καιρὸν ἔχω μὴ ἀσθενήσας, 

καὶ αἰχύνομαι 

εἰς ὄψιν ἐλθεῖν τοῦ ἰατροῦ.

Σχολαστικὸς  ... A dunce 

ἰατρῷ συναντήσας  ... running into his doctor 

ὑπὸ τοίχου ἐκρύβη  ... hid behind a wall. 

Τινὸς δὲ πυθομένου τὴν αἰτίαν  ... Someone asked why

ἔφη  ... and the dunce said,

Καιρὸν ἔχω ...  Things are going well for me,

μὴ ἀσθενήσας  ...  not having been sick, 

καὶ αἰχύνομαι  ... and I'm ashamed 

εἰς ὄψιν ἐλθεῖν τοῦ ἰατροῦ  ... for my doctor to see me.

ancient Greek physician

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

---

---

---

Click here to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email list.

---