Greek Reading: Fables 9

Today's stories are from Smith's Initia Graeca, available at the Internet Archive. You can use the linked titles to access the book, and it has a dictionary in the back.

Here are the stories, presented in Greek, segmented, and then interwoven with English.

Πίθηκος καὶ κάμηλος

Ἐν συνόδῳ τῶν ἀλόγων ζώων πίθηκος ἀναστὰς ὠρχεῖτο. Σφόδρα δὲ αὐτοῦ εὐδοκιμοῦντος καὶ ὑπὸ πάντων ἐπισημαινομένου, κάμηλος φθονήσασα ἠβουλήθη τῶν αὐτῶν ἐφικέσθαι. Διόπερ ἐξαναστᾶσα ἐπειρᾶτο καὶ αὐτὴ ὀρχεῖσθαι· πολλὰ δὲ αὐτῆς ἄτοπα ποιησάσης, τὰ ζῶα ἀγανακτήσαντα, ῥοπάλοις αὐτὴν παίοντα ἐξήλασαν.

Ἐν συνόδῳ τῶν ἀλόγων ζώων 

πίθηκος 

ἀναστὰς ὠρχεῖτο. 

Σφόδρα δὲ αὐτοῦ εὐδοκιμοῦντος 

καὶ ὑπὸ πάντων ἐπισημαινομένου, 

κάμηλος 

φθονήσασα ἠβουλήθη 

τῶν αὐτῶν ἐφικέσθαι. 

Διόπερ 

ἐξαναστᾶσα ἐπειρᾶτο 

καὶ αὐτὴ ὀρχεῖσθαι· 

πολλὰ δὲ αὐτῆς ἄτοπα ποιησάσης, 

τὰ ζῶα 

ἀγανακτήσαντα

ῥοπάλοις αὐτὴν παίοντα ἐξήλασαν.

Ἐν συνόδῳ τῶν ἀλόγων ζώων  ...  in an assembly of dumb beasts

πίθηκος ἀναστὰς ὠρχεῖτο  ...  the ape stood up and danced.

Σφόδρα δὲ αὐτοῦ εὐδοκιμοῦντος  ...  He was well regarded

καὶ ὑπὸ πάντων ἐπισημαινομένου  ...  and applauded by all;

κάμηλος φθονήσασα  ...  the camel was jealous

ἠβουλήθη τῶν αὐτῶν ἐφικέσθαι  ...  and wanted to get the same.

Διόπερ ἐξαναστᾶσα ...  So she stood up

ἐπειρᾶτο καὶ αὐτὴ ὀρχεῖσθαι  ...  and also tried to dance;  

πολλὰ δὲ αὐτῆς ἄτοπα ποιησάσης  ...  when she did so very badly,

τὰ ζῶα ἀγανακτήσαντα  ...  the animals were irritated

αὐτὴν ἐξήλασαν  ...  and drove her away

ῥοπάλοις παίοντα  ...  beating her with clubs.

The Dancing Camel

Ἀλώπηξ καὶ λέων

Ἀλώπηξ μηδέποτε θεασαμένη λέοντα, ἐπειδὴ κατά τινα τύχην ὑπήντνσεν αὐτῷ, τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἰδοῦσα αὐτὸν οὕτως ἐφοβήθη, ὡς μικροῦ καὶ ἀποθανεῖν. Ἐκ δευτέρου δὲ αὐτῷ περιτυχοῦσα ἐφοβήθη μὲν, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς τὸ πρότερον. Ἐκ τρίου δὲ θεασαμένη αὐτὸν οὕτως κατεθάρσησεν, ὡς καὶ προσελθοῦσα αὐτῷ διαλεχθῆναι.

Ἀλώπηξ 

μηδέποτε θεασαμένη λέοντα, 

ἐπειδὴ 

κατά τινα τύχην 

ὑπήντνσεν αὐτῷ, 

τὸ μὲν πρῶτον 

ἰδοῦσα αὐτὸν 

οὕτως ἐφοβήθη, 

ὡς μικροῦ καὶ ἀποθανεῖν. 

Ἐκ δευτέρου δὲ 

αὐτῷ περιτυχοῦσα 

ἐφοβήθη μὲν, 

ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς τὸ πρότερον. 

Ἐκ τρίου δὲ 

θεασαμένη αὐτὸν 

οὕτως κατεθάρσησεν, 

ὡς καὶ προσελθοῦσα 

αὐτῷ διαλεχθῆναι.

Ἀλώπηξ  ...  A fox

μηδέποτε θεασαμένη λέοντα  ...  had never seen a lion; 

ἐπειδὴ κατά τινα τύχην  ...  when by chance 

ὑπήντνσεν αὐτῷ  ...  she encountered him

τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἰδοῦσα αὐτὸν  ...  seeing him the first time

οὕτως ἐφοβήθη  ...  she was so terrified 

ὡς μικροῦ καὶ ἀποθανεῖν  ...  that she nearly died.

Ἐκ δευτέρου δὲ  ...  But the second time

αὐτῷ περιτυχοῦσα  ...  she happened upon him

ἐφοβήθη μὲν  ...  she was terrified, 

ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς τὸ πρότερον  ...  but not like the first time. 

Ἐκ τρίου δὲ θεασαμένη αὐτὸν  ...  The third time she saw him

οὕτως κατεθάρσησεν  ...  she felt so confident 

ὡς καὶ προσελθοῦσα  ...  that she even went up to him

αὐτῷ διαλεχθῆναι  ...  to have a conversation.

Lion and Fox

Ὄνος καὶ ἀλώπηξ

Ὄνος ἐνδυσάμενος λέοντος δέρμα περιῄει ἐκφοβῶν τὰ ἄλογα ζῶα. Καὶ δὴ θεασάμενος ἀλώπεκα ἐπειρᾶτο καὶ ταύτην δεδίττεσθαι. Ἡ δέ, ἐτύγχανε γὰρ αὐτοῦ φθεγξαμένου προακηκουῖα, ἔφη πρὸς αὐτόν· ἀλλ' εὖ ἴσθι, ὡς καὶ ἐγὼ ἄν σε ἐφοβήθην, εἰμὴ ὀγκωμένου ἤκουσα.

Ὄνος 

ἐνδυσάμενος λέοντος δέρμα 

περιῄει ἐκφοβῶν τὰ ἄλογα ζῶα. 

Καὶ δὴ θεασάμενος ἀλώπεκα 

ἐπειρᾶτο καὶ ταύτην δεδίττεσθαι. 

Ἡ δέ, 

ἐτύγχανε γὰρ 

αὐτοῦ φθεγξαμένου προακηκουῖα, 

ἔφη πρὸς αὐτόν· 

ἀλλ' εὖ ἴσθι, 

ὡς καὶ ἐγὼ ἄν σε ἐφοβήθην, 

εἰμὴ ὀγκωμένου ἤκουσα.

Ὄνος  ...  A donkey

ἐνδυσάμενος λέοντος δέρμα  ...  having put on a lion skin

περιῄει  ...  walked around

ἐκφοβῶν τὰ ἄλογα ζῶα  ... scaring the dumb beasts. 

Καὶ δὴ θεασάμενος ἀλώπεκα  ...  And when he saw a fox

ἐπειρᾶτο καὶ ταύτην δεδίττεσθαι  ...  he tried to scare her too. 

Ἡ δέ ἐτύγχανε γὰρ προακηκουῖα  ...  But she happened to hear

αὐτοῦ φθεγξαμένου  ...  the donkey speaking, 

ἔφη πρὸς αὐτόν  ...  and said to him:

ἀλλ' εὖ ἴσθι  ...  Rest assured, 

ὡς καὶ ἐγὼ ἄν σε ἐφοβήθην  ...  I too would have been frightened

εἰμὴ ὀγκωμένου ἤκουσα  ...  if I had not heard you braying.

The Fox and the Donkey in the Lion Skin

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

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Daily Greek Vocabulary Challenge: Jan. 16

Here are today's vocabulary words; it's Group 135, containing familiar proverbs but with a focus on different words this time around. Click on the word to learn more at Logeion:

ἔαρ ~ ἔαρος (noun n.): spring (season) 

συμμαχία ~ συμμαχίας (noun f.): alliance, allies 

ζῷον ~ ζῴου (noun n.): animal, living being 

ξύλον ~ ξύλου (noun n.): wood, tree 

καρπός ~ καρποῦ (noun m.): fruit 

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

Μία χελιδὼν ἔαρ οὐ ποιεῖ.

Μετὰ πόλεμον, ἡ συμμαχία.

Πολιτικὸν ζῷον ὁ ἄνθρωπος.

Ξύλον ἀγκύλον ουδέποτ' ὀρθόν.

Ἐκ τοῦ καρποῦ τὸ δένδρον γιγνώσκω.

And now, some commentary:

Μία χελιδὼν ἔαρ οὐ ποιεῖ.

One swallow does not make a spring.

Compare the English saying: "One swallow does not make a summer." Aristotle cites the Greek saying in his Nicomachean Ethics, and it also provides the subject of an Aesop's fable: The Young Man and the Swallow.

Μετὰ πόλεμον, ἡ συμμαχία.

After the battle (is over), the allies (arrive).

In other words, you need allied forces to show up before the battle, not afterwards when it's too late to do any good. Compare the English saying: "Closing the barn door after the horse has bolted."

Πολιτικὸν ζῷον ὁ ἄνθρωπος.

A person (is) a political animal.

The saying is adapted from Aristotle's Politics. The word πολιτικός is from the word πόλις, meaning "city," so πολιτικός describes someone who lives in a city or state or some other community. In his History of Animals, Aristotle explains that there are other animals besides humans who are "political," i.e. living in communities; they are the bee, the wasp, the ant, and the crane.

Ξύλον ἀγκύλον ουδέποτ' ὀρθόν.

A crooked piece of wood never (will be) straight.

The word οὐδέποτε loses its final -ε before the following vowel: ουδέποτ' ὀρθόν. From the root in Greek ξύλον we get the English word xylophone, and from ὀρθόν we get all the ortho- words: orthodoxy, orthopedic, and on and on. Compare a saying in the Book of Ecclesiastes: That which is crooked cannot be made straight. (If you are following my little Latin course: Pravum lignum numquam rectum.)

Ἐκ τοῦ καρποῦ τὸ δένδρον γινώσκω.

From the fruit, I know the tree.

Compare a similar saying in the Gospel of Matthew: Ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς, "Ye shall know them by their fruits." You can find out more at Wikipedia: The Tree and its Fruits. From Greek δένδρον we get the English term dendrochronology. 

the fable of the swallow

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

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Greek Reading: Fables 8

Today's stories are from Smith's Initia Graeca, available at the Internet Archive. You can use the linked titles to access the book, and it has a dictionary in the back.

Here are the stories, presented in Greek, segmented, and then interwoven with English.

Ἵππος καὶ ἱπποκόμος

Κριθὴν τὴν τοῦ ἵππου ἱπποκόμος κλέπτων καὶ πωλῶν τὸν ἵππον ἔτριβε καὶ ἐκτένιζε πάσας ἡμέρας. Ἕφη δὲ ὁ ἵππος· εἰ θέλεις ἀληθῶς καλὸν εἶναί με, τὴν κριθὴν τὴν τρέφουσαν μὴ πώλει.

Κριθὴν τὴν τοῦ ἵππου 

ἱπποκόμος 

κλέπτων καὶ πωλῶν 

τὸν ἵππον ἔτριβε 

καὶ εκτένιζε πάσας ἡμέρας. 

Ἕφη δὲ ὁ ἵππος· 

εἰ θέλεις ἀληθῶς 

καλὸν εἶναί με, 

τὴν κριθὴν τὴν τρέφουσαν 

μὴ πώλει.

ἱπποκόμος  ...  a groom,

κλέπτων καὶ πωλῶν  ...  stealing and selling

κριθὴν τὴν τοῦ ἵππου  ...  the horse's barley,

τὸν ἵππον ἔτριβε  ...  rubbed the horse

καὶ εκτένιζε πάσας ἡμέρας  ...  and curried (him) every day.

Ἕφη δὲ ὁ ἵππος  ...  But the horse said· 

εἰ θέλεις ἀληθῶς  ...  If you truly want

καλὸν εἶναί με  ...  me to be in good condition, 

μὴ πώλει  ...  stop selling

τὴν κριθὴν τὴν τρέφουσαν  ...  the barley that nourishes (me).

Horse and Groom

Μυῖαι

Ἔν τινι ταμιείῳ μέλιτος ἐκχυθέντος μυῖαι προσπτᾶσαι κατήσθιον· διὰ δὲ τὴν γλυκύτητα τοῦ καρποῦ οὐκ ἀφίσταντο. Ἐμπαγέντων δὲ αὐτῶν τῶν ποδῶν, ὡς οὐκ ἠδύναντο ἀναπτῆναι, ἀποπνιγόμεναι ἔφασαν· ἄθλιαι ἡμεῖς, αἳ διὰ βραχεῖαν ἡδονὴν ἀπολλύμεθα.

Ἔν τινι ταμιείῳ 

μέλιτος ἐκχυθέντος 

μυῖαι 

προσπτᾶσαι κατήσθιον· 

διὰ δὲ τὴν γλυκύτητα τοῦ καρποῦ 

οὐκ ἀφίσταντο. 

Ἐμπαγέντων δὲ αὐτῶν τῶν ποδῶν, 

ὡς οὐκ ἠδύναντο ἀναπτῆναι, 

ἀποπνιγόμεναι ἔφασαν· 

ἄθλιαι ἡμεῖς, 

αἳ 

διὰ βραχεῖαν ἡδονὴν 

ἀπολλύμεθα.

μυῖαι προσπτᾶσαι  ...  some flies flew up 

κατήσθιον  ...  (and) settled

ἔν τινι ταμιείῳ μέλιτος  ...   on a pot of honey

ἐκχυθέντος  ...  that had spilled out —  

διὰ δὲ τὴν γλυκύτητα   ...  on account of the sweetness

τοῦ καρποῦ   ...  of the produce (i.e. honey) 

οὐκ ἀφίσταντο  ...  they could not depart,

ἐμπαγέντων δὲ αὐτῶν τῶν ποδῶν  ...  their feet being entangled

ὡς οὐκ ἠδύναντο ἀναπτῆναι  ...  so they couldn't fly away.

ἀποπνιγόμεναι ἔφασαν  ...  choking, they said:  

ἄθλιαι ἡμεῖς  ...  wretched are we, 

αἳ ἀπολλύμεθα  ...  who are dying

διὰ βραχεῖαν ἡδονὴν  ...  because of a brief pleasure.

Flies and Honey

Γέρων καὶ Θάνατος

Γέρων ποτὲ ξύλα κόψας ταῦτα φέρων πολλὴν ὁδὸν ἐβάδιζε. Διὰ δὲ τὸν κόπον τῆς ὁδοῦ ἀποθέμενος τὸ φορτίον τὸν Θάνατον ἐπεκαλεῖτο. Τοῦ δὲ Θανάτου φανέντος καὶ πυθομένου, δι' ἣν αἰτίαν αὐτὸν παρακαλεῖται, ὁ γέρων ἔφη· ἵνα τὸ φορτίον ἄρῃς.

Γέρων ποτὲ 

ξύλα κόψας 

ταῦτα φέρων 

πολλὴν ὁδὸν ἐβάδιζε. 

Διὰ δὲ τὸν κόπον τῆς ὁδοῦ 

ἀποθέμενος τὸ φορτίον 

τὸν Θάνατον ἐπεκαλεῖτο. 

Τοῦ δὲ Θανάτου φανέντος 

καὶ πυθομένου 

δι' ἣν αἰτίαν αὐτὸν παρακαλεῖται, 

ὁ γέρων ἔφη· 

ἵνα τὸ φορτίον ἄρῃς.

Γέρων ποτὲ  ...  Once upon a time an old man,

ξύλα κόψας  ...   having cut some wood

ταῦτα φέρων  ...   (and) carrying it,

πολλὴν ὁδὸν ἐβάδιζε  ...  was walking a long way. 

Διὰ δὲ τὸν κόπον τῆς ὁδοῦ  ...   On account of the journey's toil

ἀποθέμενος τὸ φορτίον  ...   he put down his burden

τὸν Θάνατον ἐπεκαλεῖτο  ...  (and) called upon Death.

Τοῦ δὲ Θανάτου φανέντος  ...   When Death showed up

καὶ πυθομένου  ...   and asked

δι' ἣν αἰτίαν αὐτὸν παρακαλεῖται  ...  why he had summoned him, 

ὁ γέρων ἔφη  ...  the old man said:

ἵνα τὸ φορτίον ἄρῃς  ...  so that you would pick up the burden.

(i.e. pick it up to put it back on my shoulders)

Old Man and Death

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

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Greek Proverb Review: Jan. 14

For today, it's a new review slideshow for Groups 122, 123, and 124. 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.

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

• Ἀγαθοὺς τίμα.
  
• Ἄλλο γλαὺξ, ἄλλο κορώνη φθέγγεται.
  
• Ἀνδρὸς δὲ ψυχὴ πάλιν ἐλθεῖν οὔτε λεϊστὴ οὔθ᾽ ἑλετή.
  
• Ἄρτι μῦς πίττης γεύεται.
  
• Διὰ Θεῶν πόλιν νεμόμεθ' ἀδάματον.
  
• Ἕκαστον γὰρ δένδρον ἐκ τοῦ ἰδίου καρποῦ γινώσκεται.
  
• Ἐμοὶ ἐχθὲς καί σοὶ σήμερον.
  
• Ἡδύ τοι σωθέντα μεμνῆσθαι πόνων.
  
• Κολοιὸς παρὰ κολοιόν.
  
• Λέγε εἰδώς.
  
• Παθὼν δέ τε νήπιος ἔγνω.
  
• Πάταξον μέν, ἄκουσον δέ.
  
• Τὰ ἀφανῆ τοῖς φανεροῖς τεκμαίρου.
  
• Ὑφ' ἡδονῆς ὁ φρόνιμος οὐχ ἁλίσκεται.
  
• Φθόνει μηδενί.
  

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

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Greek Reading: Fables 7

Today's stories are from Smith's Initia Graeca available at the Internet Archive. You can use the linked titles to access the book, and it has a dictionary in the back.

Here are the stories, presented in Greek, segmented, and then interwoven with English.

19 Πρόβατον κειρόμενον

Πρόβατον ἀφυῶς κειρόμενον πρὸς τοὺς κείροντας ἔφη· εἰ μὲν ἔρια ζητεῖτε, ἀνωτέρω τέμνετε· εἰ δὲ κρέως ἐπιθυμεῖτε, ἅπαξ με καταθύσατε, τοῦ κατὰ μικρὸν βασανίζειν ἀπαλλαξαντες.

Πρόβατον 

ἀφυῶς κειρόμενον 

πρὸς τοὺς κείροντας 

ἔφη· 

εἰ μὲν ἔρια ζητεῖτε, 

ἀνωτέρω τέμνετε·

εἰ δὲ κρέως ἐπιθυμεῖτε, 

ἅπαξ με καταθύσατε, 

τοῦ κατὰ μικρὸν βασανίζειν 

ἀπαλλαξαντες.

Πρόβατον  ...  A sheep,

ἀφυῶς κειρόμενον  ...  being unskillfully sheared,

ἔφη πρὸς τοὺς κείροντας  ...  said to the shearers,

"εἰ μὲν ἔρια ζητεῖτε  ...  If you are seeking wool,

ἀνωτέρω τέμνετε  ...  cut more high (= not so deep),

εἰ δὲ κρέως ἐπιθυμεῖτε  ...  but if you are wanting meat,

ἅπαξ με καταθύσατε  ...  kill me once and for all,

ἀπαλλαξαντες  ...  putting a stop

τοῦ κατὰ μικρὸν βασανίζειν  ...  to this bit-by-bit torture."

sheep being sheared

20 Ὄφις πατούμενος

Ὄφις ὑπὸ πολλῶν ἀνθρώπων πατούμενος τῷ Διὶ ἐνετύγχανε περὶ τούτου. Ὁ δὲ Ζεῦς πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπεν· ἀλλ' εἰ τὸν πρότερον πατήσαντα ἔπληξας, οὐκ ἂν ὁ δεύτερος ἐπεχείρησε τοῦτο ποιῆσαι.

Ὄφις 

ὑπὸ πολλῶν ἀνθρώπων 

πατούμενος 

τῷ Διὶ ἐνετύγχανε 

περὶ τούτου.

Ὁ δὲ Ζεῦς 

πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπεν· 

ἀλλ' εἰ τὸν πρότερον πατήσαντα 

ἔπληξας, 

οὐκ ἂν ὁ δεύτερος 

ἐπεχείρησε τοῦτο ποιῆσαι.

Ὄφις, πατούμενος  ...  A snake, stepped upon

ὑπὸ πολλῶν ἀνθρώπων  ...  by many people,

τῷ Διὶ ἐνετύγχανε  ...  made a petition to Zeus

περὶ τούτου  ...  about this.

Ὁ δὲ Ζεῦς πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπεν  ...  Zeus said to him, 

"ἀλλ' εἰ ἔπληξας  ...  but it you had struck

τὸν πρότερον πατήσαντα  ...  the first person stepping (on you), 

ὁ δεύτερος  ...  the next man 

οὐκ ἂν ἐπεχείρησε  ...  wouldn't have dared

τοῦτο ποιῆσαι  ...   to do that."

Medici Aesop

21 Ἄρκτός καὶ ἀλώπηξ

Ἄρκτός τίς ποτε μεγάλως ἐκαυχᾶτο ὡς φιλανθρωπότατον πάντων ἐστὶ τῶν ζώων· φασὶ γὰρ ἄρκτον νεκρὸν μηδὲν βιβρώσκειν. Ἡ δὲ ἀλώπηξ ἀκούουσα ταῦτα ἐμειδίασε καὶ πρὸς αὐτὴν ἀντέφη· εἴθε τοὺς νεκροὺς ἤσθιες καὶ μὴ τοὺς ζῶντας.

Ἄρκτός τίς 

ποτε μεγάλως ἐκαυχᾶτο 

ὡς φιλανθρωπότατον 

πάντων ἐστὶ τῶν ζώων· 

φασὶ γὰρ 

ἄρκτον 

νεκρὸν μηδὲν βιβρώσκειν. 

Ἡ δὲ ἀλώπηξ 

ἀκούουσα ταῦτα 

ἐμειδίασε 

καὶ πρὸς αὐτὴν ἀντέφη· 

εἴθε τοὺς νεκροὺς ἤσθιες 

καὶ μὴ τοὺς ζῶντας.

Ἄρκτός τίς  ...  A bear

ποτε μεγάλως ἐκαυχᾶτο  ...  was once boasting loudly 

ὡς φιλανθρωπότατον ἐστὶ  ...  how she was the most man-loving 

πάντων τῶν ζώων  ...  of all the animals,

φασὶ γὰρ ἄρκτον  ...  for they say that a bear

νεκρὸν μηδὲν βιβρώσκειν  ...  won't eat a dead person.

Ἡ δὲ ἀλώπηξ ἐμειδίασε  ...  But the fox smiled

ἀκούουσα ταῦτα  ...  when she heard this

καὶ πρὸς αὐτὴν ἀντέφη  ...  and contradicted the bear, 

"εἴθε τοὺς νεκροὺς ἤσθιες  ...  If only you would eat dead men,

καὶ μὴ τοὺς ζῶντας  ...  and not the living."

The Fox and the Bear

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

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Daily Greek Vocabulary Challenge: Jan. 11

Here are today's vocabulary words; it's Group 134. Click on the word to learn more at Logeion:

πλοῦτος ~ πλούτου (noun m.): wealth, riches 

τάλαντον ~ ταλάντου (noun n.): scales, balance 

τιμωρία ~ τιμωρίας (noun f.): retribution, punishment 

χάρις ~ χάριτος (noun f.): favor, goodwill 

σφαγή ~ σφαγῆς (noun f.): slaughter, butchery 

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

Πλούτῳ ἀπίστει.

Ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν.

Τὰ Ταντάλου τάλαντα.

Ταντάλειοι τιμωρίαι.

Αἰέτιον χάριν ἐκτίνειν.

And now, some commentary:

Πλούτῳ ἀπίστει.

Put no faith in wealth.

This is one of the so-called Delphic maxims recorded by Stobaeus. The verb ἀπίστει is an alpha-privative: ἀ-πίστει. The noun πλοῦτος is also the name of the god of wealth; find out more at Wikipedia: Plutus.

Τὰ Ταντάλου τάλαντα.

The talents of Tantalus.

Speaking of wealth, this saying is about the fabulously wealthy King Tantalus, and the τάλαντα here, or "talents" in English, referred originally to weighing scales, and then came to mean the money that was weighed in the scales. You can find out more about King Tantalus at Wikipedia. In addition to the proverbial talents of Tantalus, there are the famous τάλαντα of the Gospels: Parable of the Talents. This parable is what gave rise to the modern meaning of "talent" in English; you can find out more at the wiktionary: talent. Despite his proverbial wealth, things did not turn out well for Tantalus; see the next saying.

Ταντάλειοι τιμωρίαι.

Tantalean punishments.

This proverbial phrase refers to the punishments that Tantalus suffered for the various crimes he committed against the gods, including an attempt to feed them the flesh of his son, Pelops. You can find out more at Wikipedia: Tantalus' Savage Banquet. Tantalus was then punished in the underworld by seeing fruit that he could never eat and water that he could never drink, which is the origin of the English word "tantalize."

Αἰέτιον χάριν ἐκτίνειν.

To repay a favor like the eagle (did).

This proverbial phrase invokes the fable of a man who rescued an eagle from a snake and who was in turn rescued by that eagle from drinking water that had been poisoned by the snake (Perry #395 for those of you interested in Aesopic fables). The adjective αἰέτιον is from ἀετός, "eagle," and like many derived adjectives, it does not have a distinct feminine form: αἰέτιος (also spelled ἀέτειος) is both masculine and feminine.

Ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν.

Like a sheep to the slaughter.

The words come from the Biblical Book of Acts, quoting the Book of Isaiah. Here is the passage: ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη, καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ κείραντος αὐτὸν ἄφωνος, οὕτως οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, and the King James version: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth." For the controversial history of this Biblical phrase in reference to the Holocaust, see Wikipedia: Like sheep to the slaughter.

Tantalus (Alciato)

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

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Greek Reading: Fables 6

Today's stories are from Smith's Initia Graeca, available at the Internet Archive. You can use the linked titles to access the book, and it has a dictionary in the back.

Here are the stories, presented in Greek, segmented, and then interwoven with English.

16 Κάμηλος 

Κάμηλος ἀναγκαζομένη ὑπὸ ἰδίου δεσπότου ὀρχεῖσθαι εἶπεν· ἀλλ' οὐ μόνον ὀρχουμένη εἰμὶ ἄσχημος, ἀλλὰ καὶ περιπατοῦσα.

Κάμηλος 

ἀναγκαζομένη 

ὑπὸ ἰδίου δεσπότου 

ὀρχεῖσθαι 

εἶπεν· 

ἀλλ' οὐ μόνον 

ὀρχουμένη εἰμὶ ἄσχημος, 

ἀλλὰ καὶ περιπατοῦσα.

Κάμηλος  ...  A camel,

ἀναγκαζομένη ὀρχεῖσθαι  ...  compelled to dance

ὑπὸ ἰδίου δεσπότου  ...  by her owner,

εἶπεν  ...  said,

"ἀλλ' οὐ μόνον εἰμὶ   ...  But not only am I

ἄσχημος ὀρχουμένη  ...  ungainly when dancing,

ἀλλὰ καὶ περιπατοῦσα  ...  but even when walking."

The Camel (from a different fable than this one)

17 Πάρδαλις καὶ ἀλώπηξ

Στικτή ποτε πάρδαλις ἐκαυχᾶτο φορεῖν ἁπάντων ζῴων ποικιλωτέραν δέρριν. Πρὸς ἣν ἀλώπηξ εἶπεν· Ἐγώ σου τῆς δορᾶς κρείττονα καὶ ποικιλωτέραν γνώμην ἔχω.

Στικτή ποτε πάρδαλις 

ἐκαυχᾶτο φορεῖν 

ἁπάντων ζῴων 

ποικιλωτέραν δέρριν. 

Πρὸς ἣν ἀλώπηξ εἶπεν· 

Ἐγώ 

σου τῆς δορᾶς 

κρείττονα καὶ ποικιλωτέραν γνώμην 

ἔχω.

Στικτή ποτε πάρδαλις  ...  The spotted leopard once

ἐκαυχᾶτο φορεῖν  ...  was boasting that she had

ποικιλωτέραν δέρριν  ...  a more colorful skin

ἁπάντων ζῴων  ...  than all the animals.

Πρὸς ἣν ἀλώπηξ εἶπεν  ...  The fox said to her,

"Ἐγώ ἔχω γνώμην  ...  I have a brain

κρείττονα καὶ ποικιλωτέραν  ...  more powerful and colorful

σου τῆς δορᾶς  ...  than your pelt." 

Fox and Leopard

18 Ῥοιὰ, μηλέα καὶ βάτος

Ῥοιὰ καὶ μηλέα περὶ εὐκαρπίας ἤριζον. Πολλοῦ δὲ τοῦ νείκους ἀναφθέντος, βάτος ἐκ τοῦ πλησίον φραγμοῦ ἀκούσασα εἶπεν· ἀλλ', ὠ φίλαι, παυσώμεθά ποτε μαχόμεναι.

Ῥοιὰ καὶ μηλέα 

περὶ εὐκαρπίας ἤριζον. 

Πολλοῦ δὲ τοῦ νείκους 

ἀναφθέντος, 

βάτος 

ἐκ τοῦ πλησίον φραγμοῦ 

ἀκούσασα εἶπεν· 

ἀλλ', ὠ φίλαι, 

παυσώμεθά ποτε μαχόμεναι.

Ῥοιὰ καὶ μηλέα  ...  A pomegranate tree and an apple tree

περὶ εὐκαρπίας ἤριζον  ...  were disputing about fruitfulness.

Πολλοῦ δὲ τοῦ νείκους ἀναφθέντος  ...  A big dispute erupting,

βάτος, ἀκούσασα  ...  a bramble bush, listening 

ἐκ τοῦ πλησίον φραγμοῦ  ...  from a nearby hedge,

εἶπεν·  ...  said,

ἀλλ', ὠ φίλαι  ...  But, my dear ladies,

παυσώμεθά ποτε μαχόμεναι  ...  let's just stop this quarreling."

(No doubt if there was anything the fruit trees could agree about, it would be that the foolish bramble had no business butting in with her useless opinion, being fruitless!)

The Debate among the Trees

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

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