Ἀλωπεκίζειν

to play the fox

Translated by Jennifer Benedict26 May 2000Vetting: high4 revisions

11 words

[sc. A verb used] in reference to those attempting to deceive.

Greek original · Adler’s text

Ἀλωπεκίζειν· ἐπὶ τῶν ἐξαπατᾶν ἐγχειρούντων.

Betacode

*)alwpeki/zein: e)pi\ tw=n e)capata=n e)gxeirou/ntwn.

So too, more briefly, Hesychius s.v.
This infinitive occurs in Aristophanes, Wasps 1241 (web address 1), where it is presented as an already-existing song or proverb. Zenobius (1.70) and other paroemiographers present both proverb and gloss more fully: "to play the fox to another fox: in reference to those attempting to deceive their own kind".
For other proverbs involving foxes cf. alpha 1391, alpha 1392.