Ἀμμωνιανός
Ammonianos, Ammonianus
Translated by Malcolm Heath7 Jul 1999Vetting: high4 revisions
Translation
Grammarian, honoured by his association with Syrianus1 and also by their innate similarity in character and physique -- in Homer's words, 'in appearance and stature and nature most similar';2 for each of them was physically handsome and large. Furthermore, their health and strength did not in any way fall short of their other natural gifts, either in whole or in any part. Their souls were eager for the best in the same way. But Syrianus was the more pious, and a genuine philosopher; the other was devoted to the art that is founded on the exegesis of poets and the correction of Greek diction. It was this Ammonianus who happened to acquire an ass as an audience for his wisdom.3
Greek original · Adler’s text
Ἀμμωνιανός, γραμματικός, κοσμούμενος τῇ συγγενείᾳ Συριανοῦ καὶ ἅμα τῇ συμφύτῳ ὁμοιότητι τῶν τε ἠθῶν καὶ τοῦ σώματος, κατὰ τὸν Ὅμηρον εἶδός τε μέγεθός τε φυήν τ' ἄγχιστα ἐῴκει. τό τε γὰρ σῶμα καλός τε καὶ μέγας ἦν ἑκάτερος. καὶ ἔτι προσῆν ὑγεία καὶ ἰσχὺς οὐδὲν ἀποδέουσα τῆς ἄλλης εὐφυΐας τοῦ τε ὅλου καὶ τῶν μερῶν· ἥ τε ψυχὴ ἔρρωτο πρὸς τὸ βέλτιστον αὐτοῖς τὸ ὁμοιότροπον. ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν θεοφιλέστερος ἦν ὁ Συριανὸς καὶ τῷ ὄντι φιλόσοφος· ὁ δὲ ἠγάπα τὴν ἐπὶ ποιητῶν ἐξηγήσει καὶ διορθώσει τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς λέξεως καθημένην τέχνην. οὗτος ἦν Ἀμμωνιανός, ᾧ κεκτῆσθαι συμβέβηκεν ὄνον σοφίας ἀκροατήν.
Betacode
*)ammwniano/s, grammatiko/s, kosmou/menos th=| suggenei/a| *surianou= kai\ a(/ma th=| sumfu/tw| o(moio/thti tw=n te h)qw=n kai\ tou= sw/matos, kata\ to\n *(/omhron ei)=do/s te me/geqo/s te fuh/n t' a)/gxista e)w/|kei. to/ te ga\r sw=ma kalo/s te kai\ me/gas h)=n e(ka/teros. kai\ e)/ti prosh=n u(gei/a kai\ i)sxu\s ou)de\n a)pode/ousa th=s a)/llhs eu)fui/+as tou= te o(/lou kai\ tw=n merw=n: h(/ te yuxh\ e)/rrwto pro\s to\ be/ltiston au)toi=s to\ o(moio/tropon. a)ll' o( me\n qeofile/steros h)=n o( *suriano\s kai\ tw=| o)/nti filo/sofos: o( de\ h)ga/pa th\n e)pi\ poihtw=n e)chgh/sei kai\ diorqw/sei th=s *(ellhnikh=s le/cews kaqhme/nhn te/xnhn. ou(=tos h)=n *)ammwniano/s, w(=| kekth=sqai sumbe/bhken o)/non sofi/as a)kroath/n.
Notes (3)
- Damascius Life of Isidore fr. 111 Zintzen. See RE Ammonianos(2); PLRE II Ammonianus.
- 1[sigma 1662] Syrianus. ↩
- 2Homer, Iliad 2.58. ↩
- 4cf. [omicron 391]
o)/nos lu/ras . Photius, Bibliotheca cod. 242, 339a: "it was this Ammonianus who happened to acquire an ass which (they say) often neglected its feed to listen to lessons on poetry, even when it had deliberately been made to go hungry; such was the extent of the ass's desire for knowledge about poetry." ↩
Linked from2 entries
- αι79ΑἰδεσίαAidesia, AedesiaWife of Hermeias. She was related by birth to the great Syrianos, and was the fairest and finest of all the women in Alexandria. In her character she was similar to her husband: simple, noble, and a devotee of justice…
- ο391Ὄνος λύραςa donkey to a lyreMenander in Psophodees [uses the phrase]. The complete proverb [is]: "a donkey was listening to a lyre and a pig to a trumpet". It is said of those who do not express agreement or praise. Ammonianus the grammarian…
Neighbouring entries
Revision history4 revisions · last 16 Feb 2012
- cosmetics — David Whitehead
- more keywords — David Whitehead
- cosmetics, keyword — Catharine Roth
- added keywords; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Translated — Malcolm Heath