Ἀράβιος ἄγγελος
Arabian messenger
Translated by Jennifer Benedict4 Dec 2000Vetting: high7 revisions
Translation
Menander in Dedicated Girl or Messenian Woman [uses the phrase].1 From the proverb [about the] "Arabian piper". "So I started an Arabian pipe going"; it is applied to those who speak incessantly. Long ago, they say, free men did not learn to play the pipe because it was vulgar. But many of the slaves were barbarians and Arabians, about whom a proverb is said: "he plays the pipe for a drachma, but he stops for four."2 Also "Arabian piper", in reference to the unceasing. Cantharus in Medea [writes]: "strike up this dance on an Arabian kithara."3
The Arabians greatly surpassed the others in excellence; they used arrows the height of a man and, instead of using their hands, they stepped with the foot onto the string, drawing the bow into a circle.4
The Arabians greatly surpassed the others in excellence; they used arrows the height of a man and, instead of using their hands, they stepped with the foot onto the string, drawing the bow into a circle.4
Greek original · Adler’s text
Ἀράβιος ἄγγελος· Μένανδρος ἐν Ἀνατιθεμένῃ ἢ Μεσσηνίᾳ. παρὰ τὴν παροιμίαν, Ἀράβιος αὐλητής. Ἀράβιον ἆρ' ἐγὼ κεκίνηκα αὐλόν· τίθεται δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀπαυστὶ διαλεγομένων. τὸ παλαιὸν δέ φασι τοὺς ἐλευθέρους μὴ μανθάνειν αὐλεῖν διὰ τὸ βάναυσον. τῶν δὲ ἀνδραπόδων τὰ πολλὰ εἶναι βάρβαρα καὶ Ἀράβια, ἐφ' ὧν ἐλέχθη παροιμία· δραχμῆς μὲν αὐλεῖ, τεγχάρων δὲ παύεται. καὶ Ἀράβιος αὐλητής, ἐπὶ τῶν ἀκαταπαύστων. Κάνθαρος Μηδείᾳ· κιθαρῳδὸν ἐξηγείρατε Ἀράβιον τὸν χορὸν τοῦτον. οἱ δὲ Ἀράβιοι ἀρετῇ πολὺ τῶν ἄλλων διαφέρουσιν· οἳ βέλεσιν ἀνδρομήκεσιν χρώμενοι, ἀντὶ τῶν χειρῶν τῷ ποδὶ ἐμβαίνοντες ἐς τὴν νεῦραν, κυκλοῦσι τὸ τόξον.
Betacode
*)ara/bios a)/ggelos: *me/nandros e)n *)anatiqeme/nh| h)\ *messhni/a|. para\ th\n paroimi/an, *)ara/bios au)lhth/s. *)ara/bion a)=r' e)gw\ keki/nhka au)lo/n: ti/qetai de\ e)pi\ tw=n a)pausti\ dialegome/nwn. to\ palaio\n de/ fasi tou\s e)leuqe/rous mh\ manqa/nein au)lei=n dia\ to\ ba/nauson. tw=n de\ a)ndrapo/dwn ta\ polla\ ei)=nai ba/rbara kai\ *)ara/bia, e)f' w(=n e)le/xqh paroimi/a: draxmh=s me\n au)lei=, tegxa/rwn de\ pau/etai. kai\ *)ara/bios au)lhth/s, e)pi\ tw=n a)katapau/stwn. *ka/nqaros *mhdei/a|: kiqarw|do\n e)chgei/rate *)ara/bion to\n xoro\n tou=ton. oi( de\ *)ara/bioi a)reth=| polu\ tw=n a)/llwn diafe/rousin: oi(\ be/lesin a)ndromh/kesin xrw/menoi, a)nti\ tw=n xeirw=n tw=| podi\ e)mbai/nontes e)s th\n neu=ran, kuklou=si to\ to/con.
Notes (4)
- Zenobius 2.58 and other paroemiographers.
- 1Menander fr. 30 Kock, now 31 K.-A. ↩
- 2Comica adespota fr. 268 Kock, now 920 K.-A. The word "four" is textually corrupt here but guaranteed by other citations; cf. delta 1516 (end), tau 217. ↩
- 3Cantharus fr. 1 Kock (and K.-A.). ↩
- 4Quoted from epsilon 942. ↩
Linked from4 entries
- δ1516ΔραχμήdrachmaSee under "talent." 100 drachmas make one m(i)na. A drachma [is] a weight of currency equal to 10 drachmas of silver. A drachma [is] six obols. And Aristophanes [writes]: "spend three drachmas for me [to buy] a piglet."…
- ε942Ἐμβαίνοντεςstepping on[Meaning they] stepping against. "But the Arabs greatly surpass the others in courage: for using arrows as long as a man is tall, stepping on the string with their foot instead of hands they draw the bow into a circle."
- κ2651ΚυκλῶI encircle, I surround[Used] with an accusative.
- μ392Μέγα τοι ἄγγελος ἐσθλόςa good messenger [is] a great thing[Said proverbially] in reference to those announcing good news.
Neighbouring entries
Revision history7 revisions · last 30 Aug 2015
- Revised — David Whitehead
- Revised — David Whitehead
- Revised — David Whitehead
- Revised — David Whitehead
- another note; more keywords; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- augmented notes; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- modified translation; added keyword; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Translated — Jennifer Benedict