Αὐτὸς ἔφα
he himself said; ipse dixit
Translated by Jennifer Benedict2 Aug 2001Vetting: high3 revisions
Translation
"This proverbial [phrase], in reference to Pythagoras the philosopher, entered into [usage in everyday] life."1 For this man, glorifying his own word and life in his lectures, used to say "he said himself"; meaning he spoke. The word is not mine, he is saying, but [that of] the god.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Αὐτὸς ἔφα· τοῦτο παροιμιακὸν ἐπὶ Πυθαγόρου τοῦ φιλοσόφου εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν βίον. οὗτος γὰρ ἀποσεμνύνων τὸν ἑαυτοῦ λόγον καὶ βίον ἐν ταῖς ὁμιλίαις ἔλεγεν, αὐτὸς ἔφα· ἀντὶ τοῦ εἶπεν. οὐκ ἐμὸς ὁ λόγος, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ θεοῦ.