Αἴθυια
gull, shearwater
Translated by Ross Scaife ✝4 Nov 2002Vetting: high4 revisions
Translation
[Meaning] a mortar.1
Also a sea-bird.2 "Under a gull's wings they released the ship's hawsers." For when gulls dive, it is the worst omen for sailors. They say the reason for this is that when there is a calm [the gull] does not dare go forth, fearing the sea creatures. But it goes out when it spots a storm, as the other creatures are then in the depths.3
Also a sea-bird.2 "Under a gull's wings they released the ship's hawsers." For when gulls dive, it is the worst omen for sailors. They say the reason for this is that when there is a calm [the gull] does not dare go forth, fearing the sea creatures. But it goes out when it spots a storm, as the other creatures are then in the depths.3
Greek original · Adler’s text
Αἴθυια· ἡ ἴγδη. καὶ ἡ θαλαττία ὄρνις. αἰθυίης ὑπὸ πτερύγεσσιν ἔλυσαν πείσματα νηός. αἱ γὰρ αἴθυιαι ὅταν δύνωσι, κάκιστος οἰωνὸς ὑπάρχει τοῖς πλέουσι. τὴν δὲ αἰτίαν λέγουσιν, ὅτι γαλήνης οὔσης οὐ τολμᾷ προϊέναι φοβουμένη τὰ θαλάσσια ζῷα, χειμῶνα δὲ προορωμένη προέρχεται, τῶν ἄλλων ζῴων ἐν ταῖς καταδύσεσιν ὄντων.