Αἴρειν ἔξω πόδα πηλοῦ
to lift one's foot out of the mud
Translated by Catharine Roth25 Mar 2003Vetting: high8 revisions
Translation
[sc. A saying] in reference to those wishing not to be in difficulties. Another version is "to lift one's foot out of blame." 1
[The verb]ai)/rein also means to bring: "Bring, bring the cake to the dung-beetle as fast as you can." Aristophanes [says this] in Peace.2 And with the prefix Pherekrates in Petale [says], "Bring the basket, and if you wish, offer it."3 They also used the expression as we do in reference to taking away the table which was set beside [a dinner-guest]. Menander in Snood [says], "Then take the tables away at once like this; prepare perfume and wreaths, make libations." And in Breakfasters [he says]: "if anyone still gives me something to drink [...] but the barbarian woman has gone and taken the wine away from us along with the table."4
[The verb]
Greek original · Adler’s text
Αἴρειν ἔξω πόδα πηλοῦ· ἐπὶ τῶν βουλομένων μὴ ἐν πράγμασιν εἶναι. λέγεται δὲ καὶ αἴρειν ἔξω πόδα αἰτίας. Αἴρειν καὶ τὸ προσφέρειν δηλοῖ. αἶρ', αἶρε μᾶζαν ὡς τάχιστα κανθάρῳ. Ἀριστοφάνης Εἰρήνῃ. καὶ μετὰ τῆς προθέσεως Φερεκράτης Πετάλῃ· πρόσαιρε τὸ κανοῦν, εἰ δὲ βούλει, πρόσφερε. ἐτίθεσαν δὲ τὴν λέξιν καὶ ὡς ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ τοῦ παρακειμένην ἀφελεῖν τὴν τράπεζαν. Μένανδρος Κεκρυφάλῳ· εἶτ' εὐθὺς οὕτω τὰς τραπέζας αἴρετε· μύρα, στεφάνους ἑτοίμασον, σπονδὰς ποίει. καὶ Συναριστώσαις· ἂν ἔτι πιεῖν μοι δῷ τις. ἀλλ' ἡ βάρβαρος ἅμα τῇ τραπέζῃ καὶ τὸν οἶνον ᾤχετο ἄρασα ἀφ' ἡμῶν.
Betacode
*ai)/rein e)/cw po/da phlou=: e)pi\ tw=n boulome/nwn mh\ e)n pra/gmasin ei)=nai. le/getai de\ kai\ ai)/rein e)/cw po/da ai)ti/as. *ai)/rein kai\ to\ prosfe/rein dhloi=. ai)=r', ai)=re ma=zan w(s ta/xista kanqa/rw|. *)aristofa/nhs *ei)rh/nh|. kai\ meta\ th=s proqe/sews *ferekra/ths *peta/lh|: pro/saire to\ kanou=n, ei) de\ bou/lei, pro/sfere. e)ti/qesan de\ th\n le/cin kai\ w(s h(mei=s e)pi\ tou= parakeime/nhn a)felei=n th\n tra/pezan. *me/nandros *kekrufa/lw|: ei)=t' eu)qu\s ou(/tw ta\s trape/zas ai)/rete: mu/ra, stefa/nous e(toi/mason, sponda\s poi/ei. kai\ *sunaristw/sais: a)\n e)/ti piei=n moi dw=| tis. a)ll' h( ba/rbaros a(/ma th=| trape/zh| kai\ to\n oi)=non w)/|xeto a)/rasa a)f' h(mw=n.
Notes (4)
- The second and longer part of this entry is also in Photius and elsewhere↩
- 1In Apostolius 1.65 and other paroemiographers; and cf. epsilon 675. ↩
- 2Aristophanes, Peace 1; quoted already at alphaiota 280. ↩
- 3Pherecrates fr. 137 Kock (now 145 K.-A.); cf. phi 212. ↩
- 4Menander fr. 273 Kock (239 K.-Th., 209 K.-A.) & fr. 451 Kock (385 K.-Th., 335 K.-A.); cf. alphaiota 298.
Linked from5 entries
- α110Ἀγαθὴ καὶ μάζα μετ' ἄρτονafter bread a barley cake is good tooIn reference to those who give or take second-best. *ma/za [barley cake] has an acute [accent]; for a circumflex does not occur before the position of a long vowel. Aristophanes, though, gives ma/za a circumflex:…
- αι280Αἶρεlift[Meaning] bring. Homer [writes]: "do not lift me wine." And Aristophanes [writes]: "lift, lift a barley-cake as quickly as possible for the dung-beetle."
- αι298Αἴρεινto raise[Meaning] to increase. Either to set a table next to [someone], or to take [it] away.
- ε675Ἐκτὸς πηλοῦ πόδας ἔχεινto keep one's feet outside the mud[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference those staying out of danger. It is like: [to stay] in the dry.
- ε3337ἙτοιμάζωI make ready, I prepare[Used] with an accusative.
Neighbouring entries
Revision history8 revisions · last 26 Dec 2014
- updated another ref — David Whitehead
- updated refs — David Whitehead
- another x-ref — David Whitehead
- another keyword — Catharine Roth
- Revised — David Whitehead
- augmented notes — David Whitehead
- added cross-reference — Catharine Roth
- added keyword; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Translated — Catharine Roth