Χάρων
Charon
Translated by Ross Scaife ✝ · 28 Nov 2001 · Vetting: high · 6 revisions
Translation
[Synonymous with] death.
And queries and announcements associated with his ferrying come from Charon [Author, Myth]: "Who [is going] to a rest from evils (toils) and troubles?" "Who [is going] to the Plain of Lethe?" He has formed a spot in Hades thus described, and also as the Stone of Auainos. "Who [is going] to a donkey's wool?" Thus they describe what is useless, since a donkey's wool is not useful. And the proverb is also uttered in the case of what is endless, just as we say "You are decorating a pot."1 Things in Hades go on endlessly. Hence [the expression] "donkey's wool" has been turned into a poetic metaphor.
And queries and announcements associated with his ferrying come from Charon [Author, Myth]: "Who [is going] to a rest from evils (toils) and troubles?" "Who [is going] to the Plain of Lethe?" He has formed a spot in Hades thus described, and also as the Stone of Auainos. "Who [is going] to a donkey's wool?" Thus they describe what is useless, since a donkey's wool is not useful. And the proverb is also uttered in the case of what is endless, just as we say "You are decorating a pot."1 Things in Hades go on endlessly. Hence [the expression] "donkey's wool" has been turned into a poetic metaphor.
Greek original
Χάρων· ὁ θάνατος. καὶ πορθμευτικαὶ παρὰ Χάρωνος πεύσεις καὶ κηρύγματα· τίς εἰς ἀναπαύλας ἐκ κακῶν [πόνων] καὶ πραγμάτων; τίς εἰς τὸ Λήθης πεδίον; χωρίον διατετύπωκεν ἐν ᾅδου οὕτω λεγόμενον· ὡς καὶ τὸν Αὐαίνου λίθον. τίς εἰς ὄνου πόκας; οὕτω λέγουσι τὸ ἄχρηστον· οὐδὲ γὰρ τοῦ ὄνου πόκαι χρησιμεύουσι. λέγεται δὲ καὶ ἡ παροιμία ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνηνύτων, ἐν ᾧ τρόπῳ φαμὲν χύτραν ποικίλλεις· ἀνήνυτα δὲ καὶ τὰ ἐν ᾅδου. διὰ τοῦτο οὖν ὄνου πόκας ἀνεπλάσατο ποιητικῶς.
Betacode
*xa/rwn: o( qa/natos. kai\ porqmeutikai\ para\ *xa/rwnos peu/seis kai\ khru/gmata: ti/s ei)s a)napau/las e)k kakw=n [po/nwn] kai\ pragma/twn; ti/s ei)s to\ *lh/qhs pedi/on; xwri/on diatetu/pwken e)n a(/|dou ou(/tw lego/menon: w(s kai\ to\n *au)ai/nou li/qon. ti/s ei)s o)/nou po/kas; ou(/tw le/gousi to\ a)/xrhston: ou)de\ ga\r tou= o)/nou po/kai xrhsimeu/ousi. le/getai de\ kai\ h( paroimi/a e)pi\ tw=n a)nhnu/twn, e)n w(=| tro/pw| fame\n xu/tran poiki/lleis: a)nh/nuta de\ kai\ ta\ e)n a(/|dou. dia\ tou=to ou)=n o)/nou po/kas a)nepla/sato poihtikw=s.
Notes (1)
References
OCD(4) p.307, under Charon(1)
Linked from (5)
Neighbours in Adler order
Revisions (6)
- David Whiteheadupdated a ref
- David Whitehead
- David Whiteheadmore keywords
- David Whiteheadadded notes and bibliography; augmented keywords; cosmetics
- Ross Scaife ✝translated