υνκνοων—Χρήματα χρήματ' ἀνήρ πενιχρὸς δ' οὐδέποτ' ἐσθλός
money money (is the) man but a pauper (is) never noble
Translated by Jennifer Benedict5 Apr 2008Vetting: high8 revisions
Translation
[sc. A proverbial saying] in reference to those who are successful due to wealth.1 Aristodemos says [this]. And Alcaeus mentions Aristodemus: "for as Aristodamos once in Sparta", he says, "spoke a speech that was not helpless: 'money, money;' and so forth."2
And elsewhere Aristophanes [writes]: "I don't know what the affair [xrh=ma ] is doing to me. -- So consider: while it is possible for you and all these men to be rich, [you are somehow hemmed in] by those who are always catering to the masses."3
Sophocles [writes]: "'what matter [xrh=ma ] do you attend to, Ajax? Why do you set out on this attempt neither summoned by messengers nor hearing any trumpet? In fact, the whole army is sleeping now.' But he said curtly to me, 'Woman, silence is an ornament for women.' And I understood and stopped; but he rushed out alone."4
And elsewhere Aristophanes [writes]: "I don't know what the affair [
Sophocles [writes]: "'what matter [
Greek original · Adler’s text
Χρήματα χρήματ' ἀνήρ, πενιχρὸς δ' οὐδέποτ' ἐσθλός· ἐπὶ τῶν διὰ πλοῦτον εὐημερούντων. Ἀριστόδημός φησι. μέμνη- ται τοῦ Ἀριστοδήμου καὶ Ἀλκαῖος· ὡς γὰρ δή ποτ' Ἀριστόδαμον φασὶν ἐν Σπάρτᾳ οὐκ ἀπάλαμνον λόγον εἰπεῖν, χρήματα, χρήματα· καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. καὶ αὖθις Ἀριστοφάνης· οὐκ οἶδ' ὅ τι χρῆμά με ποιεῖς. σκέψαι τοίνυν, ὡς ἐξόν σοι πλουτεῖν καὶ τοῖσιν ἅπασιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀεὶ δημιζόντων. Σοφοκλῆς· τί χρῆμα δρᾷς, Αἶαν; τί τῷδ' ἄκλητος οὐδ' ὑπ' ἀγγέλων κληθεὶς ἀφορμᾷς πεῖραν, οὔτε του κλύων σάλπιγγος; ἀλλὰ νῦν γε πᾶς εὕδει στρατός. ὁ δ' εἶπε πρός με βαιά, ἀεὶ δ' ὑμνούμενα, γύναι, γυναιξὶ κόσμον ἡ σιγὴ φέρει. κἀγὼ μαθοῦσ' ἔληξα· ὁ δ' ἐσσύθη μόνος.
Betacode
*xrh/mata xrh/mat' a)nh/r, penixro\s d' ou)de/pot' e)sqlo/s: e)pi\ tw=n dia\ plou=ton eu)hmerou/ntwn. *)aristo/dhmo/s fhsi. me/mnh- tai tou= *)aristodh/mou kai\ *)alkai=os: w(s ga\r dh/ pot' *)aristo/damon fasi\n e)n *spa/rta| ou)k a)pa/lamnon lo/gon ei)pei=n, xrh/mata, xrh/mata: kai\ ta\ e(ch=s. kai\ au)=qis *)aristofa/nhs: ou)k oi)=d' o(/ ti xrh=ma/ me poiei=s. ske/yai toi/nun, w(s e)co/n soi ploutei=n kai\ toi=sin a(/pasin u(po\ tw=n a)ei\ dhmizo/ntwn. *sofoklh=s: ti/ xrh=ma dra=|s, *ai)=an; ti/ tw=|d' a)/klhtos ou)d' u(p' a)gge/lwn klhqei\s a)forma=|s pei=ran, ou)/te tou klu/wn sa/lpiggos; a)lla\ nu=n ge pa=s eu(/dei strato/s. o( d' ei)=pe pro/s me baia/, a)ei\ d' u(mnou/mena, gu/nai, gunaici\ ko/smon h( sigh\ fe/rei. ka)gw\ maqou=s' e)/lhca: o( d' e)ssu/qh mo/nos.
Notes (4)
- The first part of the headword phrase -- again at chi 478 -- appears in Pindar, Isthmians 2.17 (web address 1), but the whole phrase is a version of Alcaeus fr. 360 Lobel-Page, of which a summary version is given below.↩
- 1cf. Apostolius 18.32 and other paroemiographers, and see generally Tosi [cited under alpha 378] no.1783. ↩
- 2A summary of Alcaeus fr. 360 Lobel-Page. The material from the beginning of the entry to this point is taken from the scholia to Pindar, Isthmians 2.17 (cf. above). ↩
- 3Aristophanes, Wasps 697-9 (web address 2); see also pi 1450. This quotation and the one from Sophocles which follow seem to be tenuously connected with the rest of the entry. The only association is that they contain instances of the word
xrh=ma (see chi 473, chi 474, and chi 475) of whichxrh/mata ("money") is the plural. ↩- 4Sophocles, Ajax 288-294 (web address 3). Tecmessa is speaking. See also beta 210, omicron 970, and pi 1450.
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
- Web address 2 perseus.tufts.edu
- Web address 3 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from4 entries
- α2876Ἀπάλαμνοςhelpless[Meaning] inexperienced.
- β210Βαιαίlittle (ones), scanty (ones)[Meaning] small [ones]. Also [sc. attested is the masculine singular] baio/s ["scanty"], in the special sense of "one". Sophocles [writes]: "was he traveling 'scanty' or with many men as attendants?". Also in Captive…
- χ473Χρῆμαmatter; thing[Meaning an] issue, or possession, wealth, substance, income. "The little house was gloomy and misshapen and in the summer season particularly unsuitable, so that the thing seemed to be a prison." And elsewhere: "[the…
- χ478Χρήματα χρήματ' ἀνήρmoney money (is the) manThis is proverbial, like the sayings of the Seven Sages. Pindar and Alcaeus mention it. Similar to it [are] "the office reveals the man", "steer your own course" and "know thyself". Alcaeus says it is said by…
Neighbouring entries
Revision history8 revisions · last 28 Jun 2023
- expanded note — Catharine Roth
- tweaked link — Catharine Roth
- codings — David Whitehead
- tweaked translation — Catharine Roth
- Revised — David Whitehead
- augmented notes; tweaking — David Whitehead
- augmented notes; tweaks and cosmetics — David Whitehead
- tweaked translation, set status — Catharine Roth
- Translated — Jennifer Benedict