Δεξιός
clever, fortunate
Translated by Jennifer Benedict19 May 2004Vetting: high9 revisions
Translation
Also [meaning] one with aptitude.
"In the time of Justinian, there was one Peter called Barsumês who sat at the money-exchange table and took shameful profits from this work, contriving rather well the theft in the case of the obols and throwing off the ones who fell in with him by his quickness:1 for he was clever at stealing."2
And elsewhere: "by a fortunate chance he became master of Rome."3
"After a retaliatory ambush had fortunately happened, a crown of green dog's-tooth grass was given to the first Publius by the Romans."4 [Fortunately] meaning fittingly.
And Arrian [writes]: "he went over to Mannos, having both transgressed pledges that he gave to a king/emperor and having trampled on oaths that he swore."5
"In the time of Justinian, there was one Peter called Barsumês who sat at the money-exchange table and took shameful profits from this work, contriving rather well the theft in the case of the obols and throwing off the ones who fell in with him by his quickness:1 for he was clever at stealing."2
And elsewhere: "by a fortunate chance he became master of Rome."3
"After a retaliatory ambush had fortunately happened, a crown of green dog's-tooth grass was given to the first Publius by the Romans."4 [Fortunately] meaning fittingly.
And Arrian [writes]: "he went over to Mannos, having both transgressed pledges that he gave to a king/emperor and having trampled on oaths that he swore."5
Greek original · Adler’s text
Δεξιός· καὶ ὁ εὐχερής. ἐπὶ Ἰουστινιανοῦ Πέτρος τις ἦν Βαρσύμης οὕτω καλούμενος, ὃς ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης τοῦ χαλκοῦ καθήμενος κέρδη αἰσχρὰ ἐπορίζετο ἐκ ταύτης τῆς ἐργασίας, τὴν περὶ τοὺς ὀβολοὺς κλοπὴν εὖ μάλα τεχνάζων καὶ τοὺς αὐτῷ ξυμβάλλοντας ἀεὶ τάχει ἐκκρούων· δεξιὸς γὰρ ἦν κλέψαι. καὶ αὖθις· ὁ δὲ δεξιᾷ χρησάμενος τύχῃ ἐκυρίευσε Ῥώμης. ὅτι πρώτῳ Ποπλίῳ ἐλλοχήσεως ἀμοιβῆς δεξιῶς γενομένης ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων ἐδόθη στέφανος ἀγρώστεως χλωρᾶς. ἀντὶ ἁρμοδίως. καὶ Ἀρριανός· ὁ δὲ παρὰ Μάννον ἀπεχώρησε δεξιάς τε παραβάς, ἃς βασιλεῖ ἔδωκε, καὶ ὅρκους πατήσας, οὓς ὤμοσε.
Betacode
*decio/s: kai\ o( eu)xerh/s. e)pi\ *)ioustinianou= *pe/tros tis h)=n *barsu/mhs ou(/tw kalou/menos, o(\s e)pi\ th=s trape/zhs tou= xalkou= kaqh/menos ke/rdh ai)sxra\ e)pori/zeto e)k tau/ths th=s e)rgasi/as, th\n peri\ tou\s o)bolou\s kloph\n eu)= ma/la texna/zwn kai\ tou\s au)tw=| cumba/llontas a)ei\ ta/xei e)kkrou/wn: decio\s ga\r h)=n kle/yai. kai\ au)=qis: o( de\ decia=| xrhsa/menos tu/xh| e)kuri/euse *(rw/mhs. o(/ti prw/tw| *popli/w| e)lloxh/sews a)moibh=s deciw=s genome/nhs u(po\ *(rwmai/wn e)do/qh ste/fanos a)grw/stews xlwra=s. a)nti\ a(rmodi/ws. kai\ *)arriano/s: o( de\ para\ *ma/nnon a)pexw/rhse decia/s te paraba/s, a(\s basilei= e)/dwke, kai\ o(/rkous path/sas, ou(\s w)/mose.
Notes (5)
- For this headword see already delta 232 (which presumably explains the introductory 'Also' here) and again delta 234.↩
- 1The phrase "of his fingers" [
tw=n daktu/lwn ] in Procopius -- see next note -- has been omitted in the version here. ↩- 2Procopius, Secret History 22.3-4 (web address 1); cf. Kaldellis (97). Justinian and Theodora relieved Theodotos (cf. theta 141) of his duties as praetorian prefect in 542 CE and replaced him with Peter Barsumês (cf. beta 126). On Justinian, see iota 446. On Theodora, see alpha 956 note. ↩
- 3Quotation (transmitted, in Adler's view, via the Excerpta Constantini Porphyrogeniti) unidentifiable. ↩
- 4Quotation (again under pi 2054) unidentifiable, but compare generally Livy 7.37.2 on the tribunus militum Publius Decius: legiones gramineam coronam obsidialem, clamore donum approbantes, Decio imponunt. ↩
- 5See under alpha 3106.
- 1The phrase "of his fingers" [
References
A. Kaldellis, ed. and trans., Prokopios: The Secret History, (Indianapolis 2010)
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from4 entries
- α3106Ἀπεχώρησενwithdrew"He withdrew to Mannos, having both violated pledges that he had given to a king/emperor, and having trampled oaths that he had sworn."
- β126Βαρσύμης ΠέτροςBarsumes PetrosSee under de/cios.
- δ232Δεξιός[on the] right [side], dexterous, courteous[Meaning] well-disposed, good, friendly. Also [sc. attested is the comparative] deciw/teros, meaning good. "And [he] bade anyone of them who [was] right and merciful to take courage." And decioi/ is what they used to…
- δ234ΔεξιόςcleverThe well-educated [man]. Also [sc. attested is the plural] dexioi, the well-educated [men]. Aristophanes [writes]: "turning around always to the more comfortable side is the mark of a clever man, a natural Theramenes."…
Neighbouring entries
Revision history9 revisions · last 15 May 2024
- expanded n.2; added bibliography, cross-references, and link — Ronald Allen
- betacode — Catharine Roth
- italics — Catharine Roth
- Revised — David Whitehead
- expanded n.4 — David Whitehead
- Revised — David Whitehead
- tweaked tr; more keywords — David Whitehead
- further changes to translation — David Whitehead
- modified translation; augmented and modified notes; augmented keywords; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Translated — Jennifer Benedict