Ἐσπάθα
was using the spade
Translated by William Hutton23 Jan 2008Vetting: high4 revisions
Translation
[Meaning he/she/it] was wasting, and was devouring. Because of this he said [that she] was not idle.1 [The term] 'to use the spade' [means] to spend unstintingly and is an expression in the orators. But in the present case2 he used the word suitably. For in reference to woven garments we say that 'to use the spade' is to pack in the woof energetically so that it bunches up and, while using up a lot of woof, makes the textile turn out stronger. Thus 'to use the spade' is capable of both connotations. But that in the present case it has been applied to excess spending3 is clear from the sequel: "myself, I would show her this cloak, as a pretext, and say 'wife, you certainly do use the spade.'"4
Greek original · Adler’s text
Ἐσπάθα· κατανήλισκε, καὶ κατήσθιε. διὰ τοῦτο εἶπεν οὐκ ἀργὸς ἦν. σπαθᾶν δὲ τὸ ἀφειδῶς ἀναλίσκειν καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ῥήτορσιν εἴρηται. οἰκείως δὲ νῦν τῇ λέξει ἐχρήσατο. καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν ὑφαινομένων ἱματίων λέγομεν σπαθᾶν τὸ ἄγαν κρούειν τὴν κρόκην, ὥστε προσκαθίζειν καὶ πολλὴν μὲν ἀναλίσκειν κρόκην, ἰσχυροτέραν δὲ ἀπεργάζεσθαι τὴν ὑφήν. δύναται οὖν τὸ σπαθᾶν ἐπ' ἀμφοτέρων νοεῖσθαι. ὅτι δὲ νῦν ἐπὶ τῷ πολλὰ δαπανᾶν παρείληπται, δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ ἐπιφερομένου· ἐγὼ δ' ἂν αὐτῇ θοιμάτιον δεικνὺς τοδί, πρόφασιν, ἔφασκον, ὦ γύναι, λίαν σπαθᾷς.
Betacode
*)espa/qa: katanh/liske, kai\ kath/sqie. dia\ tou=to ei)=pen ou)k a)rgo\s h)=n. spaqa=n de\ to\ a)feidw=s a)nali/skein kai\ para\ toi=s r(h/torsin ei)/rhtai. oi)kei/ws de\ nu=n th=| le/cei e)xrh/sato. kai\ ga\r e)pi\ tw=n u(fainome/nwn i(mati/wn le/gomen spaqa=n to\ a)/gan krou/ein th\n kro/khn, w(/ste proskaqi/zein kai\ pollh\n me\n a)nali/skein kro/khn, i)sxurote/ran de\ a)perga/zesqai th\n u(fh/n. du/natai ou)=n to\ spaqa=n e)p' a)mfote/rwn noei=sqai. o(/ti de\ nu=n e)pi\ tw=| polla\ dapana=n parei/lhptai, dh=lon e)k tou= e)piferome/nou: e)gw\ d' a)\n au)th=| qoima/tion deiknu\s todi/, pro/fasin, e)/faskon, w)= gu/nai, li/an spaqa=|s.
Notes (4)
- See also epsilon 3177, epsilon 3178.
- 1In Aristophanes, Clouds 53 (web address 1), where the headword occurs in the figurative sense "was being wasteful". The entry derives from the scholia to this passage; cf. sigma 898. ↩
- 2That is, in the quotation which follows (see next note). ↩
- 3A confusing statement that seems to contradict what has just been said. The point is that the use of the term in the quotation that follows is a pun: it has both the literal meaning and the figurative one. ↩
- 4Aristophanes, Clouds 54-55 (web address 1). ↩
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from2 entries
- ε3177Ἐσπαθᾶτοwas wovenDemosthenes in the [speech] Against Aeschines [uses this] to mean was killed. From the blade [spa/qh]. Alternatively, was cast out, or was cut through; or meaning was pressed together. From the weavers' blade, which…
- ε3178Ἐσπαθημένοςbeaten with the weaver's blade[Meaning] compacted. From the blades which beat the woof.
Neighbouring entries
Revision history4 revisions · last 30 Dec 2017
- tweaked link — Catharine Roth
- upgraded link — Catharine Roth
- more x-refs; tweaking — David Whitehead
- another keyword; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Translated — William Hutton