Εἰς τετρημένον πίθον ἀντλεῖν
to draw water into a perforated jar
Translated by David Whitehead28 Feb 2002Vetting: high7 revisions
Translation
The proverb is used because of the myth about the Danaids, inasmuch as they drew water into [such] a jar. The souls of the uninitiated suffer [in the same way] where this jar is concerned.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Εἰς τετρημένον πίθον ἀντλεῖν· εἴρηται ἡ παροιμία ἀπὸ τοῦ περὶ τὰς Δαναΐδας μύθου, παρ' ὅσον ἀνιμῶσαι ἐκεῖναι ὕδωρ εἰς πίθον ἔβαλλον. πάσχουσι δὲ περὶ τοῦτον τὸν πίθον αἱ τῶν ἀμυήτων ψυχαί.
Betacode
*ei)s tetrhme/non pi/qon a)ntlei=n: ei)/rhtai h( paroimi/a a)po\ tou= peri\ ta\s *danai/+das mu/qou, par' o(/son a)nimw=sai e)kei=nai u(/dwr ei)s pi/qon e)/ballon. pa/sxousi de\ peri\ tou=ton to\n pi/qon ai( tw=n a)muh/twn yuxai/.