Κίβδηλον
counterfeit, adulterated
Translated by Nick Nicholas19 Nov 2008Vetting: high7 revisions
Translation
This is what they used to call a coin that is base or invalid, and forged. In the eleventh [book] of Laws [sc. Plato writes]: "let the slave take away for himself the counterfeit article."1
And the Pisidian [writes]: "in all cases of two ways to do the job, one workman is deceptive, as the saying goes".2
Something is 'counterfeit' when it has a surface that seems elegant, but is badly off in its manner.3
[Derived] from "covering the obvious" (keuthein to dêlon), or from "Chian" and "abominable" [bdelukton); [taken] from history.4
"Croesus, not budging from the counterfeit reports about him, and cherishing and sheltering and protecting his ancestral kingdom."5
"So slaves are a counterfeit evil, as became apparent in [the case of] Cleopatra."6
And the Pisidian [writes]: "in all cases of two ways to do the job, one workman is deceptive, as the saying goes".2
Something is 'counterfeit' when it has a surface that seems elegant, but is badly off in its manner.3
[Derived] from "covering the obvious" (keuthein to dêlon), or from "Chian" and "abominable" [bdelukton); [taken] from history.4
"Croesus, not budging from the counterfeit reports about him, and cherishing and sheltering and protecting his ancestral kingdom."5
"So slaves are a counterfeit evil, as became apparent in [the case of] Cleopatra."6