Μὰ γῆν μὰ παγίδας μὰ νεφέλας μὰ δίκτυα
by earth (and) by snares (and) by clouds (and) by nets
Translated by Catharine Roth30 Nov 2003Vetting: high4 revisions
Translation
Thus they used to swear by random things, [for example] by springs, by rivers. Aristophanes in Birds [sc. illustrates this].
Greek original · Adler’s text
Μὰ γῆν, μὰ παγίδας, μὰ νεφέλας, μὰ δίκτυα· οὕτω καὶ τὰ τυχόντα ὤμνυον, μὰ κρήνας, μὰ ποταμούς. Ἀριστοφάνης Ὄρνισι.
Betacode
*ma\ gh=n, ma\ pagi/das, ma\ nefe/las, ma\ di/ktua: ou(/tw kai\ ta\ tuxo/nta w)/mnuon, ma\ krh/nas, ma\ potamou/s. *)aristofa/nhs *)/ornisi.
Notes
- Aristophanes, Birds 194 (with scholion); the hoopoe is employing some avian swear-words. See text at web address 1.
cf. nu 98; and forma/ , cf. mu 1 and mu 31.
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from5 entries
- μ1ΜάbyHomer uses this as having the status of a syllable. Sometimes however he uses nai/ instead of ma/, as in "yea by this scepter," when [someone] swears. But when [someone] makes a denial on oath, he adds the [particle] of…
- μ31Μὰ Δίαby ZeusNot saying [this] in the sense of ma\ to\n *di/a, as some suppose: but they used to use it instead of ma\ *di/a, just as [they used] nh\ *di/a in the sense of nai/ ["yes"]. Therefore they say both nai\ *di/a and nai\…
- ν348Νὴ τήνby the ...[nh\ th/n means the same as] ma\ th/n. [The expression is] elliptical, like ma\ to/n and ma\ ta/s.
- ν349Νὴ τὴν ἱερὰν κεφαλήνby the sacred headThe [particle] nh/ is an adverb used to swear affirmatively, that is to confirm with an oath, just as ma/ is used to swear negatively, to deny on oath.
- ν350Νὴ τὸνby the ...[nh\ to\n] and nai\ ma\ to/n: these [are expressions used in] affirmative oaths; but ma\ to\n *dia [and] ou) ma\ to/n [are used in] negative oaths. So [it is] the extreme of incorrectness to say, ma\ to\n *di/a poi/hson…
Neighbouring entries
Revision history4 revisions · last 25 Apr 2013
- upgraded link — Catharine Roth
- another x-ref and keyword; tweaking — David Whitehead
- augmented note — Catharine Roth
- cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Translated — Catharine Roth