Μειαγωγήσουσι τὴν τραγῳδίαν
they will lamb-bring the tragedy; they will weigh the tragedy
Translated by David Whitehead5 Jul 2009Vetting: high3 revisions
Translation
If anyone introduced his son, having come of age, to his phratry-members, a sacrificial victim was presented in a weight prescribed as the one that had to be met, and bringing less was not permitted. When the victim was put on the scales, they would gather round and cry meion, meion. This evidently [meant] 'it is less'. So [Aristophanes] is saying 'they will lamb-bring/weigh the tragedy' in the light of this. They will bring it forwards to the scales and weigh it. And the man introducing the animal used to be called meiagwgo/s victim.1 It had to weigh less than a particular weight, because of the glory-seekers.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Μειαγωγήσουσι τὴν τραγῳδίαν· ἐάν τις εἰσήγαγεν εἰς τοὺς φράτορας υἱὸν ἐνήλικα γενόμενον, ἱερεῖον παρίστατο αὐτῷ ἐν ὡρισμένῳ σταθμῷ, πρὸς ὃ ἔδει προσάγειν, καὶ οὐκ ἐξῆν μεῖον παρασχεῖν. ὅτε δὲ ἐντεθείη τὸ ἱερεῖον εἰς τὸν ζυγόν, περιεστῶτες ἐβόων μεῖον, μεῖον. τοῦτο δηλονότι ἔλασσόν ἐστι. παρὰ τοῦτο οὖν λέγει, μειαγωγήσουσι τὴν τραγῳδίαν. πρὸς τὸν ζυγὸν προσάξουσι καὶ στήσουσι. καὶ ὁ τὸ πρόβατον εἰσάγων, μειαγωγὸς ἐκαλεῖτο κουρεῖον. ἔδει δὲ αὐτὸ ἔλαττον ἴσχειν σταθμοῦ τινος, διὰ τοὺς φιλοδοξοῦντας.
Betacode
*meiagwgh/sousi th\n tragw|di/an: e)a/n tis ei)sh/gagen ei)s tou\s fra/toras ui(o\n e)nh/lika geno/menon, i(erei=on pari/stato au)tw=| e)n w(risme/nw| staqmw=|, pro\s o(\ e)/dei prosa/gein, kai\ ou)k e)ch=n mei=on parasxei=n. o(/te de\ e)nteqei/h to\ i(erei=on ei)s to\n zugo/n, periestw=tes e)bo/wn mei=on, mei=on. tou=to dhlono/ti e)/lasso/n e)sti. para\ tou=to ou)=n le/gei, meiagwgh/sousi th\n tragw|di/an. pro\s to\n zugo\n prosa/cousi kai\ sth/sousi. kai\ o( to\ pro/baton ei)sa/gwn, meiagwgo\s e)kalei=to kourei=on. e)/dei de\ au)to\ e)/latton i)/sxein staqmou= tinos, dia\ tou\s filodocou=ntas.
Notes (1)
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from3 entries
- μ827Μειαγωγεῖνto lamb-bring[Meaning] to furnish less. Also [sc. attested is the related neuter noun] meiagwgei=on.
- μ829Μειαγωγίαlamb-bringingAlso [sc. attested is] 'lamb-bringer', [meaning] he who is bringing [it] in. Apollodoros in his [volumes] On gods [writes] that "phratry-members, wishing to be allotted bigger portions, used to stand and shout that it…
- μ851Μεῖονlamb, meion[A term for] the victim sacrificed on behalf of boys being enrolled amongst their phratry-members, not exhibited [as] greater than a certain weight; even if it were greater, the phratry-members would cry 'meion' at it;…
Neighbouring entries
Revision history3 revisions · last 20 May 2013
- Revised — David Whitehead
- more x-refs — David Whitehead
- added link, set status — Catharine Roth
- Translated — David Whitehead