Μὴ κίνει Καμάριναν
do not move Kamarina
Translated by David Whitehead8 Jul 2001Vetting: high5 revisions
Translation
They say that a lake lies near the city of Kamarina,1 sharing its name. When the men of Kamarina wanted to drain it, the god2 commanded them: "do not move Kamarina". They, however, disobeyed the god and suffered harm. This gave rise to the proverb, in reference to those on the verge of doing something harmful to themselves. Some, though, say that there is an evil-smelling plant [called] the kamare, branches of which, when shaken, smell rather unpleasant.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Μὴ κίνει Καμάριναν· λίμνην φησὶ τῇ Καμαρίνῃ πόλει παρακειμένην, ὁμώνυμον αὐτῇ, ἣν βουλομένοις τοῖς Καμαριναίοις μετοχετεῦσαι ἔχρησεν ὁ θεός· μὴ κίνει Καμάριναν. οἱ δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ παρακούσαντες ἐβλάβησαν. ὅθεν ἡ παροιμία εἴρηται ἐπὶ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτῶν βλαβερῶς τι ποιεῖν μελλόντων. τινὲς δέ φασι φυτὸν δυσῶδες εἶναι τὴν καμάρην, οὗ τοὺς κλάδους διασειομένους ἀηδέστερον ὄζειν.
Betacode
*mh\ ki/nei *kama/rinan: li/mnhn fhsi\ th=| *kamari/nh| po/lei parakeime/nhn, o(mw/numon au)th=|, h(\n boulome/nois toi=s *kamarinai/ois metoxeteu=sai e)/xrhsen o( qeo/s: mh\ ki/nei *kama/rinan. oi( de\ tou= qeou= parakou/santes e)bla/bhsan. o(/qen h( paroimi/a ei)/rhtai e)pi\ tw=n kaq' e(autw=n blaberw=s ti poiei=n mello/ntwn. tine\s de/ fasi futo\n dusw=des ei)=nai th\n kama/rhn, ou(= tou\s kla/dous diaseiome/nous a)hde/steron o)/zein.
Notes (2)
References
J. Fontenrose, The Delphic Oracle: its responses and operations with a catalogue of responses (Berkeley & Los Angeles 1978)
Neighbouring entries
Revision history5 revisions · last 28 Aug 2020
- cosmetics — Catharine Roth
- Revised — David Whitehead
- x-refs; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- another keyword; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- cosmetics, modified translation, added keyword, set status — William Hutton
- Translated — David Whitehead