Μηλολόνθη
cockchafer
Translated by David Whitehead10 Jul 2009Vetting: high4 revisions
Translation
A small creature, which boys use for a game; it perches on flowers. The boys attach a string to the foot, and a splinter of wood which [the insects] are not strong enough to lift, and release [them] into the air -- having the power to hunt them down again. Aristophanes [writes]: "but reel your thinking out into the air, like a cockchafer on a string".1
It also means a kind of flower.2
It also means a kind of flower.2
Greek original · Adler’s text
Μηλολόνθη· ζωΰφιον, ᾧ χρῶνται εἰς παιδιὰν οἱ παῖδες· ὃ τοῖς ἄνθεσιν ἐπικαθέζεται. οἱ δὲ παῖδες λίνον τοῦ ποδὸς ἐξαρτῶντες, καὶ ξυλίφιον ὃ οὐκ ἐξισχύουσιν ἀνακουφίσαι, εἰς τὸν ἀέρα ἀφιᾶσιν, ἔχοντες ἐξουσίαν πάλιν αὐτὰς κυνηγετῆσαι. Ἀριστοφάνης· ἀλλ' ἀποχάλα τὴν φροντίδ' εἰς τὸν ἀέρα, λινόδετον ὥσπερ μηλολόνθαν. σημαίνει δὲ καὶ εἶδος ἄνθους.
Betacode
*mhlolo/nqh: zwu/+fion, w(=| xrw=ntai ei)s paidia\n oi( pai=des: o(\ toi=s a)/nqesin e)pikaqe/zetai. oi( de\ pai=des li/non tou= podo\s e)cartw=ntes, kai\ culi/fion o(\ ou)k e)cisxu/ousin a)nakoufi/sai, ei)s to\n a)e/ra a)fia=sin, e)/xontes e)cousi/an pa/lin au)ta\s kunhgeth=sai. *)aristofa/nhs: a)ll' a)poxa/la th\n fronti/d' ei)s to\n a)e/ra, lino/deton w(/sper mhlolo/nqan. shmai/nei de\ kai\ ei)=dos a)/nqous.
Notes (2)
- 1Aristophanes, Clouds 762-3 (web address 1), with scholion; cf. epsiloniota 109. ↩
- 2Not registered in LSJ s.v.
mhlolo/nqh , but see undermhla/nqh (mu 918), where two senses are noted: cockchafer and apple-blossom. ↩
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from5 entries
- ει109Εἴλλεινto cram, to press, to squash[Meaning] to shut in, to hinder. The word [is] old. Aristophanes in Clouds [writes]: "don't always cram your thoughts up inside you." Meaning [don't] shut [them] out, [don't] delay [them]. Hence also the [word]…
- κ1935Κολεόπτερονsheath-winged, coleopteranA kind of small winged animal. [Named] from having the wings encased in its body as if in a sheath. [sc. This is true] of the so-called cockchafer and the dung-beetle.
- κ1967Κολοιόπτερα ζῷαsheath-winged animals[sc. Examples are] the dung-beetle and the cockchafer, and whatever else.
- μ918ΜηλάνθηcockchaferA kind of small creature.
- μ932Μὴ λόγους ἀντ' ἀλφίτωνnot words instead of barley[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to those who think it right to take deeds and not words.
Neighbouring entries
Revision history4 revisions · last 13 Sep 2013
- tweaked note and link — Catharine Roth
- Revised — David Whitehead
- tweaked tr, for clarity — David Whitehead
- added link and cross-reference, set status — Catharine Roth
- Translated — David Whitehead