Νεῦρα μάχης
sinews of battle
Translated by Nick Nicholas7 Sep 2009Vetting: high4 revisions
Translation
Greek original · Adler’s text
Νεῦρα μάχης· ὁ πλοῦτος. Πισίδης· βλέπων μάλιστα καὶ τὰ νεῦρα τῆς μάχης, τὸν πλοῦτον ἐκρεύσαντα πρὸς τοὺς βαρβάρους.
Betacode
*neu=ra ma/xhs: o( plou=tos. *pisi/dhs: ble/pwn ma/lista kai\ ta\ neu=ra th=s ma/xhs, to\n plou=ton e)kreu/santa pro\s tou\s barba/rous.
Notes (2)
- 1The "sinews of" something was a classical metaphorical usage for the core or indispensable basis of something (LSJ s.v.
neu=ron I.2: web address 1). For the specific notion of wealth or money as the 'sinews' of war or battle, see also mu 380 (citing Pindar); Plutarch, Agis and Cleomenes 48; Appian, Civil Wars 4.99, etc. ↩ - 2George of Pisidia, Heraclias 1.163-4 Tartaglia; on Heraclius during his incursion into Persia, undeterred by the rich spoils the enemy had acquired in their earlier plunder of Roman territories; cf. Tartaglia (205, note 40). On Heraclius, see generally eta 465. ↩
References
L. Tartaglia, ed., Carmi di Giorgio di Pisidia, (Torino 1998)
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from2 entries
- μ380Μεγάνορος πλούτου[more than] lordly wealthPindar [sc. says this]. ['Lordly' meaning] strong, powerful, giving of manliness; since gold is very powerful. For it is said to be the sinews of war, as Pindar says.
- ν270Νεῦρονsinew, tendon, nerve[Meaning] that through which the body's [elements] incline [neu/ei]. Or from the [verb] ne/w ["I spin"]; for the nerves are spun through the whole body.
Neighbouring entries
Revision history4 revisions · last 12 Nov 2025
- typo n.1; expanded n.2; added bibliography, cross-reference, and keywords — Ronald Allen
- Revised — David Whitehead
- another keyword; tweaks and cosmetics — David Whitehead
- tweaked tr., augmented note, added keywords, set status — William Hutton
- Translated — Nick Nicholas