Νίκη Ἀθηνᾶ
Nike Athena, Athena Nike
Translated by William Hutton9 Feb 2001Vetting: high4 revisions
Translation
Lycurgus in the [speech] On the priestess [sc. mentions her].1 That the xoanon of Nike, wingless, holding a pomegranate in her right hand and a helmet in her left, was worshipped by the Athenians Heliodoros the Periegete has shown in the first book of his On the Acropolis.2
Alternatively [she stands] allegorically for the notion that even winning is completely dependent on thought; for thought contributes to victory, but being thoughtless and impetuous while fighting leads to defeat.3 When she has wings she symbolizes that aspect of the mind that is sharp and, so to speak, swift-winged; but when she is depicted without wings she represents that aspect of it that is peaceful and quiet and civil, that by which the things of the earth flourish, a boon of which the pomegranate in her right hand is a representation. Just as the helmet in her left [is a representation] of battle. Thus she has the same capability as Athena, having power over opposites.
Alternatively [she stands] allegorically for the notion that even winning is completely dependent on thought; for thought contributes to victory, but being thoughtless and impetuous while fighting leads to defeat.3 When she has wings she symbolizes that aspect of the mind that is sharp and, so to speak, swift-winged; but when she is depicted without wings she represents that aspect of it that is peaceful and quiet and civil, that by which the things of the earth flourish, a boon of which the pomegranate in her right hand is a representation. Just as the helmet in her left [is a representation] of battle. Thus she has the same capability as Athena, having power over opposites.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Νίκη Ἀθηνᾶ· Λυκοῦργος ἐν τῷ Περὶ τῆς ἱερείας. ὅτι δὲ Νίκης Ἀθηνᾶς ξόανον ἄπτερον ἔχον ἐν μὲν τῇ δεξιᾷ ῥοιάν, ἐν δὲ τῇ εὐωνύμῳ κράνος, ἐτιμᾶτο παρ' Ἀθηναίοις, δεδήλωκεν Ἡλιόδωρος ὁ περιηγητὴς ἐν πρώτῳ περὶ Ἀκροπόλεως. ᾗ ἀλληγορουμένῃ εἰς φρόνησιν ἐπακολουθεῖ πάντως καὶ τὸ νικᾶν· φρόνησις μὲν γὰρ νικητικόν, ἀφρόνως δὲ μάχεσθαι καὶ προπετῶς σφαλερόν. αὕτη πτερὰ μὲν ἔχουσα τὸ κατὰ νοῦν δηλοῖ ὀξὺ καὶ ὡς εἰπεῖν ὠκύπτερον· ἄπτερος δὲ γραφομένη τὸ κατὰ εἰρήνην ἡσύχιον ἐμφαίνει καὶ πολιτευτικόν, καθ' ὃ τέθηλε τὰ περὶ γῆν, οὗ δὴ ἀγαθοῦ ἔμφασις ἡ κατὰ τὴν δεξίαν ῥοιά, ὥσπερ μάχης τὸ ἐν τῇ ἀριστερᾷ κράνος, ἵνα οὕτω δύναμις εἴη καὶ ἡ Ἀθηνᾶ ὡς τἀναντία ἰσχύουσα.
Betacode
*ni/kh *)aqhna=: *lukou=rgos e)n tw=| *peri\ th=s i(erei/as. o(/ti de\ *ni/khs *)aqhna=s co/anon a)/pteron e)/xon e)n me\n th=| decia=| r(oia/n, e)n de\ th=| eu)wnu/mw| kra/nos, e)tima=to par' *)aqhnai/ois, dedh/lwken *(hlio/dwros o( perihghth\s e)n prw/tw| peri\ *)akropo/lews. h(=| a)llhgoroume/nh| ei)s fro/nhsin e)pakolouqei= pa/ntws kai\ to\ nika=n: fro/nhsis me\n ga\r nikhtiko/n, a)fro/nws de\ ma/xesqai kai\ propetw=s sfalero/n. au(/th ptera\ me\n e)/xousa to\ kata\ nou=n dhloi= o)cu\ kai\ w(s ei)pei=n w)ku/pteron: a)/pteros de\ grafome/nh to\ kata\ ei)rh/nhn h(su/xion e)mfai/nei kai\ politeutiko/n, kaq' o(\ te/qhle ta\ peri\ gh=n, ou(= dh\ a)gaqou= e)/mfasis h( kata\ th\n deci/an r(oia/, w(/sper ma/xhs to\ e)n th=| a)ristera=| kra/nos, i(/na ou(/tw du/namis ei)/h kai\ h( *)aqhna= w(s ta)nanti/a i)sxu/ousa.
Notes (3)
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Revision history4 revisions · last 19 May 2016
- coding — David Whitehead
- augmented notes and keywords; tweaks and cosmetics — David Whitehead
- added keywords — David Whitehead
- modified translation; added notes; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Translated — William Hutton