Ὀφλήσειν
to be about to incur a fine [at law]
Translated by Ronald Allen2 Jun 2010Vetting: high3 revisions
Translation
[Meaning] to have been condemned.1 Aristophanes in Clouds [writes]: "[sc. consider how you might dispute a judgment when] being about to incur a fine, with no witnesses present."2 A monetary fine used to be imposed on those who, having initiated a public prosecution, do not produce [sc. witnesses]. And if it was not paid in full according to what had been specified, a day past due having arrived, he would pay it off four-fold. Those not having the means to pay it off were confined in the prison. Many suffered this, including the father of the politician Aristogeiton.3
Greek original · Adler’s text
Ὀφλήσειν· καταδικασθῆναι. Ἀριστοφάνης Νεφέλαις. μέλλων ὀφλήσειν, μὴ παρόντων μαρτύρων. τοῖς γραψαμένοις καὶ μὴ ἀποδεικνύουσιν ἐπεβάλλετο χρηματικὴ ζημία. καὶ εἰ μὴ κατὰ τὸ ὡρισμένον ἐξέτισεν ὑπερήμερος γενόμενος, ἐξετίννυε τετραπλοῦν. οἱ δὲ μὴ ἔχοντες ἐκτίσαι καθείργνυντο ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ. πολλοὶ δὲ τοῦτο πεπόνθασι, καὶ ὁ τοῦ ῥήτορος Ἀριστογείτονος πατήρ.
Betacode
*)oflh/sein: katadikasqh=nai. *)aristofa/nhs *nefe/lais. me/llwn o)flh/sein, mh\ paro/ntwn martu/rwn. toi=s grayame/nois kai\ mh\ a)podeiknu/ousin e)peba/lleto xrhmatikh\ zhmi/a. kai\ ei) mh\ kata\ to\ w(risme/non e)ce/tisen u(perh/meros geno/menos, e)ceti/nnue tetraplou=n. oi( de\ mh\ e)/xontes e)kti/sai kaqei/rgnunto e)n tw=| desmwthri/w|. polloi\ de\ tou=to pepo/nqasi, kai\ o( tou= r(h/toros *)aristogei/tonos path/r.
Notes (3)
- The headword, extracted from the quotation given, is the future active infinitive of the verb
o)fliska/nw (I owe, am liable to pay, incur a fine); see generally LSJ s.v. Other forms of this verb are found at omicron 1013, omicron 1015, omicron 1018, omicron 1019, omega 279, and pi 977, with cognate substantives at omicron 1014 and omicron 1017. - 1The gloss is the aorist passive infinitive of the verb
katadika/zw , I give judgment against; see generally LSJ s.v. The mismatch of tenses is found already in the Aristophanic scholia. ↩ - 2Aristophanes, Clouds 777, where Socrates poses this legal conundrum for Strepsiades to solve (web address 1); followed here by comment from the scholia there. On the importance of live witness testimony in Athenian court proceedings of this era (and the corresponding unimportance of written documentation) see Dover, p. 195. ↩
- 3The father of Aristogeiton (Develin person no. 397) was Kydimachos, who died as a debtor in prison; cf. alpha 3912, alpha 3913, and Demosthenes 25.53-6 (web address 2). ↩
References
K.J. Dover, ed., Aristophanes Clouds, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1968
R. Develin, Athenian Officials 684-321 BC, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989
R. Develin, Athenian Officials 684-321 BC, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
- Web address 2 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from7 entries
- ο1013Ὀφλεῖνto become liable, to oweMeaning to be defeated in a jurycourt [sc. in classical Athens].
- ο1014Ὄφλημαjudgement-debt, lawsuit-fine[Meaning a particular kind of] debt.
- ο1015Ὀφλῆσαιto have incurred a fine [at law][Meaning] to have become liable for a debt.
- ο1017Ὄφλησιςpenalty[Meaning an] obligation, debt.
- ο1018Ὀφλίσκουσιthey incur a fine [at law][o)fli/skousi] and [sc. also attested is] o)/flousi: [both meaning] they are liable for a debt. Also [sc. attested is] o)fliska/nw.
- ο1019Ὄφλοιhaving incurred a fine [at law][Meaning someone] being in debt. Also [sc. attested is] o)/floi ["may he incur"]: "may he not calumniate him to the Achaeans and incur an evil consequence." "What I needed to buy a coffin, that I come away [sc. from…
- ω279ὬφλησαI came to owe[Meaning] I fell into debt.
Neighbouring entries
Revision history3 revisions · last 10 Mar 2021
- expanded note 1 — Catharine Roth
- Revised — David Whitehead
- modifications to tr; another keyword; tweaks and cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Translated — Ronald Allen