Ὄνος ἄγων μυστήρια
a donkey celebrating the Mysteries
Translated by David Whitehead21 Jul 2006Vetting: high4 revisions
Translation
[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to those doing something undeservedly.
For at the Mysteries the necessary items used to be conveyed out of town to Eleusis on donkeys. Hence the proverb, [used] because the donkeys bearing their burdens had an especially bad time of it. So since [Xanthias] would be experiencing the same things as [a donkey] suffering from the laden weight, Aristophanes adduces the proverb.
For at the Mysteries the necessary items used to be conveyed out of town to Eleusis on donkeys. Hence the proverb, [used] because the donkeys bearing their burdens had an especially bad time of it. So since [Xanthias] would be experiencing the same things as [a donkey] suffering from the laden weight, Aristophanes adduces the proverb.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Ὄνος ἄγων μυστήρια· ἐπὶ τῶν παρ' ἀξίαν τι πραττόντων. τοῖς γὰρ μυστηρίοις ἐξ ἄστεος εἰς Ἐλευσῖνα διὰ τῶν ὄνων ἔφερον τὰ εἰς τὴν χρείαν. ὅθεν ἡ παροιμία, διὰ τὸ κακοπαθεῖν μάλιστα τοὺς ὄνους ἀχθοφοροῦντας. ὡς ἂν οὖν ὅμοια πάσχων τῷ πιεζεῖσθαι τῷ ἐπικειμένῳ ἄχθει, τὴν παροιμίαν μίγνυσιν Ἀριστοφάνης.
Betacode
*)/onos a)/gwn musth/ria: e)pi\ tw=n par' a)ci/an ti pratto/ntwn. toi=s ga\r musthri/ois e)c a)/steos ei)s *)eleusi=na dia\ tw=n o)/nwn e)/feron ta\ ei)s th\n xrei/an. o(/qen h( paroimi/a, dia\ to\ kakopaqei=n ma/lista tou\s o)/nous a)xqoforou=ntas. w(s a)\n ou)=n o(/moia pa/sxwn tw=| piezei=sqai tw=| e)pikeime/nw| a)/xqei, th\n paroimi/an mi/gnusin *)aristofa/nhs.
Notes
- Again omicron 383. The present material stems from the scholia to Aristophanes, Frogs 159 (web address 1).
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Neighbouring entries
Revision history4 revisions · last 4 Jul 2013
- upgraded link — Catharine Roth
- Revised — David Whitehead
- cosmetics — David Whitehead
- added link, set status — Catharine Roth
- Translated — David Whitehead