Ὄνος εἰς Κυμαίους
a donkey into Kymaians
Translated by David Whitehead10 Jan 2010Vetting: high5 revisions
Translation
[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to things that are surprising and rare. [sc. Coined/used] because among Kymaians the donkey was thought to be frightening.1
"And on these occasions all the Kymaians were [...], considering the donkey to be more frightening than an earthquake or hailstorm".2
"[Note] that the greatest customary source of dishonour for Parthians is to carry someone naked on a donkey".3
"And on these occasions all the Kymaians were [...], considering the donkey to be more frightening than an earthquake or hailstorm".2
"[Note] that the greatest customary source of dishonour for Parthians is to carry someone naked on a donkey".3
Greek original · Adler’s text
Ὄνος εἰς Κυμαίους· ἐπὶ τῶν παραδόξων καὶ σπανίων. διότι παρὰ Κυμαίοις ἐδόκει φοβερὸς εἶναι ὁ ὄνος. καὶ κατὰ τουτουσὶ τοὺς καιροὺς πάντες ἦσαν Κυμαῖοι, σεισμοῦ καὶ χαλάζης φοβερώτατα εἶναι τὸν ὄνον ἡγούμενοι. ὅτι τὸ ἐπ' ὄνου φέρειν τινὰ γυμνὸν τῶν ἀτιμιῶν ἡ μεγίστη Παρθυαίοις νενόμισται.
Betacode
*)/onos ei)s *kumai/ous: e)pi\ tw=n parado/cwn kai\ spani/wn. dio/ti para\ *kumai/ois e)do/kei fobero\s ei)=nai o( o)/nos. kai\ kata\ toutousi\ tou\s kairou\s pa/ntes h)=san *kumai=oi, seismou= kai\ xala/zhs foberw/tata ei)=nai to\n o)/non h(gou/menoi. o(/ti to\ e)p' o)/nou fe/rein tina\ gumno\n tw=n a)timiw=n h( megi/sth *parquai/ois neno/mistai.
Notes (3)
- For Kyme, see kappa 2685.
- 1The proverb does not occur in this precise form elsewhere, but cf. Arsenius 16.19a, who has 'these things for Kymaians, but for me let it be a donkey' with a broadly comparable explanation. ↩
- 2Quotation unidentifiable. (Adler suggests Aelian.) Adler prints
foberw/tata , but the sense surely requires the comparativefoberw/teron , as in the editio princeps. ↩ - 3As Gaisford (noted by Adler) realised, this is a close approximation of Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 18.356 (web address 1). ↩
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Neighbouring entries
Revision history5 revisions · last 22 Jan 2021
- tweaked translation, added a link — Catharine Roth
- tweaked and augmented notes — David Whitehead
- expanded n.2 — David Whitehead
- tweaked tr; x-ref — David Whitehead
- cosmetics, status — Catharine Roth
- Translated — David Whitehead