Ὄνος τὰ ὦτα κινῶν
a donkey moving its ears
Translated by David Whitehead14 Jan 2010Vetting: high6 revisions
Translation
[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to those who are insensible twice over. For the creature is lazy; and moving the ears is tantamount to pretending to have heard something before being told it; which is [a mark] of insensibility. For how could it happen to someone to know everything even before it had been told to him, even if he had big ears like a donkey?
Greek original · Adler’s text
Ὄνος τὰ ὦτα κινῶν· ἐπὶ τῶν ἀναισθήτων κατὰ ἀμφότερα. τό τε γὰρ ζῷόν ἐστι νωχελές· τὸ δὲ τὰ ὦτα κινεῖν, οἱονεὶ πρὸ τοῦ λαλῆσαί τινα πάνυ τοῦτο ἀκηκοέναι προσποιεῖσθαι· ὅπερ ἐστιν ἀναισθησίας. πῶς γὰρ ἂν γένοιτο τινι πάντα ἐγνωκέναι καὶ πρὸ τοῦ λαληθῆναι αὐτῷ, κἂν ὦτα μεγάλα ἔχῃ καθάπερ ὄνος.
Betacode
*)/onos ta\ w)=ta kinw=n: e)pi\ tw=n a)naisqh/twn kata\ a)mfo/tera. to/ te ga\r zw=|o/n e)sti nwxele/s: to\ de\ ta\ w)=ta kinei=n, oi(onei\ pro\ tou= lalh=sai/ tina pa/nu tou=to a)khkoe/nai prospoiei=sqai: o(/per e)stin a)naisqhsi/as. pw=s ga\r a)\n ge/noito tini pa/nta e)gnwke/nai kai\ pro\ tou= lalhqh=nai au)tw=|, ka)\n w)=ta mega/la e)/xh| kaqa/per o)/nos.
Notes
Neighbouring entries
Revision history6 revisions · last 22 Jan 2021
- cosmeticule — Catharine Roth
- Revised — David Whitehead
- Revised — David Whitehead
- Revised — David Whitehead
- expanded note — David Whitehead
- expanded note, set status — Catharine Roth
- Translated — David Whitehead