Οὐδὲν δὲ οἷον ἔστ' ἀκοῦσαι τῶν ἐπῶν
there is nothing like hearing the verses
Translated by David Whitehead28 May 2010Vetting: high3 revisions
Translation
That is, there is nothing now preventing us listening to the oracles. This is how they used to refer to something advantageous. 'Nothing like' [means] nothing preventing.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Οὐδὲν δὲ οἷον ἔστ' ἀκοῦσαι τῶν ἐπῶν· τουτέστιν οὐδὲν κωλύον ἐστὶ καὶ νῦν ἀκοῦσαι τῶν χρησμῶν. οὕτως ἔλεγον τὸ λυσιτελοῦν. οὐδὲν οἷον, οὐδὲν κωλύον.
Betacode
*ou)de\n de\ oi(=on e)/st' a)kou=sai tw=n e)pw=n: toute/stin ou)de\n kwlu/on e)sti\ kai\ nu=n a)kou=sai tw=n xrhsmw=n. ou(/tws e)/legon to\ lusitelou=n. ou)de\n oi(=on, ou)de\n kwlu/on.
Notes
- Aristophanes, Birds 966 (with
ei)sakou=sai for the Suda'se)st' a)kou=sai : web address 1), with scholion.
cf. already omicron 784, with other classical instances of this rare idiom -- misunderstood, as Dunbar 543 notes, by the ancient commentators.
References
N. Dunbar (ed.). Aristophanes: Birds (OUP 1995)
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from1 entry
Neighbouring entries
ο784Οὐδὲν γὰρ οἷον ἀκούειν αὐτοῦ τοῦ νόμουfor there is nothing like hearing the law itselfο785Οὐδ' ἐν δέρματιnot even in a skinο786Οὐδὲν δὲ οἷον ἔστ' ἀκοῦσαι τῶν ἐπῶνthere is nothing like hearing the versesο787Οὐδὲν ἔλαττονnot lessο788Οὐδὲν ἐξ ἀγροῦ λέγειςyou are saying nothing out of the countryside
Revision history3 revisions · last 31 Jul 2013
- Revised — David Whitehead
- expanded and tweaked note — David Whitehead
- added link, set status — Catharine Roth
- Translated — David Whitehead