Πρωκτὸς λουτροῦ περιγίνῃ
the arse survives a wash
Translated by David Whitehead18 Apr 2003Vetting: high4 revisions
Translation
A proverb, [used] whenever someone is not even able to wash himself off, but the excrement is carried around with him. So it used to be said of those who were useless and acted casually.1
And Aristophanes [writes]: "I am able to make Demos broad and narrow [sc. by turns] by my dexterity" - "Even my arse is clever at this".2
And Aristophanes [writes]: "I am able to make Demos broad and narrow [sc. by turns] by my dexterity" - "Even my arse is clever at this".2
Greek original · Adler’s text
Πρωκτὸς λουτροῦ περιγίνῃ· παροιμία, ὅταν τις μὴ δύνηται κἂν ἀπονίψασθαι, ἀλλὰ ἡ κοιλία ἐπιφέρηται. ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνωφελῶν οὖν καὶ εἰκῆ πραττομένων ἐλέγετο. καὶ Ἀριστοφάνης· δύναμαι ποιεῖν τὸν δῆμον εὐρὺν καὶ στενὸν ὑπὸ δεξιότητος τῆς ἐμῆς. χὠ πρωκτὸς οὑμὸς τουτίγε σοφίζεται.
Betacode
*prwkto\s loutrou= perigi/nh|: paroimi/a, o(/tan tis mh\ du/nhtai ka)\n a)poni/yasqai, a)lla\ h( koili/a e)pife/rhtai. e)pi\ tw=n a)nwfelw=n ou)=n kai\ ei)kh= prattome/nwn e)le/geto. kai\ *)aristofa/nhs: du/namai poiei=n to\n dh=mon eu)ru\n kai\ steno\n u(po\ decio/thtos th=s e)mh=s. xw) prwkto\s ou(mo\s touti/ge sofi/zetai.
Notes (2)
- For 'arse' see already pi 2950; and cf. pi 2952
- 1cf. the scholia to Aristophanes, Wasps 604, where an approximation of the headword phrase appears (web address 1). Included by the paroemiographers: Apostolius 14.78, Appendix Proverbiorum 4.61. ↩
- 2An approximation of Aristophanes, Knights 719-721 (web address 2). ↩
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
- Web address 2 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from1 entry
Neighbouring entries
Revision history4 revisions · last 25 May 2016
- Revised — David Whitehead
- x-refs; more keywords; tweaks — David Whitehead
- adjusted tr; augmented note 1 — David Whitehead
- added links, set status — Catharine Roth
- Translated — David Whitehead