Πρῶτα στοιχεῖα
first letters, first principles
Translated by David Whitehead24 Feb 2010Vetting: high3 revisions
Translation
[Meaning] the alphabet. "And, really, bad ones badly." He is speaking about letters, [saying] that because of low birth [he has not learned] even these well.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Πρῶτα στοιχεῖα· ὁ ἀλφάβητος. καὶ ταῦτα μέντοι κακὰ κακῶς. περὶ γραμμάτων φησὶν, ὅτι οὐδὲ αὐτὰ καλῶς διὰ δυσγένειαν.
Betacode
*prw=ta stoixei=a: o( a)lfa/bhtos. kai\ tau=ta me/ntoi kaka\ kakw=s. peri\ gramma/twn fhsi\n, o(/ti ou)de\ au)ta\ kalw=s dia\ dusge/neian.
Notes
- Aristophanes, Knights 189: the sausage-seller admits his lack of education (web address 1). The gloss -- except for 'the alphabet' -- is from the scholia there, as is the entry's (neuter plural) headword phrase.
cf. generally sigma 1240.
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Neighbouring entries
Revision history3 revisions · last 22 Oct 2013
- Revised — David Whitehead
- expanded note; another keyword — David Whitehead
- added link, set status — Catharine Roth
- Translated — David Whitehead