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proverbs
73
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73 entries
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δ
648
Διὰ μαχαιρῶν καὶ πυρὸς ῥιπτεῖν χρή
it is necessary to hurl through knives and fire
[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to those who do something recklessly.
high
short
δ
674
Διάνοια Εὔριπος
a thought [like the] Euripos
[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to people people who change very easily and are unstable.
high
short
δ
748
Διασείστους
shaken
Shaken [diaseistoi, sc. dice] seem to have got their name from first being moved and shaken and then thrown, so that they would be uncorrupted rather [than corrupted].
high
gender and sexuality
gender and sexuality
6
6
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6
medicine
6
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6
meter and music
6
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6
trade and manufacture
6
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5
botany
5
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5
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5
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5
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5
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4
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4
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4
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4
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4
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4
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3
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3
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3
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3
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2
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2
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1
athletics
1
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1
constitution
1
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1
stagecraft
1
Lee Fields
Lee Fields
1
1
Nicholas Wilshere
1
Nicholas Wilshere
1
Tony Natoli
1
Tony Natoli
1
short
δ
795
Διὰ τοῦ τοίχου λαλεῖν
to talk through the wall
[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to those doing something senselessly.
high
short
δ
997
Διειρωνόξενοι
falsely-hospitable, guest-dissembling
[Meaning] those totally deceiving foreigners and lying by dissimulation and acting. [Said of] the Laconians; among whom also existed the law about expulsion of foreigners. That the Laconians were disgracefully-covetous and small-minded is shown …
high
short
δ
1031
Διθυράμβων νοῦν ἔχεις ἐλάττονα
you have less sense than dithyrambs.
[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to silly/unintelligible people.
high
short
δ
1055
Δικάζεσθαι Βίαντος τοῦ Πριηνέως κρείσσων
to litigate more powerfully than Bias of Priene
Also [sc. attested is] 'Prienian justice,' [sc. a proverbial phrase] in reference to those litigating with vigor.
high
short
δ
1076
Δικαιότερον σταχάνης
more just than a stachane
[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to those who love justice; for stachane is what the Dorians call a pair of scales, perhaps by a link with stasis. And [there is] another [version of …
high
short
δ
1091
Δίκη δίκην ἔτικτε καὶ βλάβη βλάβην
suit begat suit and hurt hurt
[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to those who are litigious and piling up lawsuits one on the other. Also, "to think of suing even if a donkey bites a dog". In reference to …
high
short
δ
1095
Δίκης δικαιότερος
(someone) more just than justice
[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference, by exaggeration, to those who are extremely just.
high
short
δ
1096
Δίκης ὀφθαλμός
eye of justice
"[...] with the result that everyone acknowledged that, as the proverb says, 'there is an eye of justice', which mere mortals [must] never despise".
high
short
δ
1115
Δίκτυον
net
And [there is] a proverb: "you are hunting the wind with a net," in reference to those doing something in vain and mindlessly. Also, "you are inflating a net," in reference to the equally …
high
short
δ
1164
λέγεται καὶ ἵππος
Diomedeian compulsion
Also found is '[Diomedeian] horse'. A proverb, [stemming] from [Diomedes [Author, Myth]] the son of Tydeus or from the Thracian [Diomedes]. The latter compelled his guests to have intercourse with his daughters and then …
high
medium
δ
1168
Διονύσια
Dionysia
A festival amongst Athenians. [There is] also a saying: "from the same [date] just about that, plus the time since the Dionysia". It was customary for Athenians to reckon the years and the excess …
high
medium
δ
1178
Διονύσιος
Dionysius, Dionysios
Tyrant of Sicily; he wrote tragedies and comedies and historical works. "Others, too, became despots, but the tyranny of Dionysius was responsible for the greatest and most extreme ill-treatment [inflicted] on any state." Concerning …
high
short
δ
1186
Δι' ὀξείας δραμεῖν
to run through sharps
[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to those taking risks. For 'sharp' is what they call the spear-point.
high
short
δ
1189
Διοπομπεῖσθαι
to escort [evil] away
[Meaning] to avert evil and to be purified from pollution. Also [sc. attested is] a)podiopompei/sqw ["let [evil] be escorted away!"].
high
short
δ
1204
Διὸς ἐγκέφαλος
Zeus' brain, Zeus' morsel
[Referring to] the finest food-item. So say the Persians in reference to those who live luxuriously; or "king's morsel."
high
short
δ
1207
Διὸς Κόρινθος
Zeus' [son] Korinthos
A proverb applying to those who keep saying the same things, it was coined for the following reason: the Megarians, subject to the Corinthians, were oppressed with their orders and clearly vexed on this …
high
medium
δ
1213
Διὸς ψῆφος
Zeus's tribunal, Zeus's vote
Thus it is called, in which Athena and Poseidon were judged. Cratinus in Archilochoi [writes]: "where they are called chairs and game-boards of great Zeus." For the place, in which they were judged, is …
high
short
δ
1227
Δίωκε ἀρετήν
pursue excellence
[Meaning] search for [it], realize [it] in your practice of life.
high
short
δ
1233
Διωλύγιον
enormous
[Meaning something] big. And [there is] a proverb: *diwlu/gion kako/n ["enormous evil"], referring to those who undertake something big and terrible. For diwlu/gion is something big and extending far. "Thus an enormous nonsense ... …
high
short
δ
1261
Διπλοῦν Κ
double K
Meaning [double] evils [kaka/]. Also [sc. attested is the phrase] diplh=n e(orth/n ["double festival"].
high
short
δ
1262
Διπλοῦν κάππα
double kappa
Meaning a double evil. Also [sc. attested is the sentiment] "three kappas [are] worst -- Kappadokia, Krete and Kilikia".
high
short
δ
1267
Δὶς ἑπτὰ πληγαῖς πολύπους πιλούμενος
an octopus pounded with twice seven blows
[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to those who deserve punishment, inasmuch as when the octopus has been caught it is beaten many times to make it tender. And [there is] another proverb: "twice …
high
medium
δ
1272
Δὶς κράμβη θάνατος
twice-cooked cabbage (is) death
[no gloss]
high
short
δ
1282
Διοίσειν
to bear through, to differ
[dioisei=n means the same as] diafe/rein. "And they gave pledges that they would willingly bear the burden of war with each other". Meaning would bear it together. "It was neither reasonable nor safe to …
high
medium
δ
1352
Δομετιανός
Domitian, Domitianus, Dometianos
Emperor of [the] Romans, brother of Titus, whose successor he became. He emulated not his father's or his brother's habit of good government, but, on the contrary, the appetite for iniquity of Tiberius and …
high
long
δ
1386
Δορκάς
gazelle, antelope
And [there is] a saying: 'I, a gazelle, will not pick a fight with a lion'. In reference to those of unequal strength.
high
short
δ
1395
Δόρυ κηρύκειον
a spear as a herald's wand
A proverb in reference to those who encourage and threaten at the same time. The Gephyraeans on whom the Athenians had imposed a tithe for Delphi received this response [from the oracle]: "to a …
high
medium
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