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- λ521Λίθον ἕψειςyou are boiling a stone… attempting to achieve something impossible; as if [to say] you are trying impossible things.
- λ604Λίσποιsmooths; half-dice… tongue', as one that has been rubbed. The Athenians, too, are called as an epithet smooths, because they are, being boatmen and sitting constantly at rowing, small-buttocked. Because, when Theseus went down to the …
- λ292Λεπτὰ ξαίνειςyou are combing wisps[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to those leading a life of penury.
- λ880Λύχνον ἐν μεσημβρίᾳ ἅπτειςyou are lighting a lamp at noon[sc. A proverbial saying] in reference to those doing something at an inappropriate time.
- λ566Λίνον λίνῳ συνάπτειςyou are joining linen with linen… in reference to those who mix similar things, or who are deceived and demand [something] back. Strattis in Rivers [sc. uses the phrase].
- λ775Λυγκέως ὀξυωπέστερον βλέπεινto see more sharp-sightedly than LynkeusThis man was a brother of Idas; but Aristophanes in Danaids [makes him] a son of Aigyptos. He was the sharpest-eyed by such a long way that he was able to see, through a …
- λ250Λέοντα ξυρᾷςyou are shaving a lionA proverb said in reference to those attempting the impossible. Interpretation of a dream: to see lions shows battles of enemies. See on a lion in the [entry] 'with hair standing on end'.
- λ658Λόγοςdiscourse; language… deriving from thought. It has 6 meanings. Expression and discourse are different; for an expression can be meaningless, like bli/turi, while discourse can in no way be meaningless. Saying, too, differs from uttering; for …
- λ302Λέρνη θεατῶνLerna of spectators, Lerne of spectators… [sc. uses the phrase]. Some [sc. say that the phrase arose] because of the Hydra, others because of the fact that the Argives carried away the sacrifice-refuse there; for it was in Lerna that …
- λ816Λύκος ἔχανενa wolf gaped… [the proverb] of those hoping to make money but failing. Aristophanes in Thesmophoriazousae 2.
- λ30Λαγὼς περὶ τῶν κρεῶνa hare [runs] for his life… Carpathian [brought in] the hare'. In reference to those who are harming themselves; for the Carpathians, who lived on an island and had no hares, introduced them; when [the hares] proliferated, they ravaged the …
- λ451Λήμνιον κακὸν βλέπωνlooking a Lemnian evil… the Lemnian women's being contemptuous of Aphrodite. Hence, big evils are called "Lemnian".
- λ178Λαίθαργοςsecretly-biting… for hire. "You wag your tail while biting, and you are a secretly-biting bitch." A proverb applying to people who, to be sure, pretend to be well disposed but are plotting in secret.
- λ860ΛυσικράτηςLysikrates, Lysicrates… used to blacken his own hair with a particular potion. Aristophanes [writes]: "you could not [be blacker] if you had boiled the potion with which Lysikrates blackens himself". And elsewhere: "will the nose of …
- λ867Λύσιοι τελεταίdeliverance rites, deliverance rituals… of Dionysos Lysios [Deliverer] -- according to Heraclides Ponticus. But Aristophanes [says that the name came about] because of the Thebans' ransoming of the grapevine from the Naxians.
- λ8Λάβραξbass… from the sea and into the marsh and thus they are abundant among Milesians.
- λ692Λουτράbaths… passing into a city which had baths, some hand-made and artificial, some bubbling up from the bosom of the earth and overflowing, with pleasure for men and usefulness and enjoyment for those who appear …
- λ325Λευκὴ στάθμηwhite measuring-line… hence potentially good for making a mark on surfaces that are not white, most commentators take it as referring to a bare line, untreated with the customary red or black powder (cf. Moeris 202.24; …
- λ283Λέπαργεwhite-coatLook in the [entry] "all these things are on you now, white-coat".
- λ815Λύκος ἀετὸν φεύγειa wolf is fleeing an eagle[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to things that are inescapable.
- λ494Λιβυκὸν θηρίονLibyan beast… that they copulate with each other and produce creatures that are degenerated and hybrid.
- λ787Λυδὸς ἐν μεσημβρίᾳ παίζειa Lydian is playing at noon… those being the times for licentious behaviour. For the Lydians are a comic target because they satisfy their genital urges with their own hands. This proverb [is] like the [one that goes] "a goatherd …
- λ294Λεπτὴν πλέκειhe is weaving a thin one… narrow, weak. Hence also [sc. comes the term] leptolo/gos ["quibbler"]. Aristophanes in Clouds [writes]: "and having relaxed your subtle mind speculate about the matters little by little". That is examine [them].
- λ859Λυσίζωνος γυνήgirdle-loosening woman… virgins about to have sex dedicated their virginal lingerie to Artemis.
- λ410Λήθαργος κύωνlazy dog, lethargic dog… With horses too, the careless and feeble and idle ones are called lazy/lethargic. There is also a particular [sc. medical] condition, with fever, [sc. called lethargy].
- λ416Λήθης πεδίονLethe's plain; plain of oblivionFrom Aristophanes, Frogs 185-6 (web address 1); see already under alpha 1998, and again under tau 655. Lethe was the river of oblivion in the underworld.
- λ295Λεπτή τις ἐλπίς ἐστ' ἐφ' ἧς ὀχούμεθαslender is the hope on which we rideAristophanes, Knights 1244 (web address 1); Apostolius 10.55.
- λ449Λήμνιον πῦρLemnian fire… comment on the proverbial phrase 'Lemnian fire' which occurs in Aristophanes, Lysistrata 299. For Lemnos cf. lambda 448 and the other cross-references there.
- λ845Λυπηρότεροι σταλαγμοῦmore vexing than a drool… (and here) but neuter singular in one of the paroemiographers (Arsenius 10.93a, with same gloss).
- λ127Λάρος κεχηνώςa gull agapeAristophanes, Knights 956, with scholion; cf. Apostolius 10.46. The allusion is to the political greed of Kleon (kappa 1731). For proverbial gulls see also lambda 128.