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proverbs
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δ
795
Διὰ τοῦ τοίχου λαλεῖν
to talk through the wall
[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference
to
those doing something senselessly.
Matched in translation
high
short
η
62
Ἡ γλῶττα τῷ κήρυκι τούτων τέμνεται
the tongue of these is cut for the herald
That is the
tongue
of the [victims] being sacrificed is given
to
Hermes. But Callistratus says that the
tongues
of the victims are set aside for the [sc. human] heralds.
Matched in translation
high
short
κ
2310
Κωφότερος τοῦ Τορωνέος λιμένος
deafer than Torone's harbour
At
Torone
in Thrace there is a certain harbour called 'deaf'. The proverb is used because at
Torone
in Thrace the harbour's approaches from the open sea are narrow and long, such that those …
botany
botany
74
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68
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68
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14
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14
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12
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12
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5
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26
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22
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22
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8
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Matched in translation
high
short
ε
2807
Ἐποποῖ
epopoi (in hoopoe-ese)
… must be uttered by the human voice with a rising
tone
on the last syllables, so that a bird's cry is imitated. "tio, tio, tio, tio, tio, tio, tio, tio." It is necessary
to
…
Matched in translation
high
long
ε
4009
Ἐχῖνος τὸν τόκον ἀναβάλλῃ
a hedgehog would postpone childbirth
[sc. This proverbial phrase] is said in reference
to
things which, if postponed, become worse. For terrestrial hedgehogs seem, when being poked on,
to
hold back childbirth, then later [sc. when troubled] by harsher …
Matched in translation
high
medium
ε
2120
Ἐπειδὴ τὸν οἶνον ἠξίους πιεῖν
since you saw fit to drink the wine you should drink the dregs too
… [Wealth] 1084-5 (web address 1). The original begins e)peidh\ kai\
to\n
oi)=non, and the first word of the main clause was originally sunekpote/' (for sunekpote/a). The Suda's sunekpot' works well metrically (sunekpote/' e)sti/ requires …
Matched in notes
high
short
ε
3790
Εὐφεγγίασ>20 ἀπὸ τῶν δύο τοίχων εὐφεγγίας ποιούντων
illuminations
[...] from those creating illuminations on two walls.
Matched in headword
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!"].
Matched in translation
high
short
α
2383
Ἀνεῖναι
to toss, to let go (up), to roll (dice)
[Meaning]
to
let loose/let go. Also [sc. attested is the phrase]
to
roll a die, meaning
to
throw up a die.
Matched in translation
high
short
α
425
Ἀδάμ
Adam
… and unadulterated state. For rays of a certain sort, so
to
speak, flashed from the soul of that man, rays teeming with divine thoughts and energies, and they coursed through all nature, accurately and …
Matched in translation
high
long
κ
497
Καταγηρᾶσαι Τιθωνοῦ βαθύτερον καὶ τοῦ Κινύρου πλουσιώτερον καὶ Σαρδαναπάλου τρυφερώτερον ὅπως τὸ τῆς παροιμίας ἐπὶ σοὶ πληρωθῇ δὶς παῖδες οἱ γέροντες
to grow old deeper than Tithonus and richer than Kinyras and daintier than Sardanapalus so that in your case the proverb would be fulfilled: the old are children again
Something said in reference
to
the long-lived. When Tithonus became very old he was turned by prayer into a cicada; Kinyras, a descendant of Pharnake and king of Cyprus, was exceptionally rich; and Sardanapalus, …
Matched in translation
high
short
κ
1209
Καὶ τὸ τοῦ λύκου
even that of the wolf
… where the headword phrase occurs (web address 1): Socrates refers
to
a proverb di/kaion ei)=nai kai\
to\
tou=
lu/kou ei)pei=n ("it is just
to
voice even the [defense] of the wolf.")
Matched in notes
high
short
α
726
Ἀθηνᾷ τὸν αἴλουρον
(to compare) the cat to Athena
The proverb is applied
to
those badly equating major things with minor on account of a small similarity; as if someone were
to
compare the cat
to
Athena because of the greyness [sc. of …
Matched in translation
high
short
γ
430
Γραῦς ὥς τις ἵππος τὸν χαραδραῖον τάφον ἕξεις
you will have a tomb in a ravine like some old mare
[sc. A proverb] in reference
to
those deservedly suffering the most extreme things; in as much as aged horses are hurled and thrown into ravines.
Matched in translation
high
short
δ
1581
Δύο τοίχους ἀλείφεις
you are oiling two walls
[sc. This proverbial phrase] is said in reference
to
those hedging their bets and taking a middle course in battles or friendships. The saying perhaps comes from those creating illuminations on two walls.
Matched in translation
high
short
ε
3348
Ἐοίκασι τοῖς ἐκ Πύλου ληφθεῖσι τοῖς Λακωνικοῖς
they look like those taken out of Pylos -- the Lakonians
A saying in reference
to
those who are looking pale and wasted. Pylos [is] a place in Lakonike, where Kleon served as general and
took
the prisoners from Sphakteria. So it is likely that …
Matched in translation
high
medium
κ
183
Κακύνειν τὸν πηλόν
to spoil the dregs
That is,
to
do outrage
to
the man worthy of outrage.
Matched in translation
high
short
α
2901
Ἅπαντα γάρ τοι βρωτὰ πολιορκουμένοις
for all things are food to the besieged
The saying [is] in reference
to
necessity. For the besieged often grasp even at things they should not.
Matched in translation
high
short
α
518
Ἄδων τὴν σπιθαμὴν τοῦ βίου πρὸς ἄνηθον
singing of the span of life to a dill-plant
In reference
to
parsimonious and mean-spirited men.
Matched in translation
high
short
δ
1055
Δικάζεσθαι Βίαντος τοῦ Πριηνέως κρείσσων
to litigate more powerfully than Bias of Priene
… attested is] 'Prienian justice,' [sc. a proverbial phrase] in reference
to
those litigating with vigor.
Matched in translation
high
short
ε
1684
Ἐξέχειν τὸν ἥλιον
the sun to shine out
[Meaning]
to
have appeared. "Shine out, dear sun". A proverbial verse-fragment spoken by children, whenever it is cold and cloudy. Aristophanes in Islands [writes]: "so you will say, just like the children, 'shine out, …
Matched in translation
high
short
ει
300
Εἰς οὐρανὸν τοξεύειν
to shoot arrows into heaven
[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference
to
those stubbornly doing something useless.
Matched in translation
high
short
α
3450
Ἀπονέμου τῆς ἁμάξης τῶν δὲ ὄνων οὐδὲν μέλει
help yourself to the wagon but don't worry about the donkeys
A proverb concerning those who take care of their own things but neglect those of others; for instance, those who have a wagon of their own, but rent donkeys, and neglect them.
Matched in headword
high
short
ε
695
Ἐκκυβεύειν
to gamble (everything) on dice
[Meaning]
to
throw oneself into danger. "Thinking it, as the poet says, a ruse, he decided in no way
to
gamble (everything) on dice or
to
take a risk with his forces; he stayed …
Matched in translation
high
short
χ
192
Χελώνης κρέα φαγεῖν
to eat the flesh of a tortoise
See under 'either one should eat the flesh of a
tortoise
[or not eat it]'.
Matched in translation
high
short
α
1392
Ἀλώπηξ τὸν βοῦν ἐλαύνει
a fox drives the ox
The proverb is applied
to
things which do not happen in accordance with reason. "When associating with a fox, expect foxiness."
Matched in translation
high
short
α
2310
Ἀνέρριπτον
I was tossing in the air, they were tossing in the air
… been put at risk. "So speak, as I have been
tossed
by you, your final throw of the die."
Matched in translation
high
short
α
4525
Αὐτός τι νῦν δρῶν εἶτα τοὺς θεοὺς κάλει
do something now (and) then call upon the gods
… idle [relying] on expectations of the gods. It is applied
to
women, and especially those that should be working.
Matched in translation
high
short
α
1173
Ἀληθέστερα τῶν ἐπὶ Σάγρᾳ
truer things than those at Sagra
A proverb in reference
to
things that are true, but are not believed. For Sagra [is] a place in Lokris. Menander in Anatithemene mentions the proverb. They say that the Epizephyrian Lokrians were at …
Matched in translation
high
medium
λ
30
Λαγὼς περὶ τῶν κρεῶν
a hare [runs] for his life
… man from Rhegium was called a hare; for they used
to
satirize the people of Rhegium for cowardice. There is a proverb: 'the hare runs
[to
save] his life'. In reference
to
those taking …
Matched in translation
high
medium
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