Τενέδιος ἄνθρωπος
Tenedian fellow
Translated by David Whitehead16 Dec 2002Vetting: high6 revisions
Translation
[The story goes that] Kyknos the son of Poseidon made a second marriage after the birth of his children Hemithea and Tennes[sic]; and Tennes was accused by his stepmother1 of trying to seduce her. She persuaded Kyknos to throw the young man into a chest; and after Hemithea had opted to share her brother's hazard he hurled them both into the sea. The chest was carried to a place which was formerly called Leukophrys but subsequently, after him, Tenedos. [Tennes was the man] who became king of the island and laid down in its laws that the public slave should stand with a raised axe behind those who were making false accusations, where he could immediately execute those convicted. And from the frightening aspect of this man came the phrase 'Tenedian fellow'. So the proverb is applied to those who have a frightening appearance.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Τενέδιος ἄνθρωπος· Κύκνον τὸν Ποσειδῶνος γενόμενον πατέρα Ἡμιθέας καὶ Τέννου ἐπιγῆμαι τούτοις· καὶ κατηγορηθῆναι τὸν Τέννην ὑπὸ τῆς μητρυιᾶς, ὡς πειρῶντα αὐτήν. πεισθέντα δὲ Κύκνον εἰς λάρνακα βαλεῖν τὸν νεανίαν. ἑλομένης δὲ τῆς Ἡμιθέας συγκινδυνεύειν τῷ ἀδελφῷ, ἑκατέρους κατεπόντωσεν. ἡ δὲ λάρναξ ἠνέχθη ἐπὶ τὴν πρότερον καλουμένην Λεύκοφρυν, ὕστερον δὲ Τένεδον ἀπ' ἐκείνου. ὃς καὶ βασιλεύσας τῆς νήσου ἐνομοθέτησε τοῖς τὰ ψευδῆ κατηγοροῦσιν ὄπισθεν παρεστάναι τὸν δήμιον πέλεκυν ἐπῃρμένον, ὡς ἐλεγχθέντας παραχρῆμα ἀναιρεῖσθαι. ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ φοβεροῦ θεάματος ἐκείνου λέγεσθαι Τενέδιος ἄνθρωπος. εἴρηται οὖν ἡ παροιμία ἐπὶ τῶν φοβερῶν τὰς ὄψεις.
Betacode
*tene/dios a)/nqrwpos: *ku/knon to\n *poseidw=nos geno/menon pate/ra *(hmiqe/as kai\ *te/nnou e)pigh=mai tou/tois: kai\ kathgorhqh=nai to\n *te/nnhn u(po\ th=s mhtruia=s, w(s peirw=nta au)th/n. peisqe/nta de\ *ku/knon ei)s la/rnaka balei=n to\n neani/an. e(lome/nhs de\ th=s *(hmiqe/as sugkinduneu/ein tw=| a)delfw=|, e(kate/rous katepo/ntwsen. h( de\ la/rnac h)ne/xqh e)pi\ th\n pro/teron kaloume/nhn *leu/kofrun, u(/steron de\ *te/nedon a)p' e)kei/nou. o(\s kai\ basileu/sas th=s nh/sou e)nomoqe/thse toi=s ta\ yeudh= kathgorou=sin o)/pisqen paresta/nai to\n dh/mion pe/lekun e)ph|rme/non, w(s e)legxqe/ntas paraxrh=ma a)nairei=sqai. a)po\ de\ tou= foberou= qea/matos e)kei/nou le/gesqai *tene/dios a)/nqrwpos. ei)/rhtai ou)=n h( paroimi/a e)pi\ tw=n foberw=n ta\s o)/yeis.
Notes (1)
Linked from2 entries
- τ309Τενέδιος ἄνθρωποςTenedian fellow[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to those with frightening appearances; for when Tenes laid down laws in Tenedos he stipulated that a man with an axe should stand behind the judge and strike the man being…
- τ311Τενέδιος ξυνήγοροςTenedian advocateMeaning a harsh one; for Tenedians honor two axes in their dedications. However, Aristotle [says] that a Tenedian king used to try lawsuits with an axe, so that he could execute wrongdoers on the spot. Or because [there…
Neighbouring entries
Revision history6 revisions · last 29 Jan 2016
- deleted link — Catharine Roth
- Revised — David Whitehead
- Revised — David Whitehead
- augmented notes — David Whitehead
- another keyword — David Whitehead
- added link, set status — Catharine Roth
- Translated — David Whitehead