Τὸ βασιλικὸν βοΐδιον

the royal calf

Translated by David Whitehead27 Apr 2003Vetting: high5 revisions

1 note · 41 words
Under [king] Ptolemy1 a cow gave birth to six calves. In accordance with a favourable oracle which had foreseen what would happen, Ptolemy ordered [them] to be reared with every care in the royal [precincts]; hence [sc. each] was called 'royal'.

Greek original · Adler’s text

Τὸ βασιλικὸν βοΐδιον· ἐπὶ Πτολεμαίου βοῦς ἀπέτεκεν ἓξ βοΐδια. πρὸς οἰωνοῦ δὲ ἀγαθοῦ τὸ συμβησόμενον λαβὼν ὁ Πτολεμαῖος προσέταξεν ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις τρέφεσθαι μετὰ πάσης ἐπιμελείας· διὸ βασιλικὸν ἐκλήθη.

Betacode
*to\ basiliko\n boi/+dion: e)pi\ *ptolemai/ou bou=s a)pe/teken e(\c boi/+dia. pro\s oi)wnou= de\ a)gaqou= to\ sumbhso/menon labw\n o( *ptolemai=os prose/tacen e)n toi=s basilei/ois tre/fesqai meta\ pa/shs e)pimelei/as: dio\ basiliko\n e)klh/qh.

Notes (1)

  1. cf. Apostolius 17.2, where this proverbial phrase is said to be applied to those receiving particular care or to the generally fortunate.
    cf. generally tau 723.
  2. 1Of Egypt; but it is not clear which member of the dynasty is meant. ↩

Linked from1 entry

Neighbouring entries

τ722Τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς Παλλαινίδοςthe thing from [Athena] Pallainisτ723Τὸ ἀρνίον σοι λελάληκενthe little lamb has spoken to youτ724Τὸ βασιλικὸν βοΐδιονthe royal calfτ725Τὸ γὰρ ἐσλεύσσεινfor to look uponτ726Τὸ γὰρ τὴν φροντίδα ἔξω τῶν κακῶν οἰκεῖν γλυκύfor it is sweet for our thought to live outside of evils
Revision history5 revisions · last 8 Sep 2022
  1. tweaked translation — Catharine Roth
  2. Revised — David Whitehead
  3. x-ref — David Whitehead
  4. augmented notes and keywords — David Whitehead
  5. set status — Catharine Roth
  6. Translated — David Whitehead

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