Τραγικὸς πίθηκος
tragic ape, ape of tragedy
Translated by David Whitehead8 Nov 2001Vetting: high4 revisions
Translation
A proverb. In reference to those who brag with no justification. Demosthenes directs this, amongst other things, at Aeschines, claiming that he was an actor with the poets of tragedies, and going as far as to call him an ape.1 Either [sc. this is] because he was short in stature when he came onto the stage; or, because the ape is an imitative creature, his jibe against Aeschines was that he was mimicking men who enacted tragedy.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Τραγικὸς πίθηκος· παροιμία. ἐπὶ τῶν παρ' ἀξίαν σεμνυνομένων. Δημοσθένης καὶ ἄλλα πολλὰ εἰπὼν εἰς τὸν Αἰσχίνην, φάσκων ὑποκρινόμενον τοῖς ποιηταῖς τραγῳδιῶν, ἔτι καὶ πίθηκον προσηγόρευσεν· ἤτοι ὅτι βραχὺς ὢν τῷ σώματι εἰσῄει εἰς τὴν σκηνήν· ἢ ὅτι ὁ πίθηκος μιμηλὸν ζῷόν ἐστιν, εἰς τοῦτο ἐπέσκωψε τὸν Αἰσχίνην, ὡς ἀνθρώπους ὑποκρινομένους τραγῳδίαν μιμούμενον.
Betacode
*tragiko\s pi/qhkos: paroimi/a. e)pi\ tw=n par' a)ci/an semnunome/nwn. *dhmosqe/nhs kai\ a)/lla polla\ ei)pw\n ei)s to\n *ai)sxi/nhn, fa/skwn u(pokrino/menon toi=s poihtai=s tragw|diw=n, e)/ti kai\ pi/qhkon proshgo/reusen: h)/toi o(/ti braxu\s w)\n tw=| sw/mati ei)sh/|ei ei)s th\n skhnh/n: h)\ o(/ti o( pi/qhkos mimhlo\n zw=|o/n e)stin, ei)s tou=to e)pe/skwye to\n *ai)sxi/nhn, w(s a)nqrw/pous u(pokrinome/nous tragw|di/an mimou/menon.
Notes (1)
- cf. Harpokration s.v.; Apostolius 17.32.
- 1Demosthenes 18.242 (web address 1). The adjective used there is actually
au)totragiko/s ("a very ape of tragedy"); but the Suda follows Harpok. in foreshortening it. ↩
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from2 entries
- σ229Σεμνυνόμενοςpriding oneself[Meaning one who is] boasting. "Dionysodoros, priding himself that none of his melodies were heard, like those of Ismenias, either on a warship or at a fountain".
- τ894Τραγικώτεροςmore tragic, rather tragic[Meaning] more/rather trustworthy; or more/rather unfortunate. Aristophanes [writes]: "so you should have yoked a wing of Pegasus, so that you would appear more tragic to the gods." He is alluding to what is said about…
Neighbouring entries
Revision history4 revisions · last 15 Jan 2014
- Revised — David Whitehead
- more keywords; tweaks — David Whitehead
- augmented notes — David Whitehead
- added link, set status — Catharine Roth
- Translated — David Whitehead